Intelligent Gas Grid Management

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Utonomy was founded in May ‘15 to develop technology for reducing leakage in low pressuregas distribution networks by optimising pressure in the network. We want to verify use ofadvanced predictive analytics to reduce overall pressure and therefore gas leakage which isdirectly proportional to the pressure in the network.Natural gas (used in the networks) is comprised largely of methane which is a potentgreenhouse gas and leakage of gas is a big contributor to global warming. Although only 14%of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide are methane, it traps up to 84 times more heat thanCO2 (over 20 years). This smaller amount of methane is 12 times worse for climate changethan CO2 over 20 years. In the UK, leakage from the gas network is estimated at 7,000 GWh(1% of gas transported) costing the consumer £180m pa and releasing 10m tonnes pa of CO2e(the method by which the greenhouse effect of all gases are measured is by comparison toCO2). By optimising the pressure, we expect to reduce leakage by more than 20%.The Intelligent Gas Grid Management (IGGM) project, will develop and test a method ofpredicting demand and demand/pressure relationships automatically regulating pressure in anetwork to keep it just above the minimum. To achieve this, we will undertake R&D on thetwo most challenging aspects of the proposed solution 1. Mathematical analysis of large datasets to develop a predictive software control model 2. A means of accurately adjusting thegovernor’s (gas pressure control valve) outlet pressure through a mechatronic hardwaredesign. The PoC output will be software that allows us to model the leakage savings on anexample gas network, plus hardware that demonstrates that precise governor control can beachieved within cost and reliability targets. To exploit outcomes, we will approach gasdistributors for trials/commercial partnerships and seek investment & funding to develop aprototype for an end-to-end pressure control system.