National Grid adopts UCL's UKTIMES model

The UK TIMES model (UKTM) was developed by UCL Energy Institute’s wholeSEM and UK Energy Research Centre teams, in partnership with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). UK TIMES is a bottom-up, technology-rich, cost optimisation model of the UK energy system.

Covering a multitude of areas, from households and social habits to electricity generation and transmission, UK TIMES helps identify energy system transitions that meet energy demands across the UK economy with the lowest discounted cost, subject to constraints such as greenhouse gas (GHG) emission targets.

UK TIMES has become a widely recognised model, with a user group including BEIS, the Scottish Government, the Committee on Climate Change and the National Infrastructure Commission.

Neil Rowley, Gas Modelling Manager in the National Grid’s Energy Insights Team, said,

“Using UKTM allows National Grid to be part of a wider UK energy community all using the same platform.”

Paul Dodds, Senior Lecturer at UCL, commented,

“UK TIMES has helped a range of stakeholders to understand how we can meet our long-term decarbonisation targets. I’m very pleased to welcome National Grid to the UK TIMES modelling community.”