Smart investment

(SSE) and

have announced a £300,000 investment in Smarter Grid Solutions (SGS), the Active Network Management spin out founded by

.

Both companies have promised a further £200,000 investment in SGS after the satisfactory completion of certain key targets. In return they will each be awarded 25 per cent equity.

The additional 50 per cent stake will be shared between the inventors of the technology and Strathclyde University.

SGS has been developed over the past five years by a team at the university’s Department of Electronic & Electrical Engineering and SSE. The technology allows generators to access power network capacity not normally available under conventional network planning requirements.

The Strathclyde/SSE technology collaboration has led to the creation of the Orkney Registered Power Zone (RPZ), where the technology was successfully trialed. It is now capable of deployment on other electricity networks to increase capacity and enable deployment of further Distributed Generation (DG).

Alan Gooding, managing director of SGS, said: 'The upsurge in DG, including wind, wave and other renewable technologies, has saturated available network capacity in many electricity networks.

‘This technology will allow the cost-effective connection of significantly more megawatts of renewable generation to existing electricity networks and help the UK achieve its very ambitious renewable targets.’

According to David Gardner, head of ventures at SSE, the technology will provide a solid investment that can add value to their existing business operations.