A REGIONAL utilities company has been granted millions of pounds of funding for a new scheme to cut carbon emissions.

Electricity North West say that their new Quest scheme aims to manage the peaks and troughs of energy supply caused by surges in demand by transitioning towards renewable ways of generating electricity.

The company has now received £7.95 million from energy regulator Ofgem to trial the scheme.

Electricity North West head of network innovation Dan Randles said: “To help meet its decarbonisation targets, the government is encouraging customers to take up more and more low carbon alternatives to heat their homes and power their cars.

“This is resulting in additional demand on our network, requiring us to develop advanced voltage management techniques which will help ensure customers get the power they need.

"The funding we've been awarded is crucial for allowing us to trial a highly innovative system to coordinate existing technology on our network."

The project will work by automatically monitoring and managing the voltage levels of the electricity network during times of peak demand or low supply.

The funding from Ofgem will allow Electricity North West to further develop the design of the system, before implementing the technology required and trialling the scheme.

Mr Randles said: "Through optimisation, QUEST will boost the benefits currently available and enable people and businesses in the North West to embrace low carbon technologies helping to cut emissions and support the transition to net zero.”

This scheme will dovetail with work that the company is already undertaking as part of the Leading the North West to Zero Carbon plan, a £63.5 million programme aimed at helping the region transition to green technologies such as electric vehicles and heating.

Work on the programme is already underway on projects around the South Manchester Enterprise Zone near Manchester Airport, while further work around Samlesbury Aerospace Enterprise Zone is set to being in the next few months.