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Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) Projects Digital Platform for Leakage Analytics (DPLA) – Beta Phase
The Digital Platform for Leakage Analytics (DPLA) project aims to develop and demonstrate a prototype for how data, analytics and models can be used to identify and locate gas leaks in the gas distribution network. The core functionality of the DPLA is data-driven leakage modelling, unlocking proactive leak detection capabilities, combined with testing the application of novel gas sensor technologies. This will create opportunities to reduce the reliance on and cost of in-field specialised sensor. Shaping the future network, the DPLA’s mission is to reduce carbon emissions, realise customer benefits and improve safety in a cost-effective manner. The overarching DPLA deliverable is the demonstration of the viability of the completed system of models, combining upgraded modelling capabilities with innovative leak sensor technologies to detect, localise and characterise gas leaks. DPLA’s innovative nature consists of enhanced network coordination, reduced operational complexities, and improved user experiences, all evidenced via a key project output: the user interface. The user interface is designed to enable networks to view and interact with leakage data quickly, and effectively through real time alerts, visual heatmaps and detailed reports.
What are the benefits of DPLA? • Environmental impacts - Key quantifiably evidenced benefits from DPLA implementation will be the 1) avoided gas loss and 2) avoided greenhouse gas emissions. • Cost reductions in operating the network and wider energy system - Net cumulative discounted financial benefits across GB of up to £2.86 billion by 2050 for our core modelled scenario in the Alpha phase. The benefits are dominated by the cost of avoided emissions (~90% of the £2.86B), given the high GWP of the gases whose leakage is being minimised. • Cost savings for network services users - The avoided volume losses could feed through as direct customer benefit by decreasing the cost of shrinkage and leakage gas which is passed on from GDNs to consumers’ bills. • Economic benefits to users and any other parts of the supply chain, broader (UK) economy - Improved certainty on operating conditions and modelled outlooks, resulting in gas shippers having to build less risk into their pricing strategies. This will lead to a narrower spread of prices which can feed through to consumer bills.
• Impacts on government priorities - The estimated decrease in methane emissions from pipes and AGIs between 2020 to 2030 via DPLA is up to 58%, which supports the government priority to tackle methane emissions as a Participant of the Global Methane Pledge which was committed to at COP 26 in November 2021. • Expected regional or wider energy supply resilience benefits - In future, the platform could be developed to perform predictive leak prevention as well as leak detection. This would further improve energy supplyresilience by minimising system losses.
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