Driving the electricity market reform - Tianyu Luo

Tianyu Luo is a Power System Engineer in our Customer Technical Policy team. He supports new connection customers and provides technical advice and guidance to help us develop our future network in line with our zero carbon ambition. Tianyu only recently completed his chartered application but is already seeing the benefits of being chartered with the IET. 

Tell us a bit about your role at the ESO

I work in the Customer Technical Policy team with a number of excellent engineers from diverse backgrounds. We review the technical requirements for different energy types and ensure new connections fully comply with the Grid Code and the Security and Quality of Supply Standard (SQSS). Furthermore, we make sure that the ESO can operate the network after the new users are connected to the system.

On one hand, it’s so important that we focus on customer-led efficiency to enable new renewable connections from our pathfinder projects and Network Options Assessment (NOA) solutions. Ultimately these new connections will help us to achieve our zero-carbon operation ambition.

On the other hand, I am proud of being one of the experienced engineers that are driving the electricity market reform. I lead the reviewing of industrial codes to retain and build our reputation as a trusted partner.

What do you love about engineering and specifically your role at the ESO?

All the way through my career at the ESO, I have been inspired by the great culture of finding efficient and innovative ways to improve daily processes and solve engineering problems.

"As an engineer, there has never been a greater moment than witnessing the industry using the new technology that I have worked on."

I led a project to research demand response and optimal embedded generator despatch in an active network management platform in my PhD study. The most fascinating thing is that I have been able to take my PhD project and put it to the test in a real environment when I joined the ESO.

As an engineer, there has never been a greater moment than witnessing the industry using the new technology that I have worked on.

I am continuing to work on more complicated projects to enable the connection of new technologies and clean energy plants that will lead us to our net zero target. It is incredibly challenging, but you will always have various opportunities to learn and develop in a brilliant team.

How does your role help us towards reaching net zero?

The ESO sits at the core of the UK energy industry and plays a key role in directing the development of future networks. To reach the net zero target, the whole industry has been investing massively in clean technologies that can participate in dynamic containment, stability pathfinder, regional development plan and other ancillary services.

Our job is to make sure that these new technologies are available and can provide high quality services when we need them. We also need to ensure all the transmission owners have the proper investments to reinforce their network and facilitate all these new connections.

To find out more about how we are working with industry, take a look at our connections pages.