Summary

95% adoption across SSEN’s licence area. 180+ local energy projects created. Major industry recognition.

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Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) has transformed its approach to strategic network planning by deploying a geospatial Customer Planning Portal, under the name LENZA, built on Advanced Infrastructure’s LAEP+ platform. Designed to accelerate local area energy planning and improve customer satisfaction, the tool bridges the gap between local energy ambitions and distribution network grid planning.

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Demonstrated Impact and Industry Recognition

From enabling the identification of sites for onshore wind to supporting users to access Warm Homes grant funding of over £3 million LENZA has evidenced considerable impact:

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• 95% of local authorities in SSEN’s license have signed up to LENZA, alongside other local groups
• 54% estimated cost reduction for local area energy planning 
• Over 180 renewable energy projects modelled
• 2024 Utility Week Award winner for Net Zero Engagement 
• Nominated for four 2025 awards across projects, collaboration and innovation categories

The SSEN and Advanced Infrastructure collaboration has led to the launch of new features across LAEP+ platforms like Portfolios - allowing users to model projects across tens of thousands of buildings filtered by user criteria.

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Strengthening Grid Planning for Utilities 

The tool supports grid planning and customer engagement: 

• Improve visibility of future load and generation: Users can create and share long and short term projects with their Distribution Network Operator to feed into future projections. 
• Boost customer engagement and collaboration: Instead of relying solely on human-to-human interaction, the platform provides a place to collaborate and engage upon a rich repository of data

Rhys Williams, Innovation Project Manager, Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks
“The platform has enabled us to collaborate with many local authorities within the regions SSEN serves, to share network data and information from multiple sources alongside modelling best practice to build a clear picture of optimal pathways to reach net zero.”

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Accelerated lower cost Net Zero Planning for Local Authorities 

For municipalities, local community groups and consultants engaged in localised net zero planning the platform can enable:

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• Cost Savings: By streamlining effort and modelling time, cost savings of 54% can be found in local area energy planning.
• Accelerated planning: Users start with a rich baseline of data upon which to start building plans, reducing the time spent collecting and modelling. 
• Increased capability: With regular training sessions and in-tool guidance, users can build self-sufficiency in energy and carbon planning.

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Jordan Clydesdale, Climate Officer,  Wiltshire Council

“LENZA has been a valuable addition for Wiltshire Council, helping us take ownership of our decarbonisation journey with confidence. The platform’s comprehensive data and intuitive planning tools have already strengthened our funding applications, supported cross-departmental collaboration, and helped us identify key priority areas. 

“We’re seeing promising benefits in areas like retrofit planning and solar deployment, and the onboarding process and support from Advanced Infrastructure have made getting started straightforward. While we’re still at the beginning of our journey, LENZA is proving to be a useful tool, and we look forward to seeing its full impact”.

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From Innovation to Implementation

The LENZA platform emerged from Project RESOP, a Network Innovation Allowance initiative involving Dundee, Perth & Kinross, and Oxfordshire councils. These pilots validated LAEP+ as a tool to guide EV charger placement, heat pump rollout, and broader decarbonisation. Building on this success, SSEN and Advanced Infrastructure expanded LAEP+ into the LENZA customer planning portal, now serving 95% of local authorities in SSEN’s license area and supporting a growing number of impact Net Zero projects.

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The phased rollout of LENZA across SSEN’s north of Scotland and central southern England licence areas made it possible for local authorities to join incrementally, creating a continually expanding network of LENZA users. To support effective implementation, SSEN and Advanced Infrastructure provided each local authority with a tailored onboarding experience and extensive support through training, troubleshooting, and ongoing check-ins.

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By integrating training and ongoing support, LENZA provided councils with the resources needed to create local area energy plans independently, reducing their dependence on consultants and allowing them to adjust plans over time as new data emerged.

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What is LAEP+ ?

LENZA is built on LAEP+ a Customer Planning Portal for utilities, municipalities, consultants and developers. Get in touch with us today to find out more. 

• Integrated datasets and geospatial visualisations: Combines low carbon technology potential, network capacity, building stock models, and socio-economic data.
  
  
• Scenario and Project Modelling: Model technology change and impact over years or even decades
  
  
• Collaboration & Transparency: Boost collaboration and data sharing between utilities, their customers and collaborators to foster planning and investment aligned with need.
  
  
• Training, support and guidance: Our customer success team runs regular training sessions, deep dives and on-demand support via the in-platform live chat.
  
  

Book your Free LAEP+ Demo with Advanced Infrastructure and learn how LAEP+ can improve strategic network planning for utilities and accelerate local energy planning.

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