The traditional energy system is undergoing a major transition to a smarter digital energy system, which is dominated by decarbonised, decentralised and digitalised resources.
As this shift occurs, the challenges and opportunities associated with data across the electricity networks are becoming more prevalent. Taking a whole energy systems approach to data and digitalisation is critical to ensuring an optimised energy system that works for everyone.
We have formed a Data and Digitalisation Steering Group to collaboratively address data issues across electricity, access new datasets and identify opportunities to gain value from existing datasets.
Network investment in modernising energy data is essential for continued decarbonisation of our energy system and delivery of net zero emissions.
We are working with Ofgem, the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, UK Research and Innovation and others in the industry to progress and deliver the recommendations of the Energy Data Taskforce and deliver modern, digitalised energy networks for customers.
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Energy networks digitalisation strategies
The energy sector has an unprecedented challenge in evolving to incorporate large amounts of Distributed Energy Resources (DER) such as solar panels and electric vehicles, uptake of which is increasing all the time as we strive to achieve our net zero targets. Digitalisation will ensure that energy networks are in the best possible position to tackle this challenge, by having quality data that can inform investment, optimise processes and enable innovation to future proof the whole energy system.
All of our members have produced individual digitalisation strategies, which describe how they plan to move towards digitalised networks. These strategies are transparent and accessible, giving clarity to users about the data services that are available today and those that will be available in the future. You can find these strategies on the individual network operator websites or consolidated on Ofgem’s website. These documents will be updated as per the requirements in Ofgem’s licence conditions.
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Getting involved
There are representatives from our membership in the Data and Digitalisation Steering Group. It is important to us that everyone can get involved and understand the progress of the energy sector in delivering the Energy Data Task Force recommendations and digitalisation more broadly.
Data and digitalisation is critical to enabling a smart, flexible energy system, including facilitating a whole energy system approach. We will be using the well-established and successful stakeholder engagement techniques from our future networks projects – Open Networks and Gas Goes Green.
The Data and Digitalisation Steering Group sits across both of our future networks’ project and is why we recommend you join our mailing list. You will receive regular updates and obtain all invitations to our events, webinars, consultations, roundtables and other engagement sessions. Specific events will also be posted on our events page.