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Modernising Energy Data Applications: Learnings and recommendations

On conclusion of the Modernising Energy Data Applications (MEDApps) competition, Energy Systems Catapult has produced a report which evidences high value energy data assets to the sector, and provides a set of recommendations to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), Ofgem and the sector.

The recommendations – summarised below – aim to provide some practical actions to help remove barriers related to visibility, accessibility and usability of existing energy data for innovators, as well as to facilitate engagement between energy data providers and data users.

MEDApps was structured as a two-phase competition. During the first phase each project received roughly £150,000 to fund their discovery and alpha phase, from April 2021 until July 2022. The second phase funded only the most promising projects, reducing the number of participants from nine to five. Phase 2 ran from September 2021 until June 2022 and each project received roughly £450,000 to fund the beta phase of the data application development.

Energy Systems Catapult worked with the competition winners to provide tailored support for the projects, identify and help resolve issues with access to data, and facilitate knowledge sharing.

Recommendations

Recommendation 1: Networks’ data availability dashboard

The ENA should create and maintain a Networks’ Data Availability Dashboard. This should track the availability of the data describing the topology of the network, including its assets and their attributes.

Recommendation 2: Standardisation of energy networks’ data licences

Ofgem should promote the use of common licences for energy networks data and the ENA should coordinate the creation of a standardised set of licences.

Recommendation 3: Widening access to SMETS2 system data

The Smart Energy Code Panel (SEC Panel) and OFGEM should promote a mechanism to permit the DCC to de-personalise and share SMETS2 system data for public interest purposes.

Recommendation 4: Promoting innovation with de-personalised SMETS2 demand data

Ofgem, BEIS, and Innovate UK should promote an innovation challenge on the use of de-personalised SMETS2 demand data accessed through distribution network operators.

Recommendation 5: A data user group

Ofgem and Innovate UK should support the formation of a data user group to gather feedback on challenges and barriers faced by data users.

Read the Report

Modernising Energy Data Applications: Learnings and recommendations

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