The project

Through a range of projects, covering several years the UK has evolved digitisation and data sharing within its energy sector.  Moving from a fragmented and largely closed energy data landscape, the UK now enjoys large open data platforms and the opportunity for innovators to build new AI solutions from that data access.

This White Paper presents the journey that the UK has taken to achieve this data landscape and highlights some of the key learnings for those looking to develop a data sharing landscape of their own.

The challenge

Global energy systems are facing increasing pressure from climate change, rising demand, and the need to integrate low carbon technologies at pace. A key challenge lies in ensuring energy system resilience while enabling the deployment of digital and AI enabled solutions that can support flexibility, efficiency, and decarbonisation.

To fuel this, you need a digitised energy sector that can efficiently share data between participants and provide data that enables innovators to create new technologies and solutions.   Traditional energy infrastructure does not always lend itself to this new world and to make that change requires more than just technical advancement, it also requires a change in thinking from those that hold data.

The solution

The Energy Systems Catapult was originally requested by the UK Government to identify key data sets that should be shared more widely.  This original request formed the basis of the Energy Data Taskforce.  However, it quickly became apparent that the problems ran deeper and that a broader approach to data sharing was needed.

Working with Ofgem, network operators, transmission operators, retailers and other key energy stakeholders the Energy Data Taskforce developed a new approach to considering energy data – “presumed open”.  This meant that data owners had to change their approach to data and consider it as open unless they could justify restricting access.  A new wave of regulation, licence conditions and operating conditions supported this transition and it facilitated a wave of new innovations and businesses to grow in the UK.

Following this a solution for sharing the more secure data was needed.  The Data Sharing Infrastructure (originally known as the Digital Spine) provides a framework for sharing data between trusted energy sector participants that builds on existing frameworks and legal structures.  This has recently gone through its core use case trials and the new MVP project starting in 2026 will explore other key mechanisms for enabling data sharing.

Impact

By creating a rich data environment within the UK energy sector a wide range of innovators have been able to access and utilise these data sets to develop business models and realise hidden value within the energy sector.  By supporting other markets to develop the principles of data sharing the aim is to globally support the energy transition and develop new and innovative tools that benefit both the energy sector and its consumers.