An Automatic Asset Registration (AAR) process is one of the digitisation initiatives needed to improve visibility of Low Carbon Technologies (LCTs) and align the asset registration process. AAR was initially conceived of by the Energy Data Taskforce and the Energy Digitalisation Taskforce who called for ‘the coordination of Asset Registration’ of LCTs.

The 2021 Smart Systems and Flexibility Plan and Energy Digitalisation Strategy outlined how government and Ofgem will deliver the flexibility and innovation needed for a Net Zero energy system.

The Energy Digitalisation Strategy included work on the Coordinated Asset Registration strategy for smaller scale assets (such as solar panels, electric vehicles, battery storage and heat pumps, which typically require registration by an installer). The Strategy outlined how government will work with industry to streamline the registration process for small-scale assets to improve data collection and therefore improve the visibility of these assets on the system.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) launched an AAR competition as part of their Net Zero Innovation Portfolio Programme (NZIP). The programme ran from September 2022 to March 2025 and was delivered across three phases:

• Phase 1 – Feasibility studies
• Phase 2 – Development
• Phase 3 – Pilot testing

The LCT Connect project, led by GreenSync Pty Limited (GreenSync) and supported by Energy Systems Catapult was one of three projects supported in Phase 1. A competitive down selection process selected the LCT Connect project to deliver Phase 2 and 3.

LCT Connect was supported by a broad and diverse range of companies from across the energy sector including the Data Communications Company, LCT manufacturers, installers, distribution network operators, energy retailers and flexibility providers as well as cybersecurity specialists and innovators.

GreenSync developed an innovative solution to overcome the key barriers and enable new energy assets – smaller than 1 MW – such as solar PV, batteries, EV chargers and heat pumps to be automatically registered and visible to networks.

The challenge

The transition to a Net Zero energy system, and the associated uptake of low carbon technologies (LCTs), is transforming the energy landscape in Great Britain. These circumstances are presenting the industry with myriad opportunities as well as several challenges. Such challenges include that the uptake of LCTs is rapidly accelerating but at present there is a distinct and increasing lack of visibility of these energy assets.

Whilst registration with network companies is a legal requirement for some assets, it is understood that roughly 40% or less of new small-scale energy assets are currently visible to the networks. Many of those responsible for registering assets (e.g., consumers and installers) are unaware of their responsibilities, leading to complex and multiple registration processes. Where assets are notified, registration issues persist as the data is collected and held by multiple systems that do not speak to each other, resulting in incomplete datasets.

The accelerating rate of asset installation also presents a very real system problem for the network. This rapid uptake of LCTs is forecast to continue and will require the associated increasing volume of assets to be carefully managed to ensure system stability and supply is maintained.

The solution

LCT Connect is made up of two key components:

1. Automatic Asset Registration (AAR): A software module with the capability to interact with the users registering a new or existing asset and/or applying for a change of ownership or technical parameters of an already registered asset. The AAR module will also be responsible for validation of the asset registration for which it will fetch live asset information through Decentralised Energy Exchange (deX). Once validation is completed and registration is confirmed, the AAR module will create an entry in the CAR.
2. The Central Asset Register (CAR): a single-source-of-truth, ‘dynamic’ data repository for all relevant data of a registered LCT. The CAR will not only receive entry creation requests from the AAR but will also, through the capabilities of deX, regularly monitor any changes or updates to registered assets and trigger updates to the CAR registry. A database of assets that ensures a single view of LCTs is available to support multiple use cases.

The CAR is a crucial piece of digital infrastructure, providing accurate asset data to support key use cases such as network planning and flexibility services.

The solution was achieved by adapting and extending the already proven capabilities of GreenSync’s digital deX platform to the UK context with due consideration given to the relevant regulatory, technical and legislative requirements.

By leveraging the deX product that has already been deployed in Australia, the LCT Connect project has built on the significant investment and several years of effort in product development to date.

The Catapult’s role

Phase 1 – Feasibility studies

The Catapult with GreenSync completed a feasibility assessment of the LCT Connect solution. As part of this assessment, we assessed best practices in asset registration and compliance in other markets where GreenSync’s platform deX the has been piloted and/or is already in commercial use. We undertook a detailed analysis across policy, regulation, business model, technical requirements and use case specific outcomes to address the challenge of registering assets using a whole systems approach.

Phase 2 – Development

The Catapult used our Living Lab to identify and select participants to have their LCT assets registered into a demonstration version of the CAR. This supported GreenSync’s demonstration of the AAR/CAR during Phases Two and Three of the project.

Alongside the trial, the Catapult conducted a small consumer research study to explore householders’ attitudes to registration.

Phase 3 – Pilot testing

The Catapult completed a regulatory and market assessment of the LCT Connect solution where we explored the policy and regulatory levers that are applicable to the deployment of such a service. Through careful consideration of licencing conditions, obligations, and incentive mechanisms that regulatory bodies have at their disposal, we identified the most suitable implementation path for the AAR/CAR system and maximise the number of registered LCT assets. From this assessment, we made a series of recommendations to Ofgem and Government for the regulatory framework under which LCT Connect should be operated, providing the benefits to the wider energy markets as we defined during our Phase 1 feasibility study.

Stakeholder engagement (across all three phases)

During the project, the Catapult engaged with key stakeholders across network operators, flexibility service providers, Ofgem and local authorities and government institutions as well as other stakeholders such as end consumers.

The project consortium hosted a series of Industry & Project Partners Panel events then informed stakeholders of progress and panel discussions covering the development of the AAR programme with a look at both the technical solution and its policy and regulatory context.

Project outputs

On 17 March 2025, the Catapult, the Data Communications Company and GreenSync presented our Final Dissemination Webinar. The Webinar covered a brief overview of the project achievements, results from the stakeholder engagement, the regulatory and policy recommendations and how existing capabilities within the solution could be leveraged for additional value.

In January 2023 the Catapult and GreenSync published the findings at the end of the Phase One project. These findings were compiled by into the ‘Feasibility Study’ report

Industry and Project Partners Panel 

On the 10 November, GreenSync and Energy Systems Catapult hosted the first Industry & Project Partners Panel (I&P) event for the AAR Phase Two Programme. The event, held in London at the Connected Places Catapult Urban Innovation Centre, consisted of a half-day session filled with presentations and panel discussions covering the development of the AAR programme with a look at both the technical solution and its policy and regulatory context.

In attendance were the project partners and key industry organisations such as the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), Ofgem, Octopus Energy, Data Communication Company (DCC), InstallHUB, MCS, UK Power Networks, Arup, Gemserv, Elexon and EV.Energy who engaged in discussions and talked about the benefits and insightful challenges with the presenters and panel members throughout the session.

During the first half of the session, an overview of the technical solution was demonstrated before delving into the first panel discussion. The dialogue covered important aspects and considerations such as the potential benefits of the AAR including the Central Asset Register (CAR), manufacturers’ incentives and data privacy and data standards concerns. Specific discussion points included:

• The importance of and approach to data privacy when marrying an MPAN with a specific address within AAR/CAR.
• The value AAR/CAR could bring to DNO’s long- and short-term energy forecasting abilities.
• AAR/CAR potential to provide customer assurance for their installations by providing information on an asset post installation (as MCS certification is currently a snapshot in time).
• The administrative burden AAR/CAR would be able to alleviate for industry actors and consumers to help support operations such as flexibility services.
• What a successful approach to the re-registration of existing assets to AAR/CAR could look like.

The policy and regulatory portion saw presentations which contextualised AAR within the UK’s energy digitalisation strategy and explored the policy and regulatory needs to encourage and incentivise the programme uptake. The following points were featured in the discussion:

• The use of Home Energy Management (HEM) systems as a potential route for asset registration.
• The challenges faced unlocking certain use cases for AAR/CAR due to current policy.
• The need for independent governance of AAR/CAR.
• The use of appropriate data standards for AAR/CAR.
• How to build consumer trust in the AAR/CAR project.

Second Industry and Project Partners Panel

GreenSync hosted the second Industry and Project Partners Panel (I&3P) event at the Catapult’s Birmingham office on 29th February 2024. Projects partners Vaillant, ev.energy, InstallHUB, Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS), Data Communication Company (DCC) and SMA and key industry organisations including the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), Ofgem, National Grid, Elexon, gemserv, ElectraLink, geotogether, Electron and SSEN attended.

This second half day session on the AAR Programme was centred around reviewing and discussing the installation policy and regulatory levers as well as the data enablers that jointly would enable the commercialisation of the AAR/CAR solution.

During the first half of the session, the current projects and programmes interlinked with AAR were presented in a roadmap where Ofgem’s Flexibility Digital Infrastructure (FDI) and DESNZ’s Flex Market Unlocked Programme were highlighted as the main alignments with AAR for 2024.

As a key remark, an update of the Clean Heat Market Mechanism was presented by Vaillant’s Technology and Training Director Mark Wilkins which showed the new opportunities the AAR Programme brings with the simplification of the LCTs’ installation and registration to support the overall UK energy Net Zero targets.

In the second half of the event, a panel session was held with representatives from MCS, ElectraLink, DCC and gemserv. The dialogue covered important key lessons learned by these organisations in developing, deploying and operating similar solutions to AAR/CAR.

Key takeaways included:

• Stay flexible by ensuring the AAR technology and governance regimens are accountable of changes and remain flexible to adapt to future unknown use cases.
• The need for AAR/CAR is clear, but a level of investment from beneficiaries (such as DESNZ, Ofgem, DNOs) would be needed after the innovation funding ends to scale up and commercialise.
• AAR/CAR should be designed and built to remain stable and flexible with regards to the Added-Value piece such as Flexibility Services.

Last but not least, early insights to a customer research survey sent to the Living Lab participants (approximately 2,500 households across the entire UK) were presented. This approach allowed the team to test for the first time the AAR/CAR solution with consumers.

The aim of the survey was to understand:

• how people feel about such a register being created;
• whether people would be willing for their assets to be registered and
• what would motivate people to consider registering their assets.

From the almost 400 responses received, 85% were positive to the idea of registering their LCTs into a platform like AAR/CAR. This shows the agreement of UK citizens of having and subscribing to such a solution and support the energy market to transition to a more digital and greener world.

Third Industry and Project Partners Panel

GreenSync successfully concluded Phase Two of its Automatic Asset Registration (AAR) Programme with a highly engaging third Industry and Project Partners Panel (I&3P) event, held at the Connected Places Catapult’s Urban Innovation Centre in London.

At the core of the event were live demonstrations showcasing AAR/CAR solutions and processes, designed to automate the registration, validation, and ongoing accuracy of Low Carbon Technology (LCT) data in the Central Asset Register. GreenSync, along with its project partners, illustrated the solution’s capability to collect both static and dynamic data for registered LCT assets.

The latter half of the event focused on discussions around key policy and regulatory mechanisms, as well as data enablers, which are essential for the operationalisation of the AAR/CAR solutions. These discussions also took into account recent developments such as the Consumer Consent Solution, the establishment of the Market Facilitator body, Data Sharing Infrastructure, and the Flexibility Market Asset Register consultation.

The day concluded with a panel discussion, during which GreenSync and its partners reflected on the project’s learnings, shared future plans, and engaged with the audience through a question-and-answer session.

With a large number of interested stakeholders participating in the discussions, the event exemplified the dynamic and collaborative efforts that are key to advancing the UK’s journey towards achieving Net Zero.

Some of the key takeaways were:

• Asset visibility, alongside a consolidated asset registration process and a solution providing centralised access to asset registration data, is a challenge that needs urgent resolution.
• The technology, as demonstrated at the event, is available and therefore is not a barrier to achieving asset visibility.
• The AAR/CAR solution should act as a single source of truth for asset data – a single, centralised register built on the demonstrated technology would deliver this at the lowest cost and fastest pace.
• The AAR/CAR solution has already been piloted and tested with real-life assets through Energy Systems Catapult’s Living Lab.

GreenSync, in collaboration with its project partners, will continue to enhance the AAR/CAR solution as part of the Net Zero Innovation Portfolio AAR Programme. The ongoing development efforts will aim to further refine the solution, while actively sharing valuable insights and lessons with the industry. This will help promote wider adoption and support key objectives around asset visibility and flexibility, ultimately contributing to a more dynamic and efficient energy system.