A proof-of-concept project to develop a National Energy Systems Map (NESM) has been launched by the UK’s electricity and gas networks. The pilot project will give customers information about energy network assets, where those assets are located as well as who owns them. This project is a result of a core recommendation of the Energy Data Taskforce for the development of a digital system map of the UK energy network infrastructure with the overall goal of developing a full digital twin of the UK energy system.
Background
In October 2018, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy of the UK government launched the Energy Data Taskforce, led by Energy Systems Catapult and supported by Ofgem and Innovate UK. The objective of the task force was to determine how to release the power of data within the UK energy system. The final report A strategy for a Modern Digitalised Energy System provided a suite of recommendations on how data can contribute to developing and maintaining a decarbonized, decentralized and efficient energy system.
In most of world's major economies energy is increasingly decentralized increasingly relying on distributed energy resources (DER). Many assets such as electric vehicles, electric storage heaters and home batteries are capable of not only of consuming power but also able to generate it. Modern assets are smart and able to signal and receive signals from network operators. Reducing the carbon content of power generation is a worldwide objective supported by governments, regulators and the utility industry. New business models for utilities are emerging which reflect this new grid. The UK government sees data as the key to unlocking the potential of the new grid. Transparent, accessible, interoperable and accurate data is seen as key to enabling network operators to adapt to and exploit the opportunities created by the new grid.
In the current energy system there are barriers to the effective use of data; no common data standards, no openly shared data repository and a culture of data hoarding rather than sharing. It is estimated that a smart and flexible system can contribute to cumulative savings of up to £40 billion by 2050.
Development of a national digital energy map
One of the key recommendations of the task force is the development of a unified digital system map of the UK energy system. Such a map is intended to make infrastructure data accessible to all, to lower the barrier to entry and enable developers to create new solutions and validate new business models. Interoperability of network data is intended to provide networks, Ofgem and developers with efficiency benefits reducing data preparation and translation requirements.The digital energy system map will become one of the three data building blocks that will transform the energy system; a data catalogue which will provide a single, searchable location for energy system datasets, an asset registration strategy for identifying assets, and the digital system map that will provide a digital representation of the UK energy system.
The list of actions of the energy digitalization strategy in the recent Digitalising our energy system for net zero: Strategy and Action Plan 2021 includes the procurement of a National Energy System Map, with a proof of concept delivered by Q4 2021. The map will initially present datasets shared by network companies but is intended to grow and evolve with the addition of other energy sector data and potentially data from other sectors. To begin the implementation of this objective the Energy Networks Association has kicked off the development of a National Energy System Map for mainland UK that initially will encompass electric power and gas network data. It is intended that this energy system data will be made publicly available as a digital map. The Energy Networks Association intends to deliver a proof of concept of a national energy system map in Q4 2021.
It is foreseen that a digital energy system system map will provide significant benefits; more efficient planning of renewable energy projects and future energy system infrastructure, more rapid development of new business models for energy, data standardization and interoperability, and increased energy system resilience through better system visibility. In addition it will provide a foundation for the development of a digital twin of the UK's energy network.
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