Harnessing digital power to deliver on net-zero carbon commitments

Following the launch of the network's digitalisation strategy, Western Power Distribution DSO digitalisation and data manager, Jonathan Berry, espouses the benefits of open data for themselves, consumers and wider society. 

Every business has a role to play in helping the UK reach its commitment to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Decarbonisation has jumped up both the political and societal business agendas, and it is now abundantly clear to all operating within the UK plc that the only way to deliver sustainable long-term growth comes hand in hand with a decarbonised economy.

Keeping up the pace of change to fuel a green and sustainable economy is all the more important as we consider how to recover and rebuild from the coronavirus pandemic. The UK now has a huge opportunity to cement its place as a vanguard of green innovation, setting an example worldwide while growing its own economy and creating new jobs.

The digitalisation of the UK’s energy system is a critical step in enabling this transition. Digitalising the network and opening up access to data can become a transformative tool for achieving both a modern decarbonised and decentralised energy system that works for us all. Already we are starting to see the unprecedented changes in the way that customers generate, distribute, and use energy.

One aspect of achieving net-zero targets on time is making the most of the infrastructure we already have to hand. Turning it digital is vital to accelerating the pace of change. By improving data management and increasing network insight, the energy sector can deliver decarbonisation faster, greater network efficiency and flexibility, and more responsive customer service.

Last month, Western Power Distribution launched its Digitalisation Strategy, outlining how we can best use the latest digital technologies and data-innovations to transform the development and operation of our network. To develop our strategy, we have taken on board the key recommendations of the government’s Energy Data Taskforce report as guiding principles for the use of digitalisation and energy network data to deliver tangible benefits for our customers and wider society.

Until now, the modernisation of the energy industry has been hindered by a lack of valuable data, but our roadmap sets out our long-term vision and approach to ensure that we capture, manage and share our data and further develop digitalised solutions to enable a net-zero transition. Together, these will help deliver excellent customer service, reliability, and value for money.

Every day we deliver electricity to a network of over 7.9 million customers – 27 per cent of the UK population – over an area of 55,000 square kilometres. Not only will digitalising our business give us greater visibility and insight into the everyday operation of our network, enabling us to maximise efficiency and flexibility, it also allows for the connection of more low carbon technologies like distributed generation, electric vehicle (EV) charging hubs or electrified heating while reducing the need for network reinforcement.

The benefits of opening the energy industry’s data are unlikely to be limited to distribution system operators: the wider economy and society will benefit too. Digitalisation and open data have transformed sectors such as banking, bringing a wave of new operators and innovators. In London, the open access of TFL data led to the innovation of Citymapper, a hugely successful app that is often at the fingertips of tourists and day trippers. Mirroring this success, our aim is that open energy network data will fuel the next generation of solutions tackling fuel poverty, supporting local energy cooperatives, or empowering customers with the information and guidance to be more energy efficient.

We believe digitisation can spur a new era of innovation that brings about unforeseen economic opportunities and societal benefits, which will undoubtedly result in spill-overs into other sectors, benefiting our customers and stakeholders widely.

If others are encouraged to embrace this strategy, as a sector we can help make our commitments a reality.