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UK Power Networks (UKPN) has launched an online open data portal to share detailed information about its networks across London, the South East and East of England.
The distribution network operator said the portal brings together “thousands of datasets from a vast range of sources” that can be viewed in tables, charts and maps.
The data includes information on the location, utilisation and capacity of its own assets as well as records of nearly 1,000 large-scale generators and more than 2,000 smaller low-carbon technologies such electric vehicle (EV) chargers and solar panels connected to its networks.
UKPN said the portal will have a variety of important uses, helping local authorities to develop plans for reaching net zero emissions; chargepoint installers, renewable energy generators and battery storage operators to identify suitable locations to connect; and academics, researchers and industry analysts to produce models and forecasts.
The firm claimed to be the first network operator in the UK to publish all of its datasets via a portal under a standard open data license allowing anyone to use them. Application programming interfaces will enable users to automatically connect to the datasets and get live updates.
Matt Webb, head of enterprise data at UKPN said: “We are taking the effort away from end users in accessing and consuming network and asset data, and in the process fostering a community of open data users who can share and potentially collaborate together.
“The industry has told us there is huge demand for an advanced, accessible and scalable open data platform. This is just the start, and we’re looking forward to continuing to grow the platform.”
The portal is part of the company’s Enabling Open Energy Data initiative conducted in partnership with the Open Data Institute, Regen and Opendatasoft.
Regen chief executive Merlin Hyman said: “We believe open data will be at the heart of the transition to net zero energy – enabling innovators to develop services that will support a smarter and more flexible power system.
“We welcome UK Power Networks’ launch of its new open data portal as a significant step in opening up detailed data on how the electricity distribution system works to everyone and enabling the development of a smarter net zero energy system from the bottom up.”
Western Power Distribution launched an online open data portal in March.
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