WESTERN Power Distribution seeks to harness data to deliver lower carbon energy solutions, which has been set out in the roadmap for its first digitalisation strategy.
The roadmap explains how these digital technologies are set to play an increasingly vital role in converting data into meaningful insight that not only benefits customers but connects more renewable, low carbon technologies and enhances network performance.
The new roadmap, which will form an integral part of the company’s future business plan, focuses on two main aims:
- Digitalising the energy system, which involves the continuous delivery of innovative projects to provide greater visibility of network data.
- Opening up all data through a publicly available online Energy Data Hub.
Nigel Turvey, Western Power Distribution’s Distribution System Operator and Future Networks Manager, said: “We’re seeing significant increases in renewable forms of generation connecting directly to our network, such as solar, wind, heat pumps and energy storage.
“We’ve taken proactive steps to adapt to the change by embracing innovative solutions, technologies and commercial arrangements to make optimal use of existing network capacity.
“Our digitalisation roadmap explains how we’re harnessing digital technologies to create a future electricity network which is affordable, reliable and meets the evolving needs of customers.”
These include a host of projects which have opened up energy data to enable homes, businesses and local authorities to better manage the energy they use and generate, ultimately lowering carbon emissions.
Mr Turvey added: “Our neutral position in the energy services market means that Western Power Distribution is ideally positioned to act as a hub for this information.”
One example is Western Power Distribution’s Future Energy Scenarios project, where data allows the company to forecast system needs and identify flexibility markets through its Flexible Power brand.
This has already opened up more than 120MW of flexibility, allowing the company to manage the network even more efficiently.
Core activities already underway include the improved granularity and accuracy of network data to deliver enhanced real-time operations and future investment planning.
The roadmap will continue to evolve as a result of significant stakeholder input, which is critical to the company’s approach.
Mr Turvey concluded: “We will continue to add to and enhance the data sets available and welcome feedback on further data that customers, government and local authorities would find useful.”
The digitalisation plan can be found here.
