Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) Distribution has entered a partnership with the not-for-profit Icebreaker One to build the digital and data-sharing functionality needed to support the net zero transition, the network operator announced on 13 July 20221. SSEN describes the arrangement as an industry first, and says it is the first time Icebreaker One has partnered with an electricity network operator to establish formally what data sharing will be required for key net zero projects1.
SSEN Distribution is the electricity Distribution Network Operator responsible for delivering power to over 3.8 million homes and businesses across central southern England and the north of Scotland1. The company states that data-sharing techniques and services will be essential for electricity networks to manage the additional demand caused by the uptake of electric vehicles, the charge points that power them, and other low carbon technologies1. It cites a projection that nearly 16 million EVs will be on UK roads by 2030, requiring hundreds of thousands more charge points, and says installation at that scale can only be achieved efficiently through access to robust, reliable data on consumer demand and network capacity1.
The partnership will run two initial trial projects using in-depth interviews and innovation workshops. These will examine which datasets are needed, the barriers within SSEN to effective access to and sharing of data, and new ways to overcome data-sharing challenges1. The stated aim is to identify and tackle data siloes and develop opportunities such as two-way flows of new EV registrations and network capacity information, while managing customer privacy and cyber security1.
"As a network operator we are responsible for holding and managing energy data. Sharing our data in a carefully agreed manner with other network users can play a major role in helping to plan and prepare for the arrival of low carbon technologies on our network."
Laura Sandys CBE, Chair of the Energy Digitalisation Taskforce, said it was crucial that networks make their data shareable and adopt the presumed open principle, and that SSEN was doing exciting work with Icebreaker One1. Gea Mikic, Co-Founder and Programme Director at Icebreaker One, said rolling out the charge points needed to support the transition to EVs relies on connecting data across a network of organisations, with energy networks like SSEN at the heart of it1.
Why it matters for households
The practical effect for a household sits in the connection between national supply capacity and the pace at which low carbon technologies can be added to a home. SSEN's stated position is that network planning for electric vehicles and other low carbon technologies depends on data it holds being shared in an agreed way with other network users1. Where that data is incomplete or held in siloes, the network operator's visibility of demand and of available capacity is reduced, which bears on how quickly charge points and similar technologies can be connected.
The comparison SSEN draws is with open banking, which it says increased competition and innovation and created better service and more value for customers1. Icebreaker One frames the same point around charge point installation in homes across the UK, saying better access to data is crucial to delivering net zero1. Customer privacy and cyber security measures are named as part of the work1.
What happens next
Two initial trial projects are to deploy in-depth interviews and innovation workshops1. No completion date, budget or published outputs for these trials have been reported.