Smart Meter Energy Data Repository Programme: Phase 1 projects
Updated 8 August 2023
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The Smart Meter Energy Data Repository (SEDR) Programme aims to support innovation to determine the technical and commercial feasibility of a smart meter energy data repository, this will enable future innovation of products and services to benefit consumers while ensuring their data remains protected under the Smart Meter Data Access and Privacy Framework.
Anonymisation Enhanced Smart Meter Data Repository
Participant organisations:
- Advanced Infrastructure Technology Limited
- Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks
- Data Communications Company
Project costs: £43,400.00
Project summary
Energy data and software company Advanced Infrastructure Technology Limited is on a mission to accelerate an informed, fair and affordable transition to a net zero energy system. The technical solution uses machine learning research co-developed by the University of Sheffield and Advanced Infrastructure Technology Limited to leverage the power of aggregated smart meter data in reducing the cost of heating and powering our homes.
Project partner Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN), a distribution network operator powering over 3 million homes will co-create the solution alongside Data Communications Company (DCC), which operates Great Britain’s smart meter communications platform.
The project’s approach puts privacy in the foreground, building new tools and techniques to protect personal data but share anonymised trends and insights for the common good.
The project will propose a solution to allow the use of the gigabytes of data which go unused in the sector every day, all while maintaining strict privacy protections and user control over their personal data. This data could help lower prices and speed up rollouts of low-carbon technologies such as electric vehicle chargers and heating systems.
Smart Energy Data Repository
Participant organisations:
- Hildebrand
- Data Communications Company
- Frontier Economics
- Bird & Bird
- University of Salford
Project costs: £48,910.00
Project summary
The Smart Energy Data Repository project is led by Hildebrand, an energy software and hardware company.
Hildebrand will examine the use cases of a centralised energy data repository which allowed privacy preserving analytics to be done on smart meter data. These use cases might include understanding the impact of energy suppliers’ flexibility events, conducting carbon accounting, or aggregating demand to ensure grid stability. These use cases could help the electric vehicle, heat pump, solar, and storage service providers that are leading the energy transition.
They will utilise the team’s experience with Hildebrand’s existing centralised data repository called “Glow”, a smart energy data repository integrated with the Data Communications Company and the smart meters of users of the “Bright” energy app.
These potential use cases, and many more, will be defined based on Hildebrand’s and the University of Salford’s extensive experience within the sector. The use cases will be used to assess the technical and legal barriers to unlocking the potential of smart meter data (while maintaining user privacy) drawing on the expertise of globally recognised law firm Bird & Bird. In parallel, Frontier Economics will prepare a comprehensive cost benefit analysis. The current technology is scalable and mature with privacy, control and legal frameworks posing the main challenges to be investigated when viewed at a multiparty, national scale. Technically, they will demonstrate how a data repository could be achieved, within the strict access control and privacy requirements.
Smart Open Data Access
Participant organisations:
- Icebreaker One
- Data Communications Company
Project costs: £49,897.40
Project summary
Icebreaker One will lead a technical and commercial feasibility assessment of an open, decentralised and standards-based approach for a Smart Meter Data Repository, in partnership with the Data Communications Company (DCC). They will apply principles and lessons from their Open Energy project to produce best practice standards with and for the industry.
Taking a ‘connect don’t collect’, web of data approach, they will examine current practices, challenges, and benefits to propose a sector-wide approach validated through workshops and interviews. Icebreaker One will undertake a realistic analysis of the costs and benefits of the project, taking a pragmatic and transparent approach, without losing sight of the UK’s Net Zero target.
Icebreaker One brings their experience of security, privacy, financial-grade Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) from their Open Energy project, and deep understanding of data access requirements and methods for reducing friction in data discovery, collection, and sharing. The project will identify and prioritise a use case and put forward a proposal for how this core use case can be technically addressed, using a privacy and data-protection-by-design approach. They will work closely with the DCC to leverage their capabilities and explore potential inclusion of smart meter ‘system data’ into the repository. With DCC’s support the project will seek to develop an innovative solution that can deliver public benefit and accelerate the transition to net zero.