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delivering a digitalised energy system

costs and utilising all existing assets decarbonisation across energy vectors impacts, zero trust principles and a
and capabilities. and user needs. sharing culture.
There are small, medium, and large 3 A stable and resilient system RECOMMENDATION 5: Enable carbon
generation and storage assets, in a more Developing a system that continues to monitoring and accounting – Carbon
dynamic, renewables-led environment deliver high levels of stability for end visibility sits at the heart of all the
they access much more information customers, while using digitalisation taskforce proposes, but much greater
about the demand profile, maximising to create additional resilience through carbon visibility and standardisation is
their asset utilisation and their rewards more accurate forecasting and required. The taskforce recommends
through greater responsiveness to dynamic responses. that dynamic carbon monitoring is put
changing demand dynamics. 4 Whole system optimisation Making in place, and an open carbon standard
Regulation can manage risk with the best use of all energy assets across needs to be deployed economy-wide.
the data and analysis to anticipate, vectors and locations. Using digital RECOMMENDATION 6: Embed a
strategically plan and adapt with agility tools to guide strategic investment in digitalisation culture – Digitalisation is
to the changing market, the new level of new infrastructure to deliver an ideal not valued or understood in all parts
interactions, and customer enablement overall solution. of the energy sector, with not enough
and protection. skills or value given to digital assets
Regulated investments are KEY RECOMMENDATIONS and activities. The Department for
informed by excellent data and quality The Energy Digitalisation Taskforce Business Energy and Industrial Strategy
anticipatory analytics, with all actions recommendations are based around (BEIS) should employ a Chief Data
and interventions producing a whole a single strategic aim of developing Officer and, importantly, investors and
system carbon read-out. a modern, decarbonised digital the rating agencies need to value digital
energy system. assets as well as their traditional value
PRINCIPLES GUIDING THE TASKFORCE assessment for infrastructure.
The energy system must change The six high-level recommendations
substantially to support the delivery of from the taskforce are as follows: THE DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
a net zero economy. RECOMMENDATION 1: Unlock value of It is agreed that digitalisation of the
However, there are many possible customer actions and assets – Crucially energy system is not just a ‘nice to have’
choices, and it is unclear what the building trust and delivering control but a core requirement in ensuring the
ultimate architecture of a future net through a Consumer Consent portal, UK can accelerate the journey to net
zero energy system will be. delivering a seamless ability for assets zero, that a new decarbonised system
The Energy Digitalisation Taskforce to connect and benefit from system works effectively, and, importantly,
has considered a wide range of value by mandating all large customer rewards customers for their actions.
possible technical, operational, energy assets to be energy-enabled. Stability and resilience of the future
and commercial options and made Consumer protection will need to be system cannot be achieved without deep
recommendations which will help to enhanced to reflect different risks and digitalisation built on the availability of
guide the sector to progress towards a smart meter data needs to be released more accurate and timely data.
digitalised energy system. for the public good. Generators, storage operators and
These recommendations aim to RECOMMENDATION 2: Deliver supporting services will require much
provide policy leaders and regulators with interoperability – The sector needs to more textured information flows to
a clear outline of the key requirements, deliver interoperability through the ensure that they can respond to the
enabling them to implement new policies development and deployment of four dynamics of a more integrated system.
without predetermining any specific Public Interest Digital Assets with While digitalisation is deeply
architecture. particular focus on a ‘Digital Spine’. To embedded in many sectors, the energy
The taskforce has strived to ensure interoperability, we can build sector is behind the development and
propose the thinnest policy and on some existing assets but require deployment curve.
regulatory recommendations, data sharing fabric, data catalogue However, this presents an
supporting innovation and commercial and development of some limited but opportunity to build on and benefit
development while retaining the ability crucial standards. from the experiences and lessons from
to be flexible and agile as the digital RECOMMENDATION 3: Implement other sector’s digitalisation journeys.
environment evolves. new digital governance approach and By drawing on best practice from
The recommendations aim entities – Governance of new digital these sectors, risk and uncertainty are
to enable others to develop the assets and actions will be important significantly reduced in implementation.
innovative propositions and and will need to be developed soon. We also recognise that digitalisation
solutions to deliver a truly modern, Governance around public interest poses new risks and we have considered
decarbonised energy system. assets, interacting algorithms and consumer detriment, system stability
To guide this work, the taskforce has opening up regulated assets to digital and, importantly, security, and have
focused on four key drivers: competition will be important. There addressed the challenges posed by
1 Exciting tailored customer also needs to be a digital delivery body greater interoperability of a much more
propositions Enabling net zero- established by government to deliver complex system.
compatible products and services that the public interest assets quickly to be
provide customers with compelling, subsequently handed over to the sector. The Energy Digitalisation Taskforce
personalised offers to deliver RECOMMENDATION 4: Adopt digital was established by the Department for
outcomes the customer values. security measures – Digital security Business Energy and Industrial Strategy
2 Accelerating decarbonisation principles and interventions are crucial (BEIS), Ofgem and Innovate UK. Read the
Creating a digitalised energy system but need to be fit for digital purposes full report, Delivering a Digitalised Energy
that supports and encourages rapid with particular focus on cascade System, at www.es.catapult.org.uk

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