In collaboration with Smart Data Research UK, Energy Systems Catapult has created a new data service to fill critical data gaps.
The newly created Smart Energy Data Service (SENSE) will use “smart data” – data generated from everyday digital interactions such as smartphones and smart home devices – to help address key challenges in the net zero transition.
SENSE will focus on gathering data to explore how public EV charging infrastructure can support fair charging access for rural and underserved communities, as well as examining how societal behaviours impact energy use in public and commercial buildings in order to enable more effective energy management.
SENSE is being developed in collaboration with several key academic institutions, including the University of Oxford, University College London, University of Reading, University of Bristol, Leeds Beckett University, University of Leeds, and University of Birmingham. Additionally, the Hartree Centre will develop a data platform to host the gathered data, and data processing experts at Counting Lab will collaborate with industry partners to enable data sharing from the project.
Jon Saltmarsh, chief technology officer at Energy Systems Catapult, said: “Decarbonising our energy system is one of the greatest technical challenges of our time, and time is not on our side. SENSE is designed to cut through the complexity of fragmented data, providing a foundation for innovation at scale. By integrating robust infrastructure and cross-sector partnerships, this programme will enable faster, smarter decisions to drive the UK’s energy transition.”
Joe Cuddeford, director of Smart Data Research UK, said: “We are very pleased to welcome the SENSE team to our new portfolio of data services. Smart Data Research UK will offer a powerful, multidisciplinary infrastructure for smart data research. Our six interconnected services will enable researchers to access unprecedented insights across finance, energy, health, geography, and beyond – empowering innovative solutions to complex societal challenges facing the UK today.”
DESNZ explores smart data
Last month, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) opened a call for input into its own proposed smart data scheme.
The department is seeking input into a set of rules governing how smart data could work in the energy sector, as well as providing an overarching framework for how data sharing will operate and specify the responsibilities of all parties involved in smart data sharing. Additionally, the call for evidence – which will remain open until 10 March – is gathering feedback on the current energy landscape, customer problems that a smart data scheme could solve, and the risks of developing a smart data scheme.
