Technology software company, UrbanTide, have announced new artificial intelligence (AI) technology which aims to identify households with poor energy efficiency, helping people save on their energy bills.
UrbanTide’s ‘uZero’ platform produces detailed fuel poverty risk maps by combining AI with anonymised smart meter system data alongside data from other sources.
The information collected by the ‘uZero’ platform can then be used by local authorities, housing associations, social care providers and energy suppliers to form effective solutions such as leveraging government support grants or retrofitting homes. This, the Edinburgh-based company has said, can help protect vulnerable households in the UK.
The ‘uZero’ project is supported by the Data Communications Company, Greater South East Net Zero Hub, University College London and Connected Places Catapult, as part of the UK Research Institute’s Modernising Energy Data Applications.
Co-founder of UrbanTide, Simon Tricker has said: “For the very first time, our software is able to give local authorities and energy companies the data they need to manage demand, targeting support to the people who need the most help. At UrbanTide, we believe that using data technology and AI for good will be essential to supporting the UK through the fuel poverty crisis, and uZero is testament to this.”
Although the Energy Price Guarantee introduced an energy bill cap for all UK homes this year, the current rate for an average UK household is still much higher than in previous years at £2,500. The charity National Energy Action, estimated that this unprecedented rise has increased the number of UK households in fuel poverty to 6.7 million (one in four) this year.
Earlier this week, Ofgem announced that each of the UK’s 17 energy suppliers need to bolster their support to consumers “in a vulnerable situation” in its Market Compliance Review.
