Icebreaker One has partnered with the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to run a feasibility assessment of an open, standards-based approach for a Smart Meter Data Repository with the Data Communications Company

Access to energy data – including smart meter data –  is vital for a flexible, digitalised, and decentralised energy system. The Energy Digitalisation Taskforce report recognises data as being crucial to the delivery and operation of a net zero energy system, and acknowledges smart meter data as a key dataset is not effectively flowing.

We will assess the technical and commercial feasibility of a repository of smart meter energy data, and whether this would offer potential consumer benefits, including those related to flexibility services and other energy-data-related services that are currently unrealised, or unrealisable while meeting strict data protection standards. This is Phase 1 of a two-phase project. Phase 2 will look at developing and demonstrating the proposed solution.

Taking a ‘connect don’t collect’, web ­of ­data approach, we will examine current practices, challenges, and benefits to propose a sector-­wide approach validated through workshops and interviews. We 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 our experience of security, privacy, financial-grade APIs from our Open Energy project, and deep understanding of data access requirements and methods for reducing friction in data discovery, collection, and sharing. The project will also conduct technical scoping, including the technical, legal, cyber-security, data protection and data access requirements.

We 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. The project will take Icebreaker One’s standard use-case-based approach, identifying problem statements, relevant stakeholders, and exploring user challenges and ways to overcome them. The project will 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. 

The partnership will include wide stakeholder engagement to gain feedback and ensure user needs are taken into account. The project team will interview stakeholders and hold group workshops to understand user needs, organise engagement webinars to share progress and capture feedback, and publish draft materials online for comment.