# Modernising Energy Data

In the energy sector, **data is key to unlocking system and consumer benefits and managing the transition to a low carbon economy**. With energy increasingly decentralised, millions of assets – solar panels, batteries, electric vehicle charge points and heat pumps – will need to be able to communicate with the operators of our networks, market platforms and each other. New business models will emerge that will reduce consumer bills and system costs whilst driving decarbonisation.

The government, Ofgem and Innovate UK commissioned the Energy Data Taskforce to develop a digital and data strategy for the sector. The Taskforce provided [**five recommendations**](https://es.catapult.org.uk/report/energy-data-taskforce-report/), endorsed by the government and Ofgem, which focused on **data visibility**, **infrastructure and asset visibility**, **operational optimisation**, **open markets** and **agile regulation**. 

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), Ofgem and Innovate UK have formed **a new group,** [**Modernising Energy Data**](https://www.gov.uk/government/groups/modernising-energy-data), to **work collaboratively with industry and other parts of government and the public sector to implement the vision set out by the Energy Data Taskforce**.

Modernising Energy Data funded the Open Energy initiative, a use case developed by the Open Energy team is shown in the data ecosystem map below:

![The use case for Phase 2 of MEDA is focussing on the retrofitting of social housing by a local authority, this map shows what this might look like with the implementation of Open Energy.](https://4036645357-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FVUkSPHU5HPU1tRWlOg6N%2Fuploads%2F4aVTBtW9cLSjXiSncc9S%2FOE_KUMU%20\(1\).jpeg?alt=media\&token=2ffc6dba-39f1-4e69-8dda-b7daeade952c)

### Modernising Energy Data Access competition

[**Modernising Energy Data Access**](https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20210905051510/https://innovateuk.blog.gov.uk/2020/05/29/modernising-energy-data-access-and-the-winners-are/) is a competition to support projects that use data with the aim to enable a decarbonised, decentralised and digitised energy future.

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**Description**: In response to the Energy Data Taskforce report, the competition challenges innovators to modernise access to energy data for the benefit of society. It offers funding and support to help the successful organisations to test and deliver their solutions.

**Owner**: Ofgem, BEIS, UKRI

**Sector**: Energy

**Duration**: 2020 - 

**Cost**: £1.9M
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Icebreaker One, Siemens and Electron were the first round winners
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Data held by organisations in the energy sector
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Following the first phase of the competition, the reviewers concluded that all three projects had demonstrated good progress in understanding the diverse data requirements of the energy sector, and developed ambitious proposals for the second phase.

Icebreaker One and Siemens were successful in progressing to phase 2.
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[Open Energy - Modernising Energy Data Access Phase 3 Report](https://energy.icebreakerone.org/report-meda-3/)
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### Modernising Energy Data Applications

While the Modernising Energy Data Access competition focused on strengthening data architecture, the [**Modernising Energy Data Applications**](https://apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk/competition/736/overview) competition focuses on the development of data applications that address the needs of users and developers of local energy systems.

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**Description**: Modernising Energy Data Applications is a competition to develop data applications that address the challenges faced by organisations and individuals to deliver net zero local energy systems. 

**Owner**: Ofgem, BEIS, UKRI

**Sector**: Energy

**Duration**: 2020 - 

**Cost**:

* Modernising Energy Data Applications - £3.5M

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The following participants received funding from the competitions

* Urbantide
* Alian
* Brits Energy
* City Science Corporation
* Power My Hub
* Zuhlke Engineering
* GL Industrial Services UK
* Mind Foundry
* Advanced Infrastructure Technology
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Data held by organisations in the energy sector related to net zero solutions for local energy systems
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Five out of nine projects have progressed to the second phase of the competition, receiving further funding for development.
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[Summaries of the projects that progressed to Phase 2](https://es.catapult.org.uk/project/modernising-energy-data-applications/)
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