Energy Revolution Integration Service

There is a growing consensus, locally, nationally and internationally, that the threats posed by climate change should now be treated as an emergency. The UK has already committed to achieving Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 but the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) has stated that “UK efforts to address the climate crisis have so far fallen short”.
In the UK, 274 Local Authorities and 8 Combined Authorities have declared a climate emergency, representing some two thirds of the total number. Many have set 2030 as the target for achieving Net Zero. Some have expressed the intention to have their local communities guide and influence the approach they take to reach this target; however, few are clear on how they will make the transition to Net Zero happen.
Fundamental change is needed if Net Zero is to be delivered. We will only be successful if the many parties involved – government at all levels, regulators, innovators, industry, investors and citizens – are engaged, empowered and equipped to make properly informed decisions in a timely manner.
Smart Local Energy Systems (SLES) are a key part of this fundamental change and will play an important and necessary role in getting to Net Zero.
SLES use digitalisation and other innovative techniques to make, move, store, trade, use and conserve energy intelligently at a local scale. They depend on innovative technology, value propositions, business models, market arrangements, systems integration, investment and policy and regulatory change. SLES deliver energy outcomes that are aligned with the specific needs and resources of individual localities, recognising their aspirations and applying their strengths to help create more prosperous and resilient communities.
If SLES are implemented well, then substantial economic and social benefits will be achieved in addition to climate benefits.
The Prospering from the Energy Revolution (PFER) programme is committed to advancing the case for SLES and enabling their successful implementation and operation. PFER is approaching this by seeking to:
? Identify and lower barriers
? Prove investable, scalable local business models
? Unlock needed investment
? Build a community of engaged stakeholders
? Lead with real-world pathfinding projects and demonstrations.
The Energy Revolution Integration Service (ERIS) shares this commitment and seeks to support PFER in achieving its goals.

MEDA Phase 3:
• Vision: The project aims to solve the fundamental problem of exchanging digital energy information between energy organisations and with other stakeholders by supporting the development of products or services which can later be commercialised and employed to solve similar problems elsewhere.
• Key objectives: Phase 3 of the project, will develop a beta ‘Common Data Architecture’ solution which aids data sharing across the energy system. The resulting solution will be used to share data within the Modernising Energy Data Applications competition
• Main areas of focus: We will develop a machine-readable version of the Glossary which will be hosted in a public location under an open licence. Further development of the shared Data Use Case repository, adding new use cases and insights based on stakeholder interviews and information from industry. To ensure that the most valuable data can be included in the MEDA Beta solution we will develop 2 MVP Data Interfaces for data which is not readily available in a machine-readable format. We will bring together a number of nascent initiatives to create a shared vision of the MED goals and Stakeholder Landscape.
• How it is innovative: The project is innovative in it’s approach to addressing the fundamental issues associated with information exchange across the energy system and the way it brings together a number of related initiatives (Stakeholder Landscape; Data Project Visibility, Energy Service Visibility and Common Data Architecture) to ensure the maximum benefits can be achieved.

MED Applications:
• Vision: to develop ground-breaking data solutions building on the EDTF principles and using insights from MED Access and Regen projects.
• Key objectives: the project will provide inter-project collaboration; technical support to maximise outcomes against programme objectives; alignment with EDTF and Data Best Practice recommendations and guidance; and co-ordination with relevant PFER and LAEP initiatives and projects.
• Main areas of focus: the central aspects of the project will focus on key event co-ordination; inter-project collaboration; strategic alignment with EDTF and Data Best Practice guidance; and stakeholder management and communications. The project specific aspects provide tailored support to the successful projects including business modelling innovation; innovator incubation support including potential investor introductions; consumer insight; systems integration and systems development.
• How it is innovative: the project is innovative in the way it provides a combination of common services that all the projects can access to ensure they are aligned with overall programme objectives but avoiding costly duplication of effort. The project is unique in that it also recognises that each project will require different support depending on their individual innovation ideas and will provide tailored assistance to each project accordingly from a wide range of experts and capabilities to help innovators overcome gaps and barriers and maximise their potential.

Digitalisation Taskforce:
• Vision: the energy sector needs to have data and core digitalised tools to enable new business models to thrive, matched with the regulatory frameworks, and governance to mitigate risks. The Energy System Digitalisation Taskforce will identify the challenges and opportunities of digitalisation and provide clear direction and leadership to accelerate digital transformation of the sector.
• Key objectives: the taskforce will deliver a set of actionable recommendations that sit at the intersection between policy, regulation and innovation. Spanning market design, digital architecture and governance. The recommendations will draw on best practice from other sectors and countries to challenge the status quo and deliver the energy system transformation that we need to reach net zero.
• Main areas of focus: refocus the energy sector on the challenge and opportunities of Digitalisation as a core component of transformation, not just an enabler; accelerate digitalisation of the energy system which enables emerging net zero compatible business models, markets and industry structures; develop target digital architectures and a roadmap which draw on experience from other sectors and provide the energy sector with a focal point to ensure digitalisation efforts are coordinated and effective; identify digitalisation gaps which require innovation support; and to identify the governance risks that digitalisation raises and present frameworks to mitigate issues
• How it is innovative: the projects builds on the highly successful approach used for the Energy Data Taskforce with pro-active stakeholder and industry engagement from outset and brings together all aspects required for successful digitalisation and transition including policy, regulation, market design digital strategies and architectures and critically the governance required to keep it all aligned.