Utility Week Insight report – Zero boundaries world for industry data

Utility Week published a report in association with IOTICS on a zero boundaries world for industry data last November. The report explores the possibilities of more effective data sharing as pressure mounts on utility companies to break down barriers to visibility and use of data across organisational and sector boundaries. 

Iain Miller, head of innovation at Northern Powergrid, said: “To make flexibility work, we are going to need a lot of data from a lot of people, plus the ability to process and act on it quickly.”

Citing the current economic, environmental and geo-political landscape, the report details the need for interoperability across utility supply chains to be able to adapt to unforeseen events. Being able to make data-driven decisions, plan ahead and act rapidly is at the heart of the push for a decentralised and decarbonised energy system. 

The need to break down organisational silos is a sentiment that has echoed throughout regulatory bodies such as OfGem, OfWat and the Energy Data Taskforce. The questions posed are: how do we get to that point? Are boundless ecosystems possible? 

Some are calling for the standardisation of data and a Common Information Model (CIM) to overcome the barriers of silos and legacy systems. Matt Webb, head of enterprise data for UK power networks suggested that developing extensions and customised components to ensure that everything can be covered by the model.

Zero boundaries data

Building a standardised model takes time, however, and our needs in five to ten years time are not yet known. A ‘just start and scale’ approach using the technology we have today may be preferable explains head of communication at IOTICS Ali Nicholl,

“There are technologies that enable you to start small, build on your existing Minimum Viable Product specifications etc, and scale up when needed, it just takes a mental leap to understand the benefits.”

Download the full report here:
Full Insight Report

…Or read “A zero boundaries world for data” here.

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