Companies respond to the Government’s Smart Systems and Flexibility Plan and Energy Digitalisation strategy
Posted by: electime 22nd July 2021
In response to the Government’s Smart Systems and Flexibility Plan and Energy Digitalisation Strategy published today, which sets out how we will transition to a smart, flexible, decarbonised energy system please, find a response from Innowatts, the leading artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled SaaS platform for global energy providers, below.
David Boundy, chief technology officer and general manager Europe at Innowatts:
“We welcome the Government and Ofgem’s commitment to incentivising greater investment in data and digitalisation and hope it acts as a catalyst in supporting energy suppliers to adopt those technologies that will ultimately lead to better decisions for consumers, for the transition and for their businesses.”
“As the smart meter rollout progresses, energy suppliers have an ever increasing data resource at their fingertips – however, to date much of this data has remaining untapped, leaving opportunities to improve sustainability, grid reliability, risk management and customer service on the table. If we are to achieve a smart, flexible energy system that is fit for the future, unlocking consumer insights will be absolutely vital.”
Sanjay Neogi, head of UK and Europe at Enzen, says:
We welcome today’s announcement of the new government Smart Systems and Flexibility Plan and Energy Digitalisation Strategy. But in order for the plans to be a success, we need to consider challenges to infrastructure. As more low carbon technologies become available, DNOs need to facilitate the integration of these renewable energy sources onto the grid in a sustainable, cost-effective way. With many utilities already facing cost constraints due to the challenging RIIO-ED2 regulatory framework, cutting-edge technologies will be vital to aid this transition.
However, we also need to ensure that safety, data quality and network resilience are kept at the forefront of these new initiatives. An increasing pressure to reduce carbon emissions, paired with rising populations, means many cities are looking towards these smarter, tech-driven solutions to bring them up-to-speed with 21st century challenges. The increased proliferation of these solutions – plus the huge volumes of data creation and management inherent in their design – mean stakeholders must prioritise cybersecurity in their plans.
James Fisher’s Giovanni Corbetta, Managing Director, James Fisher Marine Contracting, says:
“As the world leaders in offshore wind, the UK has been a formative global player when it comes to the research and development of clean energy technology. As such, it is encouraging to see the UK government formalising its commitment to boosting investment through the UK Innovation Strategy announced today.
Tackling the pressing challenge of reducing our reliance on fossil fuels as an energy source is paramount to safeguarding our future livelihoods – and, as we begin to see oil and gas companies of all sizes enter the renewables markets, bringing with them vital sets of processes, technology and expertise, we need to encourage and accommodate this sector transition. This also means putting in place measures to mitigate the impact of fossil fuel job losses, particularly against the backdrop of pandemic related redundancies. Research, development and a commitment to innovation will be crucial if we are to harness the UK’s existing talent and work towards a common goal of bolstering our global energy system for a better, more sustainable way of life.”
