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NETWORK / 8 / DECEMBER 2017 / JANUARY 2018 P R E S E N T S NETWORK / 42 / MARCH 2019 analysis, with results available within seconds. "Decision-making cycles that used to take months or years can now be completed in days or even hours." While new technology has made it increasingly easier for companies to collect data rela ng to everything from asset condi on to consumer behaviour, this informa on is impotent if it is of poor quality or is not used effec vely and securely. The Na onal Infrastructure Commission's (NIC's) report on data highlighted the crucial func on of data in s mula ng innova on. Data for the Public Good outlined the important role for regulators in improving the quality and sharing of infrastructure data to support innova on. "There just needs to be a stronger focus on innova on across the sector, and – as set out in our Data for the Public Good report – the quality, consistency and availability of infrastructure data needs to be driven up," says Philip Graham, chief execu ve at the NIC. "But another important issue is that there's limited understanding of the poten al and benefits of new technologies. We're keen to see that where a new technology improves a service or reduces costs for customers, that informa on is shared so that all u lity companies can roll it out, which would help tackle this issue." While the energy industry is rich in data, historically this has largely been siloed and disorganised. But Paul Massara, CEO at Electron, is confident the development of new solu ons, like ar ficial intelligence (AI), will leave an indelible mark on the way the industry organises and uses data. "Over the next 10 years, I believe digital infrastructure could create the ecosystem to organise and coordinate energy data," he says. "And with the advent of AI, the ability to turn this unstructured data into useful, ac onable informa on is absolutely possible." DATA DEBATE The use of "big data" systems to monitor, analyse and automate produc on, management and demand is not a new concept for the energy industry. In addi on, the rise of customer-centric products and services for energy monitoring and automa on provides u li es with further data, capabili es and insights. Similarly, there is increasing recogni on in the water sector that be er u lisa on of big data tools, such as smart metering, AI and the Internet of Things (IoT), is essen al to transi on to a more sustainable and reliable water network. According to the UWL survey, the water sector rated water metering (8.1 out of 10) and data analy cs (8.3) as two of the top technologies currently having the biggest impact on the industry. IoT and AI follow closely, according to water respondents, scoring 6.8 and 7.3 respec vely. EMPOWERING CUSTOMERS U lising technology to engage with consumers is key to the transi on to a more flexible, resilient and sustainable u lity network. But the influx of new technologies makes it increasingly difficult for u li es to iden fy the solu ons that are the best fit for their business and their customers. Faced with such a ELECTRIC VEHICLES Following the publica on of the NIC's Na onal Infrastructure Assessment, Ofgem issued a consulta on examining how to make the most of the opportuni es presented by electric vehicles (EVs). NIC chief execu ve Philip Graham welcomed this move from the regulator but s ll believes there is more work to be done. "If we are to create a truly na onal, visible charging network to support the switch from petrol and diesel, there will be an important role for Ofgem in enabling investment and ensuring that the benefits to the electricity system are realised, for example through smart charging technologies," says Graham. But the barriers currently facing EV take up go beyond the role of the regulator. Consumer awareness is an issue, with more work needed to encourage UK drivers to consider moving to an EV. Recent research conducted by Electricity North West (ENW) revealed that just two per cent of Bri sh drivers currently own an electric car, while almost half (48 per cent) stated that the ini al cost of EVs is pu ng them off, despite lower running costs. The survey of 3,400 UK consumers also highlighted that just six per cent intend to buy or lease one as their next car. "This means there is a lot of work to do in raising awareness and encouraging people to transi on to an electric vehicle," says ENW engineering and technical director Steve Cox. From a network perspec ve, Cox says ENW is planning for the future and EV rollout in a "big way". "It is our job to make sure that the network is robust and flexible enough to cope with the increase in charging points," he adds. While it is o en argued that the stress of millions of motorists charging their EVs at the same me will require major investment in new electricity infrastructure, Cox insists this is not the case. "We believe the solu on lies in a smarter power network and not looking to reinforce the network in the conven onal and costly way, but by encouraging more energy efficiency, flexibility and a smarter way of using electricity," he says.