Utility Week

26 | MAY 2023 | UTILITY WEEK Energy Opinion Communications systems will be critical to net zero Enhanced communications systems will be a critical enabler of the energy transition, but the current model is not fi t for purpose. E nergy system transformation forms a key part of the journey to a net-zero future. And it is widely agreed that digitalisation – the strategic adop- tion of digital technologies and processes – is needed to deliver this transformation successfully. Communications systems provide the connectiv- ity necessary for digitalisation to work, but today's communications systems do not deliver what will be needed. The resilience and availability to support criti- cal national infrastructure such as the energy system requires enhanced systems and infrastructure to be deployed. Future communications systems will be di• erent The energy system needs more data connectivity. This extends beyond the networks. More actors and devices will be connected, more data and information will need to be exchanged, more interactions will be taking place. Today there are perhaps thousands of instances, but this will become many millions or tens of millions. It is also likely that connectivity will be needed in places where it is not readily available today and where assets that are not currently con- nected and controllable, will be located. Energy system transformation does not mean that new forms of connectivity must be invented, but connectivity will be supporting new use cases, some of which will be technically or com- mercially critical or will be necessary to deliver good service to consumers. New integrations of technologies and systems will be required. The implications of energy system transforma- tion – and its reliance on digitalisation – for com- munications systems and capabilities are threefold: First, relying on the current approach to deliver is a very bad assumption. It is unreasonable (and unwise) to assume that today's existing and planned commu- nications infrastructure will somehow naturally evolve to serve the require- ments that will emerge from profound energy system transformation. Such an expectation could arise by virtue of the seeming "ubiquity" of communications that sup- ports our everyday home and working lives. However, the communications needed to support the energy system is di• erent, with higher levels of resilience being one key consideration, geographical availability being another. Communications systems and the services they provide must explicitly respond to the speciŠ c demands of energy system transformation and its reliance on digitalisation. Second, requirements are not fully knowable in advance nor absolutely certain, and never will be. The energy sector is not able to provide clear, Š rm, enduring requirements for communications systems and capabilities because its own transformation is charac- terised by a high degree of complexity and uncertainty. Nonetheless it will depend heavily on connectivity being available where, when and in the form needed. E• orts directed at digitalisation are not yet mature and cannot provide Š rm requirements given that the energy system transformation it is enabling is character- ised by uncertainty, as is the path that digitalisation will follow in responding to the arising challenges and opportunities. Nonetheless it also will depend heavily on connectivity being available. Against this background, the communications sector and the technologies and business prac- tices it uses are also evolving in response to the demands of other sectors and consumers. The lack of certainty and the strong interde- pendencies can be addressed if a system approach is taken that coordinates and helps align the needs and delivery of energy system transformation, digitali- sation and communications systems in a coherent way. They cannot be treated in silos or on a traditional transactional basis. And Š nally, markets on their own will not deliver what is needed. The trend in communications infrastructure and services gener- ally is that they are directed by markets which serve the needs of domestic consumers and enter- taking place. Today there are perhaps thousands of instances, but this will become many millions or tens of millions. It is also likely that connectivity will be needed in places where it is not readily available today and where assets that are not currently con- nected and controllable, will be located. Energy system transformation does not mean that new forms of connectivity must be invented, but connectivity will be supporting new use cases, some of which will be technically or com- mercially critical or will be necessary to deliver good service to consumers. New integrations of technologies and systems will be required. The implications of energy system transforma- tion – and its reliance on digitalisation – for com- munications systems and capabilities are threefold: First, relying on the current approach to deliver is a It is unreasonable (and unwise) to assume that today's existing and planned commu- nications infrastructure will somehow ments that will emerge from profound E• orts directed at digitalisation are not yet mature and cannot provide Š rm requirements given that the energy system transformation it is enabling is character- ised by uncertainty, as is the path that digitalisation will follow in responding to the arising challenges and opportunities. Nonetheless it also will depend heavily on connectivity being available. Against this background, the communications sector and the technologies and business prac- tices it uses are also evolving in response to the demands of other sectors and consumers. The lack of certainty and the strong interde- pendencies can be addressed if a system approach is taken that coordinates and helps align the needs and delivery of energy system transformation, digitali- sation and communications systems in a coherent way. They cannot be treated in silos or on a traditional transactional basis. And Š nally, markets on their own will not deliver what is needed.

• Cover