Commissioned by the University of Strathclyde, Regen has been synthesising insights from across the EnergyREV programme of research, to share evidence-based recommendations for growing smart local energy systems across the UK.

Project duration: March 2023 – March 2024

Project lead: Rebecca Ford, Head of Demand and Flexibility

What is EnergyREV? 

EnergyREV is a research consortium of more than 90 researchers from 22 UK universities to deliver research that supports the uptake and impact of Smart Local Energy Systems (SLES). It was funded under Innovate UK’s Prospering from the Energy Revolution (PFER) programme, which set out to demonstrate the viability, impact and future prospects of smart local energy systems. From 2018-2023, the consortium produced more than 60 reports and countless more academic papers. 

In this project, Regen has pulled together key insights from across EnergyREV’s research into a report, Lessons from EnergyREV: The role of smart local energy systems in a net zero future. This provides evidence-based recommendations for UK and devolved governments, Ofgem and those working to deliver smart energy places. 

Why are smart local energy systems important? 

SLES bring together energy supply, storage, heat, transport and buildings in a local area. They connect them in a smart way using data and digital technologies and provide new ways for people, communities and other local stakeholders to get involved. They can deliver many important local and national outcomes, including: 

  • Energy system benefits, such as grid optimisation, enhanced voltage and frequency control, grid stabilisation, improved energy security, and balancing, capacity and flexibility services. 
  • Financial benefits through reduced need for grid reinforcement and from targeted place-specific action. 
  • Economic benefits via local supply chains; employment, up- and reskilling opportunities; spin-out of innovation; and increased local revenue.  
  • Household benefits through energy and bill savings, fuel poverty reduction, increased thermal comfort and reduced technology costs or payback periods.  
  • Environmental and social benefits such as carbon reduction and improved air quality, improved health and wellbeing, community empowerment and social cohesion. 
  • Equity and justice outcomes through public engagement and decision making, inclusive governance, local ownership and fairer distribution of costs and benefits. 

How can these benefits be unlocked? 

This work highlights seven key building blocks necessary for unlocking the value in SLES, and provides a series of recommendations for government policymakers, Ofgem, SLES developers, SLES programme funders, and educators and qualifying bodies. These recommendations outline steps that these different stakeholders can take to deliver the seven SLES building blocks and unlock a wide range of value for a variety of energy system stakeholders. 

SLES Building Blocks

What needs to happen next?

Insights drawn across the seven SLES building blocks revealed cross-cutting challenges. To address these, and ensure SLES are successful and flourish across the UK, key next steps include:

  1. Assigning a policy ‘owner’ and creating a national vision and strategy for SLES.
  2. Devolving power and resources to local authorities to deliver SLES and building capacity by investing in local authority net zero teams.
  3. Building better governance and accountability structures across the public sector and encouraging these in the private and third sectors.
  4. Aligning value for all stakeholders so everyone is motivated and working towards the same goal.
  5. Reframing innovation and talking openly about ’failures’ so we can collectively learn and improve SLES and keep going on the challenging journey to net zero.

The final report, Lessons from EnergyREV: The role of smart local energy systems in a net zero future, will be launched at an online event on March 26, which will include responses and perspectives from key stakeholders. You can sign up here.

For more information on this area of work, please reach out to Regen’s Head of Demand and Flexibility, and EnergyREV Research Director, Rebecca Ford.

People on this project

Ray Arrell
Ray Arrell
Associate director
Ray is part of the Regen leadership team, overseeing our work and strategic goals…
Tamar Bourne
Tamar Bourne
Head of innovation
Tamar is the head of innovation at Regen. She strives to be at the…
Rebecca Ford
Rebecca Ford
Associate
Rebecca was formerly Head of Demand and Flexibility at Regen and now contributes to…
Frank Hodgson
Frank Hodgson
Senior energy analyst
Frank leads analytical projects at Regen, focusing on breaking down the barriers to electrification. Frank…
Tamsyn Lonsdale-Smith
Tamsyn Lonsdale-Smith
Senior energy analyst
Tamsyn is a senior energy analyst interested in all things people and digital. She…
Meagan Reasoner
Meagan Reasoner
Energy analyst
Meagan is a energy analyst who joined the Regen team in September of 2022…

We worked with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), Ofgem and Innovate UK to support with the development of the UKs first Energy Digitalisation Strategy. We developed ways to visualise and communicate a complex subject area using infographics.

Project duration: March 2021 – June 2021

The use of energy data has huge potential to support and accelerate our transition to net zero. For example, the digitisation of energy infrastructure assets will enable better management and planning, which is essential for integrating a growing number of low carbon technologies. Making energy data open, at the same time as improving its quality, accessibility and interoperability, will allow innovators, academics, local authorities, policy makers and many others to make more informed decisions, as well as develop new products and services that can help us decarbonise.

The Energy Digitalisation Strategy is available to download here.

Regen helped visualise the whole strategy through the following graphic, which summarises the approaches and actions required to overcome barriers.

BEIS MED Graphic 1
Energy Digitalisation Strategy 2021

We also worked with BEIS, Ofgem and Innovate UK to explore how a consumer journey could be improved through further digitalisation of the energy sector. We chose a consumer heating scenario. The following interactive infographic shows how a consumer journey could interact with network operators, innovators and a number of different data systems and services. You can also explore the graphic here.

 

 


Download       OfgemBEIS Logo

People on this project

Ray Arrell
Ray Arrell
Associate director
Ray is part of the Regen leadership team, overseeing our work and strategic goals…
Tamar Bourne
Tamar Bourne
Head of innovation
Tamar is the head of innovation at Regen. She strives to be at the…
Rebecca Ford
Rebecca Ford
Associate
Rebecca was formerly Head of Demand and Flexibility at Regen and now contributes to…
Frank Hodgson
Frank Hodgson
Senior energy analyst
Frank leads analytical projects at Regen, focusing on breaking down the barriers to electrification. Frank…
Tamsyn Lonsdale-Smith
Tamsyn Lonsdale-Smith
Senior energy analyst
Tamsyn is a senior energy analyst interested in all things people and digital. She…
Meagan Reasoner
Meagan Reasoner
Energy analyst
Meagan is a energy analyst who joined the Regen team in September of 2022…

Regen supported UK Power Networks in developing its open data offering. The aim was to develop a collaborative community of open data users who could help shape and develop the data services provided by UKPN.

Project duration: June 2021 to November 2022

UKPN Logo

As we progress to net zero, the electricity networks will be required to connect significantly more low carbon technologies and to intelligently plan and manage their networks. Opening up electricity network data can enable innovators to create new products and services, it can drive up performance and deliver benefits for customers. Open data will play an important part in enabling smarter and more efficient ways of working.

Regen worked with users and stakeholders to raise awareness of the opportunities and to identify:

What do people want data for (the use case)? And what other ideas can we come up with?

How do they want to access it (the user design requirements)? And can we design the perfect service together?

We engaged through multiple channels during 2021 and 2022 to reach as many interested groups as possible.

Activity to date

You can find out more by taking a look at the following videos and publications (the most recent first).

In November 2022, UK Power Networks published a Local Authority Data Page on its Open Data Portal, compiling work that Regen led to prioritise datasets needed for Local Area Energy Plans. This piece of work was informed by direct stakeholder engagement with Essex County Council and Greater London Authority to identify the 30 most pressing planning challenges faced by local government, and the datasets needed to address them. The 153 datasets that were identified as part of this research can be seen on the Local Authority Data Page

Screenshot of UK Power Networks Local Authority Data Page


Between December 2021 and January 2022, we looked more closely at how DNO data can support planning for net zero. The findings of this work are summarised in the following report:

The raw data from the online survey is openly available here under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence.

Creative Commons CC BY

The launch of UK Power Networks’ data portal:

You can also watch the launch webinar for the Enabling open energy data programme below:

During the launch webinar, we asked stakeholders about what was most important to them and how they would like to engage going forward. The findings from this exercise are summarised in the report below:


Regen’s first contribution to the project was a high-end literature review of stakeholder engagement findings in open energy data to date to inform future engagement. The review of literature on open data engagement in the energy sector can be read here:

The data that sits behind the analysis of use cases is available here.

People on this project

Ray Arrell
Ray Arrell
Associate director
Ray is part of the Regen leadership team, overseeing our work and strategic goals…
Tamar Bourne
Tamar Bourne
Head of innovation
Tamar is the head of innovation at Regen. She strives to be at the…
Rebecca Ford
Rebecca Ford
Associate
Rebecca was formerly Head of Demand and Flexibility at Regen and now contributes to…
Frank Hodgson
Frank Hodgson
Senior energy analyst
Frank leads analytical projects at Regen, focusing on breaking down the barriers to electrification. Frank…
Tamsyn Lonsdale-Smith
Tamsyn Lonsdale-Smith
Senior energy analyst
Tamsyn is a senior energy analyst interested in all things people and digital. She…
Meagan Reasoner
Meagan Reasoner
Energy analyst
Meagan is a energy analyst who joined the Regen team in September of 2022…

Project duration:  July – September 2020

Regen worked with UK Research and Innovation and Energy Systems Catapult to explore how open data can enable greater innovation in local energy systems.

We explored the opportunities for using data for local energy systems and identified the challenges that stakeholders had that could be met through data solutions. In doing so we hoped to support innovation for net zero and investment in the green recovery.

Some of the ways in which data could be better used are:

  • Providing better energy advice for local people considering home asset investments
  • Supporting developers of renewable generation to identify sites
  • Providing services that facilitate bill reductions for the vulnerable
  • Addressing network constraint management
  • Choosing heating assets for new building developments
  • Matching of energy supply and demand.

But we knew there are many more use cases out there. So, we asked stakeholders for their views through an online survey and two workshops. The findings are reflected in the final outputs, available here.

The key findings were shared at the ISCF Modernising Energy Data Competition briefing on 22 September, hosted by UK Research and Innovation, the recording of which can be found below

The purpose of this exercise was to help stimulate innovation to provide real-world solutions to the challenges we are facing. UK Research and Innovation has launched a competition to support exactly that with up to £150k for a feasibility study in the first phase. You can find out more about the competition here.

UKRI INDUSTRIAL STRATEGY LOGO Online ESC Logo Esc Pink 01

People on this project

Ray Arrell
Ray Arrell
Associate director
Ray is part of the Regen leadership team, overseeing our work and strategic goals…
Tamar Bourne
Tamar Bourne
Head of innovation
Tamar is the head of innovation at Regen. She strives to be at the…
Ellie Brundrett
Ellie Brundrett
Net zero project manager
Since joining Regen in 2021, Ellie has been responsible for delivering some of our…
Jo Butlin
Jo Butlin
Non-Executive Director
Jo brings deep market knowledge and Board experience to support strategic and operational development…
Christine Chapter
Christine Chapter
Head of delivery
Christine is Regen's Head of Delivery. She was previously at National Grid Electricity Transmission…
Robbie Evans
Robbie Evans
Energy analyst
Robbie is an energy analyst at Regen. He has worked across several areas within…
Rebecca Ford
Rebecca Ford
Associate
Rebecca was formerly Head of Demand and Flexibility at Regen and now contributes to…
Becky Fowell
Becky Fowell
Project manager
As a project manager, Becky works with data, visualisation tools and continuous stakeholder engagement…
Olly Frankland
Olly Frankland
Electricity Storage Network lead
Olly leads the Electricity Storage Network, the industry group and voice for grid-scale electricity…
Maxine Frerk
Maxine Frerk
Associate
Maxine has a strong regulatory background after 15 years in Ofgem including as Senior…
Simon Gill
Simon Gill
Associate
Simon is a Regen associate, providing a wealth of experience to support our analytical…
Johnny Gowdy
Johnny Gowdy
Director
Johnny is a director of Regen and leads the development of our advisory projects,…
Rachel Hayes
Rachel Hayes
Associate director
Rachel leads Regen’s strategic partnerships and impact, ensuring we are plugged into key networks…
Jonty Haynes
Jonty Haynes
Principal analyst
Jonty is a Principal Analyst at Regen delivering a range of technical support services,…
Frank Hodgson
Frank Hodgson
Senior energy analyst
Frank leads analytical projects at Regen, focusing on breaking down the barriers to electrification. Frank…
Merlin Hyman
Merlin Hyman
Chief executive
Merlin leads Regen’s mission to accelerate the transition to a zero-carbon energy system. Under…
Tamsyn Lonsdale-Smith
Tamsyn Lonsdale-Smith
Senior energy analyst
Tamsyn is a senior energy analyst interested in all things people and digital. She…
Poppy Maltby
Poppy Maltby
Head of local energy
Poppy is Head of Local Energy at Regen. She is leading our work to…
George Middlemiss
George Middlemiss
Local energy analyst
George is a local energy analyst who plays a key role in supporting Regen’s…
Grace Millman
Grace Millman
Senior energy analyst
Grace is a senior energy analyst at Regen delivering high quality research, analysis and…
Meagan Reasoner
Meagan Reasoner
Energy analyst
Meagan is a energy analyst who joined the Regen team in September of 2022…
Alex Robertson
Alex Robertson
Local net zero project manager
Alex delivers Regen's support of net zero at the local level, ensuring that place…
Fraser Stewart
Fraser Stewart
Just transition lead
Fraser is driving work on energy justice and just transitions at Regen. From a…
Prina Sumaria
Prina Sumaria
Net zero project manager
Prina specialises in local energy and just transition issues. She leads Regen's work supporting…
Patti S
Patti S
Senior energy analyst
Patti is one of Regen's senior energy analysts, working to deliver high quality data…
Alex Temple
Alex Temple
Electricity Storage Network graduate
Alex works on the Electricity Storage Network, the industry group and voice for grid-scale…
Joel Venn
Joel Venn
Head analyst
As head analyst, Joel is responsible for leading and developing Regen’s analytical team, as…
Charlotte Wason
Charlotte Wason
Graduate energy analyst
Charlotte is a Graduate Energy Analyst, having previously spent time as a summer intern…
Hazel Williams
Hazel Williams
Associate director
Hazel is responsible for Regen’s project delivery, leading on resourcing, quality assurance and developing…

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