Electricity Digitalisation
Electricity digitalisation and smart energy systems in the UK were the subjects of a recent Westminster Forum webinar. This post will explore ideas relating to digitalisation, why it is necessary, and how it might be accomplished. Background is provided by a 2017 report for decision makers in government and industry from the International Energy Agency which “examines the impact of digital technologies on energy demand sectors, looks at how energy suppliers can use digital tools to improve operations, and explores the transformational potential of digitalisation to help create a highly interconnected energy system” (IEA, 2017). Digital technologies are seen as having the potential to make energy systems worldwide “more connected, intelligent, efficient, reliable and sustainable” and to identify “who needs energy and deliver it at the right time, in the right place and at the lowest cost”, but they also raise new security and privacy risks, and challenge existing business models. There