FEATURE MONITORING & METERING Covid-19 has changed nearly every aspect of our lives – work, leisure, finances, travel –


and, nearly a year on since the first national lockdown in Britain, it’s important to reflect on the impact of those changes, and whether positive lessons can be learned for the coming year. Chris Barlow, innovation director, Data Communications Company (DCC), comments


DIGITISING OUR ENERGY SYSTEM IN 2021


A


s lockdown measures took hold across Britain in Spring 2020,


workforces went remote, bedrooms became offices, and Wi-Fi, lighting and central heating systems became a lifeline for much of the economy. Despite the near-overnight switch to mandatory home working, Britain’s overall demand for power actually fell by as much as 20% during the first national lockdown – with the restrictions on movement and temporary closures of many businesses reducing our energy consumption. But that doesn’t tell the whole story. The country’s energy demand


fluctuated throughout the year, during the ongoing easing and tightening of restrictions, and the impact this had on people’s movement. What 2020 taught us, with its unpredictable cycle of national and regional lockdowns, is that when and where power is required became a much more complicated picture. To effectively manage the increasingly


complex needs of a society whose energy demands are subject to frequent change, a smarter approach to power management is required, fuelled by data. The digitisation of the power grid will play a hugely important role in enabling the optimisation of energy provision in Britain, and this spells good news for businesses and consumers alike.


MAKING ENERGY SMARTER Millions of households across Britain now have a smart meter connected to the national network in their home, and these meters – now surpassing 10 million – are helping them accurately monitor their energy consumption. Smart meters don’t just give consumers the freedom to switch to greener energy tariffs, based on how much power they actually use, they also play a really important role in the sustainability of the country’s power grid. When a smart meter is installed and


operational, it can then send its usage information back to the power grid. By


24 SPRING 2021 | ENERGY MANAGEMENT


being connected to people’s homes and businesses through this smart tech, it will be possible for the grid to reallocate power to non-priority use cases during off-peak times – like charging a home battery overnight – and in doing so, create a far more efficient, cost-effective and sustainable energy network. In November last year, the Prime


Minister announced details of a new Green Industrial Revolution plan, which is intended to spur momentum towards the Government’s target of net zero carbon emissions by 2050. This is an encouraging plan and one that we welcome wholeheartedly. What the proposed measures highlight, though, is that our renewable energy consumption is set to skyrocket over the coming decade. Take, for example, the pledge to invest


£1.3bn in electric vehicle (EV) charging points, which will greatly boost the deployment and usage of EV charging – in both public spaces and on private driveways. Opening up the accessibility of EV motoring is a really positive step for the country’s green aspirations, but the increased demand on the power grid will be seismic. Using the secure smart


“Millions of households across


Britain now have a smart meter connected to the national network in their


metering infrastructure to send data and commands to and from British homes and businesses can help future- proof the functionality of these EV charging points, as demand substantially increases. This would mean that commands to control both the time and level of charging can be sent to any given EV – even if the owner changes their energy supplier.


home, and these meters are helping them accurately monitor their energy consumption”


to lay the groundwork, but it will pay dividends in years to come. A fully connected smart energy infrastructure will allow people to plan their energy spend and ultimately lower their carbon footprint, by charging when energy is at its greenest and most affordable. As energy is brought into the digital age, it will be up to each of us to play our part in seeking out the greenest energy policies and harnessing the


power of our data, to help create a


more sustainable energy system. The DCC’s ongoing work to enhance the


GREEN ENERGY FOR A BRIGHT FUTURE Investment into digitising our energy now will put Britain on track to becoming a world leader in sustainable energy. It requires a concerted, collective effort from both the public and private sectors


power grid will enable the country to move to a lower carbon economy and will ultimately contribute to the phasing out of fossil fuels forever – a bright future we can all look forward to.


Data Communications Company www.smartdcc.co.uk


/ ENERGYMANAGEMENT


Investment into digitising our energy now will put Britain on track to becoming a world leader in sustainable energy, explains Chris Barlow


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