MONITORING & METERING
Once implemented, MHHS will provide an incredible level of visibility into how much electricity is being consumed for every 30-minute period
available that allow energy managers to visualise, track and analyse their consumption. They can also enable users to customise features and reporting, set alarms and compare sites to help maximise efficiencies and reduce costs and carbon emissions. Using these platforms, such as our
Intelligent Analytics tool, means your data can then be transformed into actionable insights that can be used across your organisation.
Market-wide half- hourly settlement is an energy opportunity
Ben Whitelam explains how MHHS can empower businesses to better manage electricity usage, unlock cost savings, and contribute to the UK’s sustainable energy future through granular data insights and grid flexibility.
Ben Whitelam
Director of commercial at npower Business Solutions
www.npowerbusiness
solutions.com
O 14
ver the past few years, businesses have had to navigate the impact of a highly volatile energy
market. With unpredictable costs, uncertainty over energy security and how the UK will facilitate the move to renewables, the need to plan for a more sustainable, dynamic and responsive energy system was the key focus of many recent policies from the previous UK government, and was a subject of great debate in the recent General Election. Without doubt, for the UK to
successfully decarbonise – and importantly, for businesses to benefit from a secure, responsive, low-carbon energy system – the consensus is clear: we need to radically reshape how our energy sector operates. This means that, as businesses make the move to more intermittent
renewable power sources and decrease 24/7 fossil fuel generation, we’ll need to be able to manage all aspects of electricity more efficiently. So, in addition to decarbonising
power generation, we also need to change the way we supply, trade, consume and interact with electricity, ensuring that the system becomes far more targeted, responsive and flexible. A key enabler of this energy
transformation will be Market-wide Half-Hourly Settlement (MHHS) – a revolutionary project instigated by the government-appointed energy market regulator, Ofgem. Set to be one the
At the heart of MHHS is unlocking more granular and timely data to understand how and when all consumers use electricity
biggest transformations of the British electricity market since privatisation, at its heart is unlocking more granular and timely data to understand how and when all consumers use electricity. So, what does this mean in real
terms for business and industry? And should organisations be concerned, or see it as a chance to not only better manage their energy, but be part of a more dynamic energy system?
Paving the way for MHHS The industry time line for delivering MHHS starts in April 2025 and runs throughout 2026, with the changes an organisation may need to make depending on the type of meter you currently have installed. For example, if you already have an automated meter reading (AMR), Smart or Half- Hourly meter, it is unlikely that any change in meter will be required. That said, while it won’t be a
mandated requirement under MHHS for energy meters to be upgraded to AMR or smart meters, there are multiple benefits for doing so. Therefore, it is recommended that businesses with traditional meters work with their suppliers to switch to AMR meters as soon as possible. AMR meters allow consumption
data to be extracted electronically without having to rely on manual meter reads, providing you with more granular data so you can better manage your energy use, which can help to identify potential efficiencies. In addition, MHHS will mean an
increase in the data available, so it is also important that organisations already have an understanding of their energy consumption. There are intelligent tools and easy- to-use energy management platforms
With greater granularity comes greater opportunity One of the main benefits of the MHHS reform is the level of insight it will bring. Once implemented, MHHS will provide an incredible level of visibility into how much electricity is being consumed for every 30-minute period throughout the day and night – that’s 48 data points for every UK meter in every 24-hour period. Having access to all this additional insight will help to support an energy system that can forecast, generate and distribute electricity far more accurately and efficiently than ever before.
MHHS will also support the more
flexible use of electricity, which we’re already starting to see with ‘time of use’ tariffs emerging to incentivise the use of energy at times of abundant supply and away from peak-demand periods.
Business consumers will benefit
from more granular cost allocation, access to new products, more innovation, new technologies and flexibility services from suppliers, and ultimately a more cost-efficient energy system.
Preparing for a more responsive energy future The energy industry is working together right now on the industry architecture that will enable so much more data to be processed. The responsibilities of meter service providers are also changing, with new roles emerging for the gathering, analysis and delivery of meter data. For businesses, it will pay to get ahead of the game by understanding your energy data, and by working with your meter operator, data collection and data aggregator service provider to ensure y ou are prepared for this important change.
While bringing a major shift in how the energy sector works, MHHS will also bring significant opportunities, particularly in terms of improved flexibility and the drive to net zero. ■
EIBI | JULY � AUGUST 2024
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