DCC publishes Data for Good – how ‘freeing up’ data can help us achieve a greener future

11 March 2021

BEAMA members the Data Communications Company (DCC), the company responsible for the creation and operation of Britain’s smart meter communications network, has published a discussion paper Data for Good.

It assesses the state of Britain’s sustainable energy initiatives, and how maximising data availability in a ‘data exchange model’ will help face up to some of society’s big challenges, such as fuel poverty and the race to Net Zero Freeing up access to smart meter system data will help reach Net Zero (smartdcc.co.uk) – all done whilst protecting the data security which underpins the DCC network and operations.

The DCC’s aim is to maximise public benefit from the vast datasets it retains whilst operating within its strict security protocols. Making the energy sector work for everyone – integrating datasets to steer policy, regulation, and planning:

•             Improving consumer archetypes – helping to assess the impact of a new energy system – interaction with time-of-use tariff and demand side response. Understanding which consumer segments are missing out.

•             Local area energy planning – ensuring the granularity of data can help to validate and enhance existing models, planning for low-carbon heating, for example.

•             Event-driven impacts – understanding how economic events or even extreme weather affects consumer behaviour, supplier switching or interaction with pre-payment meters for example.