The Energy Systems Catapult (ESC) has awarded a contract to Urban Tide to develop a data platform for the Energy Revolution Integration Service (ERIS).
It has struck a £500,000 deal with the smart cities data specialist to produce system to store data on projects run by itself and its partners, with the capability to make it privately or publicly accessible depending on the details.
The role of the ERIS is to provide guidance and support for selected projects on the development of smart energy systems, and to encourage shared learning on the subject.
The ESC – one of the catapult bodies set up by Innovate UK – identified a gap where various projects it was sponsoring were using common datasets and services but not retaining project data.
It responded with the procurement for an energy data platform to include a storage back end and a front end application to make it as easy as possible to submit and access data.
“It is anticipated that the data platform shall become a data hub for energy system operations and for innovators to submit future project data, and will become a tool for future services to be provided by ESC,” says the contract award notice.
Aim for interoperability
Among the aims of the Energy Revolution Integration Service is to promote the interoperability of data and communications in energy innovation projects, along with preventing them from falling into the “valley of death” that often awaits technology demonstration programmes.
The underlying aim, along with that of the ESC, is to provide cleaner, cheaper and more resilient energy to consumers. This involves low carbon power, heating and transport systems with energy storage and advanced IT to create intelligent, local energy systems and services.
In November it launched a consultation on the development of a best practice guide for Handling energy data. This is aimed at providing specific descriptions of what is required from the sector together with more detailed guidance and examples to illustrate how the recommendations can be adopted and adhered to.
