The public interest advisory group (PIAG) on access to smart-meter energy data for a public-interest purpose was convened by the two charities Sustainability First and the Centre for Sustainable Energy (CSE).
Sustainability First is a small environment think-tank, established in 2000, with a focus on practical policy development in the areas of sustainable energy, waste and water.
CSE is an independent national charity, established in 1979. Based in Bristol, we undertake practical work to support individuals, communities and organisations to take action on energy, alongside original research and analysis to inform local and national policy.
PIAG brought together key stakeholders to consider how access to smart-meter data could better serve the wider public interest and major public policy goals.
The PIAG project grew out of the realisation that despite plans for smart-meters in every home and small business, there remained open questions as to how that data might also better inform public-policy and support the energy transition.
Phase 1 of the project (November 2017 to June 2019) addressed the wider policy context for access to smart-meter data including consumer and privacy issues. It also looked at international experience and possible use-cases for the data. Drawing on established models, possible approaches were also identified for access to the data in secure fashion, suitably anonymised and aggregated, for statistical and public-interest research use.
Phase 2 (January 2020 to June 2021) then set out a practical vision as to how the public interest potential of smart-meter data could best be realised. Through a series of workshops, the project took a deep-dive into four major areas of energy policy likely to benefit from more accuracy and greater granularity of energy consumption-data : BEIS energy statistics, regulatory evaluations and decisions, local area energy plans and analysis of heat-use. For each of these four areas, we examined present data-inputs for energy-usage, available proxies, and the gaps a more joined-up approach to smart-meter data might fill. With this improved understanding of the ‘additionality’ that smart-meter data could bring to public policy, PIAG has proposed six major recommendations for government, Ofgem and other energy sector actors. These can be found in the final Phase 2 report.
PIAG members include: BEIS, Ofgem*, Citizens Advice, Energy Systems Catapult*, Data Communications Company*, Elexon*, Electralink*, Greater London Authority*, National Grid ESO*, Northern Power Grid*, UCL SERL (Smart Energy Research Lab)*, Climate Change Committee, CSE (Centre for Sustainable Energy), Energy Networks Association, Energy Saving Trust, Energy-UK, , MHCLG (Ministry for Housing, Communities & Local Government), National Infrastructure Commission, Office for National Statistics, Scottish Government, Smart Energy GB, Sustainability First, techUK, UKERC, Universities of Exeter, Reading, Edinburgh, CAR (Cambridge Architecture Research Ltd), Welsh Government, Which? (*Denotes funding partner).
LATEST PUBLICATIONS
PIAG Follow-Up Report (February 2023)
PIAG Project Snapshot (September 2021)
PHASE 2
Publications
PIAG Final Report - Phase 2 (May 2021)
Annex 2 to PIAG Final Report - Phase 2: Working Paper on DNO Privacy Plans
Annex 2 to PIAG Final Report - Phase 2: Summary of Workshop Findings
Workshop 1: National Energy Statistics
PIAG Phase 2 Workshop 1- Slides - 14 January 2020
PIAG Phase 2 Workshop 1 - Report - 29 April 2020
Workshop 2: Regulation
PIAG Phase 2 Workshop 2 - Slides - 23 April 2020
PIAG Phase 2 Workshop 2 -Report - 21 July 2020
Workshop 3: Local & devolved government
PIAG Phase 2 Workshop 3 - Slides - 10 July 2020
PIAG Phase 2 Workshop 3 - Report - 23 November 2020
Workshop 4: Heat
PIAG Phase 2 Workshop 4 - Slides - 11 November 2020
PIAG Phase 2 Workshop 4 - Report - 23 February 2021
PHASE 1
Publications
PIAG Final Report - Phase 1 June 2019
Annex to PIAG Final Report Phase 1 - summary of PIAG papers
PIAG Kick-off Stimulus Paper - Outlining the purpose of the PIAG and the key themes to be explored
Stimulus Paper 1 - ICO Guidance and Data-privacy Legal Framework
Stimulus Paper 2 - International Experience and Smart Meter Data Access
Stimulus Paper 3 - Data Ethics Landscape
Stimulus Paper 4 – Stakeholder perspectives on smart meter data
Stimulus Paper 5 – Public interest data use cases and their data requirements
Stimulus Paper 6 - Consumer Research on Access to Smart Meter Data
Stimulus Paper 7 – Possible routes to smart meter data for public interest uses
Stimulus Paper 8 – Capability requirements of ‘public interest’ data user organisations
PIAG Working Note - Smart meter data and the public interest
Ipsos MORI report on customer thinking on smart meter data privacy for public interest uses
Sustainability First and CSE response to Ofgem on access to half-hourly electricity data for settlement
Sustainability First and CSE response to BEIS on Data Access & Privacy Framework Review
Maxine Frerk - Commentary on upping the ambition level for smart meter data
PIAG article on UK Energy Research Centre website
PIAG Kick-off meeting slides - 30 November 2017
PIAG Workshop 1 slides - 19 March 2018
PIAG Workshop 2 slides - 18 July 2018
PIAG Workshop 3 slides - 20 November 2018
PIAG Workshop 4 slides - 4 April 2019
PIAG End of Phase 1Report – 22 July 2019
Background papers
The papers below were jointly commissioned by Teddinet, Centre for Sustainable Energy and Sustainability First in Summer 2015. They consider how future household smart meter energy data might be deployed to serve the public interest.
Dr Simon Elam - The National Perspective on Smart Meter Data & Public Interest Issues
Technical Annex - Existing data
Dr Jessica Britton - The Sub-National Perspective on Smart Meter Data & Public Interest Issues
