Energy Transition Handbook - Flipbook - Page 8
Hogan Lovells
8
Digitalisation, automation, data and
energy technology
Digitalisation, automation, big data and
energy technology are driving the
energy transition.
•
the increasingly widespread deployment of
renewables, in particular, solar, wind, biomass
and energy from waste assets
Technology and digitalisation are providing new
and enhanced solutions after for
•
an increase in the deployment of flexible
baseload generation and peaking plants
•
better understanding of energy
system performance
•
•
when, how and where power is supplied
to the grid
battery and energy storage allowing increased
opportunities for wholesale price arbitrage,
system cost avoidance through structures like
peak shaving and managing grid constraints
•
balancing the network (in particular by
responding to the intermittency challenge
created by renewables)
•
aggregation allowing smaller power assets to
be operated at larger scale to access a broader
range of revenue generation possibilities
•
accommodating increased demand on the
system (for example from electric vehicles and
heat pumps)
•
•
when and how we consume power (including
through automation, smart devices and
demand side response)
•
choosing what power we consume
(eg renewables or locally generated energy)
•
reducing (and improving the energy efficiency
and cost of) the power we consume
exponentially increasing connectivity, smart
assets, smart grids, smart meters, data
collection, aggregation and “big data” analysis,
enabling the creation of new solutions that
automate active energy management and
“energy as a service” solutions, facilitate
demand side response, reduce friction in the
markets, maximise efficient use of energy
network infrastructure and change the role of
transmission system operators and utilities
•
•
asset management and lifecycle optimisation
•
avoiding or deferring capital investment and
network reinforcement
blockchain’ s potential to offer wide access
to fundamental energy market data, faster
transaction processing and settlement and
disintermediation of the energy markets
•
•
data integrity and management
the increased number of challenger
energy suppliers
•
payment and settlement
•
•
increased consumer engagement with the
energy solutions they purchase
the evolution of distribution network operators
into distribution system operators with a more
active role in balancing their networks
•
remotely monitoring assets and prioritising
targeted preventative maintenance and
reducing operational inefficiencies
•
the electrification of transport and heat
In mature markets, technology and digitalisation
are central to:
•
the transition from large, synchronous fossil
fuel or nuclear, centralised, transmission
connected, baseload generation assets to
a world with significantly larger numbers
of smaller, more diverse, decentralised,
distribution connected or behind the meter,
intermittent and baseload generation assets
contributing to energy security and the
generation mix