- OpenLV project is opening up local electricity data – for the first ever time
- This has the potential to generate useful information for the development of apps
- Such apps could provide benefits for the electricity industry, community groups, business, academia and, of course, customers
The OpenLV project is inviting the submission of ideas for how data from local electricity networks could be used to develop new apps. Such data has never been available before, and is soon to be opened up by the OpenLV project.
OpenLV, led by project partners Western Power Distribution and EA Technology, is trialling an open software platform in electricity substations that can monitor substation performance and electricity demand, as well as other important power quality measurements such as voltage and temperatures.
The OpenLV project team is looking for ideas for new apps that can utilise such Low Voltage (LV) network data to provide benefits to Distribution Network Operators, community groups, industry, academia and, of course, customers.
A well-known case study in the industry relates to the opening up of data by Transport for London (TfL) to allow commercial organisations to develop apps to assist people with travelling across the capital. There are now hundreds of apps built on the back of TfL’s data, which reach millions of London transport users and deliver tens of millions in monetised time savings to its core customer base, all for relatively low investment.
Mark Dale, Innovation Manager, Western Power Distribution, comments: “The OpenLV project is making local electricity network data ‘open access’ for the first ever time. This presents a great opportunity for smart thinking and innovation. We’re inviting people, ranging from community groups to industry stakeholders, to come up with novel ideas for apps that can make use of this data.”
Richard Potter, EA Technology’s OpenLV Project Manager, adds: “We’re at an exciting point where different sectors such as energy and IT have opportunities to come together to help the UK move towards a smart electricity grid. Innovative ideas about apps that could offer people benefits are welcomed from all sectors, as well as from the energy industry itself.”
Organisations or individuals with ideas for apps that could be developed as part of the OpenLV project should complete a survey to register their interest at: www.openlv.net/about/the-project/for-business-and-academia
To watch a short video that explains the OpenLV project visit: www.openlv.net/resources
The OpenLV project will be launched at Western Power Distribution’s ‘Balancing Act’ event, which will take place in London on 5 October 2017. To attend this event register here: https://www.westernpower.co.uk/Innovation/News-Events/Events/WPD-s-Balancing-Act-Conference.aspx
For more information about OpenLV visit www.openlv.net
