ESO signs Memorandum of Understanding with the National Digital Twin Programme

To help accelerate energy sector digitalisation, and support the transition to net zero, our Virtual Energy System Programme and the National Digital Twin Programme, led by the UK Government’s Department for Business and Trade, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate in developing an energy system data sharing infrastructure.

This collaboration will further the aspirations for sector-wide secure and resilient data sharing outlined by the Energy Digitalisation Taskforce, Ofgem’s Future Systems and Network Regulation (FSNR) decision, and the recommendations set out in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s recent Transmission Acceleration Action Plan.

There is clear benefit in ensuring alignment and interoperability between an energy system data sharing infrastructure and the cross-sector Integration Architecture being developed by the National Digital Twin Programme.

This agreement will initially focus on developing integrated high-level technical design and architecture, which identifies the interfaces between components of the future energy system data sharing infrastructure. It also aims to scope the technical, process, and policy requirements for achieving and developing an integrated Minimum Viable Product that both programmes can use to practically demonstrate connected digital twins.

Shubhi Rajnish, Chief Information Officer at the ESO said:

“We are excited to sign this Memorandum of Understanding with the National Digital Twin Programme, led by the Department for Business and Trade, to look at the components for developing an energy sector data sharing infrastructure. 

“This collaboration is a significant step for energy digitalisation and the goal of enabling secure and resilient exchange of data across the sector, to support the delivery of a zero-carbon energy system in Great Britain by 2035.”

Our Virtual Energy System Programme

The ambition of the Virtual Energy System (VirtualES) programme is to enable the creation of an ecosystem of connected digital twins of the entire energy system of Great Britain, that will operate in synchronisation to the physical system. It will include representations of electricity and gas assets and link up to other sectors. This ecosystem of connected digital twins will enable the secure and resilient sharing of energy data across organisational and sector boundaries, facilitating more complex scenario modelling to deliver optimal whole-system decision making. 

Creating the VirtualES is a socio-technical challenge that requires a collaborative and principled approach, aligned with the National Digital Twin Programme, and other energy sector digitalisation programmes. 

Virtual Energy System

About the National Digital Twin Programme

The National Digital Twin Programme is the government-led programme committed to growing national capability in digital twinning technologies and processes throughout the country. A primary purpose of the programme is to develop the standards, processes, and tools that will build the foundation of a functioning market in digital twins and create growth, ensuring that digital twins use technology and processes that are accessible to any organisation, whether from the public or private sector, irrespective of size.