DATA
The concept of sharing The potential savings of data sharing will vary across the world . The US has very different grids and infrastructures , whereas throughout Western Europe data sharing is far more ingrained into operations , where suppliers are more accustomed to pooling information and using it to drive the market . “ We have seen quite a few pilot projects with aggregation of domestic batteries , particularly in the Netherlands , which clearly require an awful lot of information being accessible to a lot of different people ,” Pritchett says .
“ Germany in particular has this concept of municipal energy , and municipal energy generation . That drives their approach to doing things . In that sense , Europe is a bit more advanced in its thinking .”
However , he adds that the UK is making big inroads into financing research , “ particularly looking at battery technology and performance . About $ 368mn has just been announced for the Clean Growth Plan . There ’ s a whole load of really exciting research , presumably on the understanding that everybody will be able to see the benefits of that research , and apply that to a market to make it mature .”
In terms of how receptive companies are to sharing data , it depends on what they perceive its value will be . “ For some organisations it ’ s quite straightforward and they think it ’ s a good idea , for others it ’ s a bit alien because historically they ’ d always jump to protect their own IP , and they ’ d want to make sure their information is better than that of their competitors . From a profit-driven , commercial base it ’ s coming , it ’ s always a change in the way of thinking ,” he says .
To begin data sharing , someone
20 December 2017