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Projects: Projects for Investigator
Reference Number	NIA_NGN_357
Title	Community Resilience
Status	Completed
Energy Categories	Other Cross-Cutting Technologies or Research(Demographics) 30%; Fossil Fuels: Oil Gas and Coal(Oil and Gas, Refining, transport and storage of oil and gas) 70%;
Research Types	Applied Research and Development 100%
Science and Technology Fields	SOCIAL SCIENCES (Psychology) 70%; ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering) 30%;
UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation	Sociological economical and environmental impact of energy (Consumer attitudes and behaviour) 100%
Principal Investigator	Project Contact No email address given Northern Gas Network (NGN) North East
Award Type	Network Innovation Allowance
Funding Source	Ofgem
Start Date	01 March 2022
End Date	31 December 2023
Duration	ENA months
Total Grant Value	£88,657
Industrial Sectors	Energy
Region	North East
Programme	Network Innovation Allowance
Investigators	Principal Investigator	Project Contact , Northern Gas Network (NGN) North East (100.000%)
	Industrial Collaborator	Project Contact , Northern Gas Networks (0.000%)
Web Site	https://smarter.energynetworks.org/projects/NIA_NGN_357
Objectives	The method of this project will bring together a wider understanding utility provision, customers in vulnerable situations (CVS) and community resilience and further advance knowledge in this area and gaps of activity/knowledge.It will provide firm evidence for future business cases into exploring gap avenues.The deliverables of the project will include digital reports of:• Scoping Study• Delivery model development and concept testing• Interim report after Phase 1 detailing findings from Scoping Study and options for delivery model development (Phase 2)• Final report after Phase 2 detailing viable/preferred delivery modelsMeasurement Quality StatementThe study will deploy established and widely used social research methods drawn from the qualitative and quantitative paradigms. The methods have been chosen to offer breadth and depth of insights from literature, professional stakeholders and consumers. They will be designed to ensure validity (collection of intended data) and reliability (data collection could be replicated) within appropriate research and sampling contexts to ensure the quality of research outputs. Within GDPR guidelines event and data logs, and sampling data will be updated and maintained with appropriate participant (unique number referencing) and fieldwork event referencing. Techniques and principles to measurement quality will include: collecting data required for the purposes of the study, timeliness (setting date parameters for example), error detection (data cleaning); data uniqueness (removing duplicates); completeness (in survey data for example); and accuracy (good record keeping and data entry).Data Quality StatementThe design of research tools will ensure the data collected is both high quality and appropriate to the research questions. Data will be collected, processed analysed and reported on using appropriate and secure data storage and software that the Team are familiar and experienced in the use of. Good data housekeeping principles such as version control, dating and data cleaning will be adhered to.This project is a mixed-method social research study, as such relevant and appropriate (i.e. non-disclosure) data collection tools, analysis outputs will be maintained, kept up-to-date and made available to ensure transparency and traceability of data and results, for example: reference data tables (e.g., aggregated output from survey) and in line with good practice where cell numbers are <5 these will be suppressed to avoid inadvertent disclosure research tool templates (e.g., topic guides or questionnaires) thematic coding frames (qualitative analysis) participation and respondent matrices (anonymised as appropriate) but including relevant fields, such as range and type of sector por other characteristics evidence review references. The proposed research will involve a cross-utility audit of statutory and non-statutory services, support and offers available to customers, with a focus on CVS across Great Britain (GB). As well as the complexity surrounding customer vulnerability, there is an equally complex and diverse range of stakeholders that provide services and/or support to customers either directly or indirectly related to energy. To help understand and quantify this, the range of support and service providers, what it means for community resilience and customer safeguarding, both in current energy landscape and during the future energy transition, NEA proposes a cross-utility and communityaudit.The audit will be delivered using an action research approach of two Phases. Action research has been chosen as the preferred method because of its interactive, iterative, and collaborative characteristics, and ability to provide insight throughout the course of the research. The proposed project will comprise: a) scoping study and b) delivery model development and concept testing. On completion of the project, NGN will be positioned to consider how the developed models, or a preferred model could be taken forward to trial. Trials are out of scope of the project but is not proposed here. Desktop Research – Evidence reviews Stakeholder mapping – Stakeholder review Qualitative expert elicitation workshops and interviews – Online introduction workshops, Sector specific workshops, Interviews Model development – Minimum 2 models identified for development Qualitative expert elicitation online workshops – Introduction workshop, Refining Workshop Consumer concept testing – Postal survey, Discussion groups, interviews Evaluate and refine models – Review meeting Stakeholder roundtable event – Stakeholder event, Final report
Abstract	This research project will identify and quantify practices and work already undertaken by the GDNs and DNOs, both statutory (business as usual) and non-statutory (above and beyond), to support customers and communities. It will forecast short-term and long-term future risks to the resilience of communities, along with recommendations to ensure that networks are equipped to provide the most appropriate support for vulnerable members of society. This will include a range of scenarios, the future constellation of the energy system and possible future risks and recommendations for future regulation that would encourage collaboration across the energy sector.
Publications	(none)
Final Report	(none)
Added to Database	14/10/22