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Projects: Projects for Investigator
Reference Number	ENA_10026595
Title	Virtual Energy System
Status	Completed
Energy Categories	Other Cross-Cutting Technologies or Research(Energy Models) 100%;
Research Types	Applied Research and Development 100%
Science and Technology Fields	PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Computer Science and Informatics) 50%; ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Electrical and Electronic Engineering) 50%;
UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation	Systems Analysis related to energy R&D (Other Systems Analysis) 50%; Systems Analysis related to energy R&D (Energy modelling) 50%;
Principal Investigator	Project Contact No email address given National Grid ESO
Award Type	Network Innovation Allowance
Funding Source	Ofgem
Start Date	01 April 2022
End Date	01 June 2022
Duration	2 months
Total Grant Value	£149,929
Industrial Sectors	Power
Region	London
Programme
Investigators	Principal Investigator	Project Contact , National Grid ESO (100.000%)
	Industrial Collaborator	Project Contact , Western Power Distribution (0.000%) Project Contact , Scottish and Southern Energy plc (0.000%) Project Contact , SP Energy Networks (0.000%) Project Contact , Northern Gas Networks (0.000%) Project Contact , National Grid Electricity Transmission (0.000%)
Web Site	https://smarter.energynetworks.org/projects/ENA_10026595
Objectives
Abstract	The ESO proposes to lead an industry-wide initiative to develop a digital twin of the entire GB energy system -- the VirtualES. This will be an enduring programme over a number of years, consisting of three interacting workstreams:Workstream 1 -- Stakeholder EngagementWorkstream 2 -- Common FrameworkWorkstream 3 -- Use CasesThis Discovery phase project supports the common framework workstream and will be used to understand what standards should be set out with participants to facilitate collaboration and compatibility. The common framework will provide a blueprint so multiple parties can develop a wide range of digital twins which are interoperable and can interact using open data.This project will explore with our partners key areas such as, but not limited to, cyber security, data quality, metadata, data ownership/storage, common attributes of digital twins, interoperability, technology, legal and regulatory issues, risks and potential use cases. We seek to understand the most challenging and high-risk elements so that these can be explored first in the alpha phase, and then solutions refined further in the beta stage, including testing use cases.We envisage that VirtualES users will include network companies (Transmission Owners, Distribution Network Owners/Distribution System Operators, GD Networks); generation asset owners and operators (wind farms, solar parks, thermal generators, batteries, interconnectors); retail companies; traders; aggregators and ultimately GB consumers. The VirtualES will provide these users with access to data and integrated modelling capabilities, to improve data-driven decision making for investments and operations. The VirtualES should also prove useful to government departments, regulators, academics and think tanks to inform whole-system strategies, policies and regulatory decisions for the net zero transition.The ESO will lead the project but since the VirtualES is whole-system, we have engaged project partners who bring the perspectives of electricity network asset owners (NGET, SPEN, SSEN Transmission, SSEN Distribution, WPD) and gas network participants (NGGT, NGN). To deliver the project we have also partnered with a technical consortium (Arup, Energy Systems Catapult, Icebreaker One) who bring considerable expertise in digital twins, systems-thinking and energy data.The proposed project aligns strongly with the spirit of the SIF Innovation Challenges issued for 2021. The VirtualES, underpinned by a common framework, supports an integrated whole energy system transition and explores the role of the energy sector within the wider economy.
Publications	(none)
Final Report	(none)
Added to Database	14/10/22