As society reduces carbon usage and becomes greener, some people will easily participate in this energy transition, others, either by choice or factors outside their control, will not. To ensure an equitable transition, energy networks need to cater for all consumers. To deliver economic growth, and net zero, electricity networks are adapting and expanding. Doing this in a customer centric manner is a challenge SSEN are tackling with Project VERIFY.
For the first time, VERIFY will combine data on networks, properties, consumer demographics and smart meters to ensure electricity networks can better tailor network investments to match the needs of local consumers.
Collaborating with local authorities, charities, gas networks, and powerful computing technologies, VERIFY will evaluate the most cost efficient and beneficial solutions for energy networks and consumers alike.
VERIFY builds on two previous successful projects:
Vulnerability Identification via Informative Data (VIVID) pioneered the identification of potentially vulnerable households by combining multiple data sets and demonstrating that insightful data can be shared securely and compliantly.
Vulnerability Future Energy Scenarios (VFES) identified areas of high consumer vulnerability and lower levels of community resilience. VFES successfully supported investment decisions at SSEN based on consumer requirements. However, the techniques used for VFES need to be refined, made more granular and applied at scale. VERFIY will do this and take customer centric investment planning to the next level.
VERIFY will use the best available data, combine and refine it into a usable and scalable format to support networks, consumers, and wider stakeholders by:
Improving decision making on network investments by understanding the needs of consumers connected, to targeted interventions and support, e.g. providing additional assistance to increase participation in flexibility schemes and reduce inequalities
Supporting consumers to adopt Low Carbon Technologies (LCTs)
Proactively identifying customers in vulnerable situations to provide additional support and include them on the Priority Services Register (PSR)
Better targeting of support from energy suppliers, Gas Distribution Networks (GDNs), fuel poverty partners, councils, and others
Improved digital inclusion and awareness of smart energy benefits
Cumulatively, the data shared in VERIFY will help drive a just energy transition, incorporating consumer data with Distribution Network Operators (DSOs) strategic investment process to a greater extent than ever before.
VERIFY will also build upon AI techniques used in VFES to drive better understanding of the consumers connected networks and provide a more resilient service year on year.
Bridging the gap between data-driven insights and real-world consumer needs.
Identifying vulnerable consumers through targeted, AI-enhanced decision-making.
Increasing participation in flexibility markets, greater resilience for low-income consumers, and more equitable access to the benefits from flexibility.
Delivering a GB-wide scalable/replicable service for each DSO to create low voltage investment plans while ensuring a just transition and addressing energy inequality.
The potential users of VERIFY across GB are:
Network licensees
Energy Suppliers
Local Authorities
Third Sector
Emergency services
VERIFY is a three-year project and involves some of the best minds from energy systems and supply, academia, health, data science, consumer engagement, and the third sector.
Following the project, we envisage VERIFY being deployed across all Great Britain’s electricity and gas network companies. Once implemented the economic benefits should exceed over £400m.
SIF £5,331,569
Sept 2025 – August 2028
VERIFY will start in September this year
Simon O’Loughlin
