VIVID will attempt to unlock the full potential of data held by the energy industry, local authorities and the third sector for the benefit for people and communities in vulnerable situations.
We will do this by developing new techniques, using existing data in a safe and secure way to identify which households would most benefit from timely and relevant offers of practical and financial support from their local authority, reputable charities, and responsible energy companies.
VIVID will also investigate the creation and maintenance of a common regional vulnerability reference system, initially for Aberdeen City, but applicable to all GB regions.
VIVID will help find people who, until now, haven’t registered for the PSR, are missing from Local Authority support databases or who would benefit from receiving the financial and energy efficiency help they are entitled to.
In the Alpha phase, new methods of identification will allow contact with customers who have been previously left out of engagement activities, not realised the support they are entitled to, or have found it hard to ask for help previously.
VIVID will use innovative techniques to unlock the potential of smart meter data by combining it with social and local information to drive inclusion and engagement in the energy market. During Discovery we worked extensively to identify a viable legal basis for sharing data, the most secure ways for storing and moving data and the methods we would have to use to be fully GDPR compliant. Alpha will put this into practice and ensure full adherence to the relevant data protection legislation and information security protocols.
We will work during Alpha so that VIVID can expand to new local authority areas, more charities, DNOs, and delivery partners from the outset of Beta.
Financial – future reductions in the cost of operating the network:
DNOs conduct extensive engagement and promotion for the PSR which has significant time and cost implications. Using the VIVID solution would identify households most at risk, and enable rapid offers of financial and practical support, saving time and money. VIVID should reduce costs in engaging, recruiting and maintaining the PSR by using automated data analysis to find previously hidden customers and help them register.
Financial – cost savings on energy bills for consumers:
Customers identified by VIVID will get faster and more targeted advice on possible interventions including energy efficiency, switching, financial support, grants, and debt management.
New to market products, processes, and services:
As DNOs and suppliers look to use smart meter data for vulnerability identification VIVID will allow this to happen in a consistent, joined up manner by creating a common GB-wide vulnerability assessor tool, using data for societal good.
This would contribute to the idea of a common Consumer Consent Portal being investigated and part of Ofgem’s digitalisation projects.
Environmental – carbon reduction:
VIVID will accelerate conversations about Low Carbon Technologies (LCTs), promote energy reduction and carbon savings. Examples include spotting geographical clusters which would benefit from communal LCTs or usage patterns indicating that subsidised PV panels would be more cost effective than debt management. Behavioral impacts of LCTs may also be monitored and combined with information from existing SSEN-D innovation projects, such as Vulnerability Future Energy Scenarios – VFES, Smart and Fair with the Centre for Sustainable Energy, and HOMEflex, brining fairness to Household or Microbusiness Energy flexibility fairness. Quarriers will proactively help less confident or tech savvy customers to understand and adopt LCTs, helping customers who would otherwise be left behind to play an active role in net zero and energy flexibility.
VIVID Alpha Phase completed all work packages, reports and outputs successfully, on time and blow budget.
All partners agreed that we had delivered solid results and surpassed expectations in many respects, including:
Sharing the right data, safely and securely is critical to Vivid. We have made groundbreaking progress towards doing this, including:
In short, we have:
SIF £516,490
2-month project – Starting 3rd April 2023
Simon O’Loughlin
