A new offshore energy taskforce is set to launch today (Tuesday
21st September), aiming to create a digital & data
strategy spanning oil, gas and renewables.
The Offshore Energy Digital and Data Strategy
taskforce is being launched by the Net Zero Technology Centre
(NZTC), OGUK, the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA). It will be run by
Energy Systems Catapult (ESC) and Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE)
Catapult.
The Taskforce will bring together a range of participants –
including The Crown Estate (TCE), Crown Estates Scotland (CES),
the Technology Leadership Board (TLB) and Renewable UK (RUK) – to
encourage a modern, digitalised and integrated sector.
With a UK target of achieving Net Zero carbon emissions by 2050,
there are significant obligations on the offshore energy sector
to accelerate the deployment of alternative energy vectors, such
as Hydrogen and Offshore Wind, as well as Carbon Capture and
Storage technologies. At the same time, the sector is continuing
to reduce emissions across all existing manufacturing,
construction, operational and decommissioning endeavours.
“With that challenge in mind, digital and data are the biggest
enablers of efforts to decarbonise the UK energy system and the
offshore energy sector recognises the need to grasp the
opportunity with both hands,” said Simon Pearson, Digital
Business Leader, Energy Systems Catapult.
“The Taskforce will aim to develop an Offshore Energy Digital
& Data Strategy with a clear set of recommendations and an
action plan. This will facilitate greater digital collaboration,
innovation and market development in offshore energy through
improving data availability and transparency and help unlock new
opportunities across the offshore energy sector.”
Stephen Ashley, Head of Offshore Energy 4.0, NZTC
said: “Reimagining the offshore energy sector as one
integrated energy system will be essential for the UK and
Scotland to achieve their net zero ambitions. Innovation,
collaboration and the application of digital technologies enabled
by data will be absolutely key to realising these ambitions and
will require a collaborative effort across the sector.
“At the Net Zero Technology Centre we are committed to delivering
an affordable net zero and see the significant value that the
Offshore Energy Digital and Data Strategy Taskforce will bring in
achieving this goal.“
Nic Granger, Director of Corporate, Oil and Gas Authority
said: “I am pleased to chair the Offshore Energy Digital
and Data Strategy taskforce. Data is a critical asset and digital
solutions powered by quality data will enable us all to
understand the wider energy system. Data will unlock the
potential for energy transition projects and support a more
environmentally sustainable oil and gas industry.
“The OGA is pleased to be supporting this work by Energy Systems
Catapult and partners as we ensure the digital solutions and data
across the offshore energy sector are integrated to support us in
the transition to net zero.”
Olivia Thomas, Head of Marine Planning, The Crown Estate
said: “The UK’s marine environment has a critical role
to play in delivering net zero. Building new data and digital
capabilities will be a vital part of realising this potential -
helping to unlock the pathway and investment required to get us
to 2050.
“At The Crown Estate, we are committed to continue investing in
data, analysis and evidence to help support future seabed leasing
and accelerate sustainable development and we look forward to
working with the taskforce and its members in support of this
goal.”
Annie Breaden, Head of Policy, Crown Estate Scotland
said: “The creation of this taskforce is an important
step in ensuring the different technologies and sectors involved
can work together to establish data strategies that adequately
support their development.
“We therefore welcome this collaborative project, and look
forward to it finding new ways to support offshore energy’s
contribution to achieving our Net Zero targets.”
Yonna Vitanova, Senior Policy Analyst, RenewableUK,
said: “Renewable energy is taking us further and faster
towards net zero emissions than anyone expected. Integrating a
wide variety of clean energy sources and maximising the benefits
they offer will speed up the transition to a more dynamic system.
“Improving the digital landscape with an Offshore Energy Digital
& Data Strategy will help identify the actions which are
needed in order to get to net zero as efficiently as possible.”
The Taskforce will consider the key themes developed in the
influential Energy Data Taskforce that was run by ESC during
2019, drawing on input from over 300 people across the whole
energy system, including:
- Data Visibility
- Infrastructure and Assets Visibility
- Operation Optimisation
- Market Opportunities
- Regulatory considerations, and the specifics of how these
apply to the Offshore energy sector.
ESC will host a launch webinar on Tuesday 21st
September 2021, that will cover:
- An introduction of The Taskforce project team and other key
stakeholders
- Details of the approach to developing the Offshore Energy
Digital and Data Strategy
- Application of the Energy Data Taskforce recommendations to
the offshore energy sector
- Opportunities to provide input or ask any initial questions
that you may have to a select panel of key industry stakeholders.
