Download the full outcome
Delivering a smart and secure
electricity system: government response
Detail of outcome
The consultation set out proposals in 3 key areas to address
barriers and risks:
- creating the right technical frameworks to unlock the
potential of flexibility for domestic and small non-domestic
energy consumers
- improving the security of the electricity system
- giving consumers confidence to engage with a smart energy
system
The government is seeking legislative powers, complementary to
some of these proposals through the Energy Bill that was
introduced into Parliament in July 2022. These powers will enable
government to regulate Energy Smart Appliances (ESAs), including requiring
certain types of appliance to be smart, setting minimum standards
for smart functionality for certain ESAs, and licensing activity
relating to load control.
The government response confirms our intention to progress with
the proposals and sets out next steps, including our plans for
further consultation on points of detail.
Detail of feedback received
We received 84 responses to this consultation from a mix of
parties, including:
- manufacturers
- energy suppliers
- network operators
- technology companies
- consumer groups
- other stakeholders
We also conducted 33 engagement events online and in-person
between July and September 2022 to gather a wide range of views
on our proposals. These events aimed to raise awareness of the
consultation’s proposals, help government to obtain feedback on
them, and support participants to develop their own responses to
the consultation.
The consultation responses broadly supported the government’s
proposals.
Original consultation Summary
We're seeking views on a range of proposals that will impact
appliances and organisations with a role in controlling
electricity usage.
This consultation ran from
8am on 6 July 2022 to 11:45pm on 28 September 2022
Consultation description
In order to decarbonise the power system by 2035, support energy
independence and achieve net zero at the least cost by 2050, we
need to transition to a smart and flexible electricity system.
This transition will reduce costs by up to £10 billion per year
by 2050. Mass uptake of demand side response (DSR) will be key to delivering this
potential, but action is needed to enable DSR to grow.
This consultation sets out proposals to ensure consumers and the
electricity system are protected, and to develop a competitive
market for energy smart appliances and DSR. Specifically it proposes to:
- require all organisations capable of remotely controlling
large electrical loads (greater than 300MW in aggregate) to
comply with the Network and Information System Regulations, using
the Cyber
Assessment Framework
- require energy suppliers to make time-of-use-tariff data
openly available in a common format, accessible over the internet
- ensure that larger domestic-scale energy smart appliances
(ESAs), including
electric vehicle (EV)
charge points, batteries, and heating appliances (such as heat
pumps) are interoperable with demand side response service
providers, using ESA
standards
- require smart heating appliances and batteries to meet cyber
security and grid stability requirements, similar to those
already in train for EV
charge points
- require electric heating appliances with the greatest
flexibility potential (namely heat pumps, storage heaters and
heat batteries) to have smart functionality
- establish a proportionate and flexible licensing framework
for organisations providing demand side response to domestic and
small non-domestic consumers
The consultation also sets out proposals to develop comprehensive
governance arrangements between government, regulators, and
industry to support implementation of these proposals, and seeks
views on ongoing work by government to establish system-level
cyber security requirements for energy smart appliances.
It is open to anyone to respond, but will be of interest
primarily to:
- energy and technology companies
- energy smart appliance manufacturers
- consumer and environmental groups
- innovators, and third party intermediaries in energy and / or
other sectors
Read the BEIS consultation privacy
notice.
Documents
Delivering a smart and
secure electricity system: consultation on interoperability and
cyber security of energy smart appliances and remote load
control
Analytical
annex
