Delivering a smart and secure electricity system: the interoperability and cyber security of energy smart appliances and remote load control
Download the full outcome
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
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
Last updated 30 March 2023 + show all updates
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Government response published.
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First published.