| Abstract |
Energy consultancy Baringa Partners were appointed to design and develop a software modelling tool to be used in the planning of cost-effective local energy systems. This software is called EnergyPath and will evolve to include a number of additional packages to inform planning, consumer insights and business metrics. Element Energy, Hitachi and University College London have worked with Baringa to develop the software with input from a range of local authorities, Western Power Distribution and Ramboll. EnergyPath will complement ETI’s national strategic energy system tool ESME which links heat, power, transport and the infrastructure that connects them. EnergyPath is a registered trade mark of the Energy Technologies Institute LLP.
The purpose of this report is to provide an analysis of the data challenges involved in a whole system approach to local area energy planning informed by the piloting of EnergyPath Networks in three local areas. The report considers:- The types of data that are needed, the sources from which it is available and any restrictions on use.
- The data processing required and associated costs.
- The assumptions, exclusions, limitations and value of data in supporting decision making.
- Other data that might be available and valuable for validation of modelling outputs and supporting local area energy planning in the future.
- Methods for gathering additional data and how these could be phased into local area planning
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