Page 68 - European Energy Innovation - Summer 2017 publication
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68 Summer 2017 European Energy Innovation
ESTONIA: DIGITALISATION
Digital meets energy. Where?
By Kalle Kukk
The Energy domain is aggregators, ESCOs (energy service As an important step toward this, we
entering the era of changes. companies), energy cooperatives, etc. are developing a data sharing platform
Coincidentally, this is driven named Estfeed where all interested
by two major factors. These Number two factor is the development parties can have access to energy
factors can run independently in of information and communication consumption and other related data.
parallel but we need to make them technologies (ICT). Smart solutions
cross in order to generate true and applications, like the internet We started in 2012 and within a few
synergies. The first one stems from of things, big data, data sharing months we developed a central data
energy itself and could be summarized platforms, blockchain etc. are more hub containing hourly readings from
as stakeholders becoming smarter. And and more prevalent all around us, and every single electricity meter. The
this is not just about energy traders, increasingly relating to energy. aim was to ensure neutral access to
producers and network operators metering data for all consumers and
trying to do their business more These developments mean more generators, as well as to facilitate
efficiently. information, less energy in the system. supplier switching in order to be
When energy from distributed prepared for full market opening a year
It is also the consumer whose position generation is consumed locally later.
in the energy value chain is very country-wide grids will not transport
different now compared to what it used that part of energy anymore. But we still The conception of data hubs has now
to be. The consumer is not the passive need information about it because it reached the European draft legislation
end ring in this chain anymore, paying is a single market. The energy price is stage – Clean Energy Package. But,
numbly the bills of incumbent utilities. not worked out locally, but in the case meanwhile, we have taken next step.
Instead, all of a sudden, he has the of electricity, it is calculated by the hour Having data hub in place, as a decent
opportunity to choose between many throughout Europe. Also, generators cornerstone, Elering sees data
energy suppliers and service providers and consumers still need transmission exchange as the future for system
to obtain the best deal. Also he can opt grid as a back-up and they can still offer operators. If we wish to survive all these
for dynamic pricing and decide when their flexibilities across country and changes we need to transform from
to consume, i.e. when the prices are regions. a physical grid operator to smart grid
low. Furthermore, he can be a really operator. The objective of the Estfeed
active player by providing services The general aim should be to build platform is to create a comprehensive
by himself, e.g. flexibilities to network links between energy and ICT through smart energy system that allows
operators when they ask to either digitalization. In fact, they feed each market players to interact securely and
increase or decrease consumption, if other. Single energy market and transparently.
it is needed for system balancing or digital single market must go hand-in-
grid congestion management (demand hand. Digitalisation in energy should Estfeed brings together data sources
response). And he can also be a (micro) be about information exchange and applications. Data sources range
generator himself – the prosumer. andmaking necessary data available to from electricity, gas and district heating
interested parties. This is where digital smart meter readings to weather
But there are also the policy makers meets energy. forecast and day-ahead energy prices.
and regulators who enable this Estonia completed full roll-out of
new smartness. Setting targets on As the Estonia’s electricity and gas smart electricity meters in 2016. By
energy savings, renewable energy or transmission system operator (TSO), interpreting and combining these
greenhouse gas emissions necessitates we have started to reshape our data, developers can create useful
other parties to come up with new understanding throughout Elering, on applications for themselves or their
solutions. Therefore we can see new traditional grid business, and we see customers (end consumers). The aim of
services and new players emerging – the future in a digital energy system. the applications is to create efficiency,
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