Energy data to power state’s clean-energy economy
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Integrating energy system and customer data, the Integrated Energy Data Resource will spur development of distributed energy resources, innovative use cases and utility operational efficiencies.
New York is developing a centralized platform for energy data collection so organizations can stay on track with their climate change goals.
The Integrated Energy Data Resource (IEDR) platform will expand access to clean energy data from electric, gas, steam utilities and other sources in an effort to help innovative solutions providers, government agencies and utility programs better deliver energy services to disadvantaged communities.
Users will be able to consult the data to guide investment decisions, identify operational inefficiencies and promote innovation that mobilizes clean energy, President and CEO of New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) Doreen M. Harris said in the announcement.
The data available on the IEDR platform will support the state’s mission of 70% renewable energy generation by 2030 and accelerate the deployment of clean energy solutions.
Officials said identifying potential use cases for the platform will guide IEDR’s development. More than a dozen organizations have submitted use cases, including several public-sector agencies.
New York City, for example, wants access to data for small buildings – those under 25,000 square feet – that make up 40% of the city’s building stock. The data on these properties would help it develop benchmarking data – similar to what it has for large buildings – to advance its climate goals.
The New York Power Authority would use data on distributed energy resources so DER developers can evaluate site feasibility and project economics. This information would facilitate DER interconnection, competition among development and aggregation markets and the integration of clean energy resources into New York’s energy system, according to NYPA’s submitted use case.
Even NYSERDA submitted a use case, which called for data on customer energy use and characteristics, utility consumption, fuel distribution by fuel type and sector and intensity of energy use. The department would use this data to measure and verify program savings, assess market baselines and progress and evaluate clean energy potential.
NYSERDA teamed up with UtilityAPI, Flux Tailor, TRC Companies and HumanLogic to create the Solution Architect and Development Team, led by E Source, officials said. The team will design, build and operate the IEDR platform to enable the data access, governance, querying, analysis and consent processes.
The development team will also leverage the platform’s data to address grid challenges, assist buyers and sellers of clean energy products and services and help utility customers share and utilize their data to benefit stakeholders.
"The energy data resource we are building is critical to helping achieve the State’s energy policy goals, as well as ensuring customer privacy and maintaining cyber-security,” CEO of the Department of Public Service Rory M. Christian said. “Integrating energy customer data and energy system data will unlock smart deployment of distributed resources, new business models, innovation and utility operational efficiencies, required for the creation of an energy system that is responsive to the needs of our clean-energy economy.”
NYSERDA’s announcement comes one month after an executive order requiring all state agencies to use the New York Power Authority’s NY Energy Manager application. The application provides near real-time tracking of an agency’s energy usage, costs and greenhouse gas footprint so it can achieve sustainability targets.