A Proposed Architecture for EnergyOS

Building on the SGAM framework, the lessons from 3GPP and the IETF, and the specific requirements of the UK energy sector, this section proposes a detailed architecture for EnergyOS.

8.1 The EnergyOS Digital Spine

The foundation of EnergyOS is the Digital Spine, a secure, resilient, and scalable data-sharing infrastructure that provides the backbone for communication between all market participants. The Digital Spine is not a single platform or database; it is a federated infrastructure, analogous to the internet itself, in which each participant maintains its own systems but connects to the shared infrastructure through standardised interfaces.

The Data Sharing Infrastructure (DSI). NESO's DSI programme is the most important existing initiative towards the EnergyOS Digital Spine. The DSI aims to provide a "socio-technical solution that reduces friction and barriers to data sharing by providing a secure, resilient, and scalable method for sharing data between any energy sector participants." The DSI should be developed as the foundational layer of the EnergyOS Digital Spine, with NESO acting as the Interim DSI Coordinator as currently planned.

The Virtual Energy System (VES). NESO's Virtual Energy System initiative aims to create "a world first, a data sharing infrastructure to enable an ecosystem of interconnected digital twins of the entire energy landscape." The VES provides the real-time modelling and simulation capabilities that are essential for operating a highly distributed and dynamic energy system. The VES should be developed as the orchestration layer of EnergyOS, providing real-time visibility and coordination across the entire energy system.

The Smart Secure Energy System (SSES) Communications Infrastructure. The SSES programme aims to create a secure communications infrastructure for smart energy devices in consumer premises. The SSES should be developed as the device and consumer layer of EnergyOS, providing secure, standardised interfaces for smart meters, EV chargers, heat pumps, batteries, and other consumer-side assets.

8.2 The EnergyOS Information Layer: The Common Information Model

The most critical standards decision for EnergyOS is the choice of data model for the information layer. The IEC Common Information Model (CIM) is the internationally recognised standard for describing energy system assets and their relationships. The CIM provides a comprehensive ontology that covers the entire energy system, from bulk generation to customer premises.

The BSI has been appointed to facilitate a new governance arrangement for CIM and related standards in the UK energy sector. This is a critical step, but it must be accompanied by a clear mandate for all market participants to implement the CIM in their systems. Without this mandate, the CIM will remain an optional standard, and the fragmentation of the energy sector's information layer will continue.

8.3 The EnergyOS Communication Layer

The communication layer of EnergyOS must support a diverse range of communication technologies, from high-bandwidth fibre connections for large generators and network operators to low-power wide-area networks (LPWANs) for remote sensors and smart meters. The key principle is that the communication layer should be technology-agnostic at the application level: the higher layers of EnergyOS should not depend on any specific communication technology.

The role of 5G and future mobile standards (6G) is particularly important here. The 3GPP's 5G standard includes specific features for industrial IoT and critical infrastructure applications, including ultra-low latency, high reliability, and network slicing. As 5G coverage expands across the UK, it will provide a powerful communication infrastructure for EnergyOS, particularly for mobile assets such as EVs and for rural areas where fixed-line connectivity is limited.

The alignment between 3GPP's 5G standards and EnergyOS is not coincidental. The 3GPP community has recognised the energy sector as a key vertical market for 5G, and has developed specific use cases and requirements for energy applications. EnergyOS should be designed to leverage these capabilities from the outset.

8.4 Connecting the Actors: Interface Specifications

A critical output of the EnergyOS governance process must be a set of standardised interface specifications that define how each type of actor connects to the Digital Spine. These interface specifications must cover: NESO ↔ DSO (real-time exchange of network topology, flexibility offers, and dispatch instructions), DSO ↔ Aggregator (standardised APIs for local flexibility markets), Aggregator ↔ Behind-the-Meter (standardised protocols for consumer-side assets), SSES ↔ DSI (secure device connectivity), SLES ↔ DSO (local energy system integration), Retailer ↔ MHHS (half-hourly settlement data), and Consumer ↔ EnergyOS (open consumer data access).