The UK government has announced an open call for evidence to gather expert feedback on leveraging AI to make sense of energy system data. The call, published on March 2, builds on two previous calls for evidence that focused on data sharing.
The call noted that access to high-quality data is crucial for realizing the benefits of AI in the energy system. It said that AI has the potential to “realize efficiencies and transform how the system operates.”
It said examples of AI in the energy system include electricity grid optimization, predicting renewable generation, streamlining heat pump installations, and reducing the use of fossil fuels in industrial processes.
It targets AI developers and energy companies who can point to specific datasets that are not currently available for AI use. The government said it is “particularly interested in understanding which high-impact datasets could unlock the development of key AI applications in the energy sector, and what barriers to accessing these datasets exist.”
It will gather evidence on the barriers to accessing data to develop AI applications in the energy system, considering areas such as energy generation data, energy price data, smart meter data, network infrastructure, emissions saved, renewable energy support schemes, energy forecasting, hydrogen data, heat data, market settlement and imbalances, policy and regulation, energy infrastructure performance data, and consumer energy data.
In turn, these improvements can reduce costs to customers and improve energy security. Developing a strong digitalized energy sector can also support economic growth in the UK and encourage innovation. Companies developing AI and digital products for the energy sector are particularly encouraged to apply and share their expertise.
The call listed seven main ‘consultation questions’ for prospective respondents.
- What energy problem do you want to solve?
- What kind of data is needed?
- What work is needed to create a usable dataset, including making sure it can be easily combined with other datasets?
- Who would the users of the dataset be?
- What scale does the dataset need to be?
- What would enabling AI use of this dataset unlock?
- What would be the arrangements for ongoing maintenance, governance and curation of the dataset?
Responses should be sent by email to the following address: energydatacallforevidence@energysecurity.gov.uk, by April 24, 2026. The call is targeting the entire UK region.
At the end of January 2026, the United Kingdom’s deployed solar capacity reached 21.8 GW, according to the latest provisional government data.
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