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Net Zero: Hack For Impact
Our hackathon was for all things net zero. We've been working with Northern Powergrid in their ambition to support our region to meet its decarbonisaton pledge. To do this, they wanted to engage with other Distribution Network Operators (DNO; companies licensed to distribute electricity in the UK), utilities, sectors and industries, finding new innovative ways to publish, use and share data.
Northern Powergrid are also committed to supporting and accelerating innovation in the energy sector. They are looking to use their investment of more than £10m in innovation over the next 5 years to push the boundaries to achieve net zero - they are always looking for the new improvements to their services and applications of their data to help operate the network better and deliver more.
This is why we brought teams together in a competition to build data-driven prototypes to accelerate progress towards net zero. Over the full day, teams worked together to solve a data challenge, and the winning team received a prize. Through the event we aimed to show people the value gleaned from sharing data and working in the open.
Resources
Intro Blog
1st November 2023
A joint blog post with Northern Powergrid to launch the event.
The importance of open and transparent data
10th January 2024
A blog post by Gillian Williamson, Head of Systems Forecasting.
Animating the Hack For Impact
7th November 2023
A blog post by Stuart Lowe about the design of the animated event imagery.
Data Challenges
This is where we will add links to useful data sources and potential projects. Please add yours here!
Northern Powergrid Data Portal
Existing datasets published by Northern Powergrid.
NPG Future Energy Scenario Data
Northern Powergrid's potential future scenarios, both interpreted from the 2022 National Grid Future Energy Scenarios, and a Planning Scenario.
Main hack day / 31st January 2024
Collaborative Doc
A Google document to jot down ideas, notes, add photos, bits of code, etc.
Intro Slides
Gillian Williamson from Northern Powergrid: opening slides for the session.
Gallery
Photos taken during the day
Wrapping up & Next Steps
8th February 2024
Huge thanks to everyone who attended our final event at Munro House, supporting Northern Powergrid's ambition to support local efforts to net zero.
Feedback
If you attended the hack we'd love to get your feedback via our own low-CO2 feedback system.
Agenda
| Timings | What's happening? |
|---|---|
| 9:00am - 9.30am | Meet, greet, and coffee Grab a cuppa and take a seat, make friends, get to know the other attendees. |
| 9.30am - 12.30pm | Morning Session Starts with an intro to the day by Gillian Williamson (Northern Powergrid) and Paul Connell (Open Innovations) |
| 12.30pm - 1.30pm | Lunch Delicious, locally sourced lunch will be provided - if you have any dietary requirements, please let us know. Stretch your legs and take a break, or you are welcome to keep working. |
| 1.30pm - 3.30/4pm | Afternoon Session Showcase & Prizes Teams will present back their prototypes and judges will choose the teams that will be awarded a prize. Multiple prizes will be offered, including: Best Data Challenge - Credit will be awarded to the most innovative / useful / impactful challenge. This could be a problem that, if solved, would have the greatest impact. Best Solution - Awarded for the best tool, prototype or solution that has been developed on the day. |
| 4pm | Wrap-up |
Team outputs
As well as contributing to the collaborative doc, some teams produced web-based outputs...
Collaborators
About Northern Powergrid
Northern Powergrid is the electricity distribution network operator for the North East, Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire. It delivers power safely and reliably to 8 million customers across 3.9 million homes and businesses through its network of more than 63,000 substations and 60,000 miles of overhead power lines and underground cables, spanning some 9,650 square miles. In an evolving energy industry, Northern Powergrid has a key role in creating and managing future energy systems that increasingly interact with customers and smart and low carbon technologies. The company is innovating and investing today so its network is ready for the demands of a net zero tomorrow. Find out more about Northern Powergrid at www.northernpowergrid.com or on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.