Tableau, Power BI, Python, Geo-Spatial Analysis
As a Business Intelligence Analyst in Northumberland County Council, I have been working closely with Power Grid suppliers to identify all households which are on-grid and compare that with the full list of homes in Council databases. As there was no common identifier we had to rely on the spatial (geographical) analysis. This allowed us to identify houses which were most likely off-grid. That list was sent to local partners who further confirmed if the property is actually off-grid and if it is occupied.
The biggest success of that program was to allow Social Services to send letters to those potential households with the offer of Energy Bill payment, which they would normally not get as they don’t have any energy bills.
Project Overview: Northumberland Off-Grid Analysis
Northumberland County has recognised that there is a significant number of off-electricity grid properties in the county, however, there is no finite list of homes which are off-electricity grid.
Data Unification Challenge: Navigating Complexity
Tasked with this initiative, our Business Intelligence team tackled the core issue—the lack of a centralized data source for off-grid properties. Our strategy involved a comparison of Northumberland’s residential data with information from Power Delivery Network Operators’ (DNO) spatial datasets. Challenges included addressing varying address formats and missing data.
Innovative Methodology: Bridging the Gap
Recognizing location as a common thread, we devised a unique approach—determining the distance of each house to the closest meter. This practical criterion, approximating the diagonal of a medium-sized property, ensured pinpoint accuracy in identifying potentially off-grid households.
Collaborative Confirmation: Real-World Validation
The collaboration extended to hands-on confirmation with Delivery Network Operators (DNOs). Real-world validation of our data analysis became a point of pride, including the meticulous extraction of clusters supplied by private networks. This was then extended to other partners and we continuously build a comprehensive list of all residents.
Effective Communication: Visualizing Insights
Crafting a comprehensive dashboard for the off-grid task force, we have provided a visual representation of figures, locations, and critical distance factors. This tool not only facilitated internal understanding but also effectively communicated the scale of the challenge to stakeholders.
Future Implications: A Sustainable Tomorrow
We recognize the potential impact of connecting every house. Estimated costs for connecting off-grid households stand at £16 million and growing, providing valuable insights for local government interventions in addressing the energy crisis.
Project Outcomes: Tangible Impact
We are hoping that each house will receive the energy solutions best for them. In the meantime identified household were offered Energy Bill Rebate by the Northumberland County Council, which won’t be possible without identifying those properties.