A study of smart grid niches and their role in the UK’s smart energy transition.

Smart energy systems are those that incorporate the ability to collect data across the energy infrastructure and use that data to dynamically balance supply and demand and use system assets more efficiently. Making energy smarter is widely seen as a key enabler of the wider low-carbon energy transition in the UK and a major opportunity for innovation in the energy industry. This research examines processes of innovation around smart energy in the UK by focusing on three case studies of self-contained smart energy trials, or niches. Using interviews and project documentation, the research uncovers a rich account of these case studies, their origins and their outcomes. These case studies allow a deeper understanding of the evolution of smart energy within these niches, and the novel technologies, contractual arrangements, governance structures, and business models that are emerging within them. The research also explores the influence of ICT concepts and technology, as well as regulation, and incumbent energy sector actors for innovation in this area. I endeavoured to make the findings produced in this research relevant to policy makers or business strategists involved in promoting and supporting the transition to a low-carbon energy system by translating research findings into insights that can guide the management of innovation