Connected Energy
The challenge
Connected Energy are specialists in second-life battery energy storage, based on Newcastle Helix.
They specialise in technology systems for grid decarbonisation and have systems across both the UK and Europe. By repurposing second-life EV batteries to applications such as energy storage, they facilitate the transition to more sustainable, albeit less reliable, power generation methods like wind or solar.
This is achieved by storing excess generated energy and discharging the batteries when generation from solar or wind is low.
They sought to harness data insights to:
- Predict the state of health (SOH) of these batteries, essential for evaluating their viability in storage solutions.
- Monitor battery systems for health and performance, ensuring safety and efficiency.
The resolution
To address these needs, Connected Energy focused on:
- Identifying Missing Data: To fully understand available data resources.
- Validating and Formatting Data: Ensuring data usability for operations and analysis.
- Standardising Testing Procedures: Establishing consistent testing for reliable predictions.
- Developing Data Pipelines and AI Tools: Enabling detailed analysis for SOH and capacity forecasting.
The National Innovation Centre for Data (NICD) played a crucial role in data validation and skill development, ensuring Connected Energy could effectively leverage their data.
The solution
The collaboration resulted in:
- Enhanced monitoring: Equal utilisation of batteries, with precise output measurement.
- Reliable maintenance forecasting: Predictive insights for proactive battery maintenance.
- Increased customer confidence: The ability to offer warranties on second-life battery systems, backed by data-driven assurances.
These improvements reflect a strategic use of data science in enhancing the sustainability and efficiency of energy storage solutions.
"The project helped us to gain a clear picture of our data to understand what was missing and develop accurate predictions for planned maintenance and warranties."
Frazer Wagg, Head of Data Services, Connected Energy
Embedding new data science skills into their organisation
Working with NICD, Connected Energy embedded new data science skills into their organisation, helping to deliver more efficient battery storage for their customers.
As a business their data accumulation was rising rapidly, with systems currently producing around seven million data points every day from second life EV batteries. They quickly realised that they needed to take data analysis to the next level to predict future capacities and optimise their outputs.
NICD used their platforms and technologies to explore this data and transfer data science skills into their organisation. We helped them to validate data from battery systems and put it into the format they needed, helping to gain a clear picture of the data to understand what was missing and develop accurate predictions. They worked together to visualise, explore, and build models to estimate the remaining lifetime of the batteries.
Data science tools and techniques
State of health forecasting
The project utilised state-of-the-art data science tools and techniques for battery health forecasting. Through robust data analysis and predictive modelling, the project achieved significant advancements.
These include:
- Machine-learning pipeline: Employed advanced predictive models for accurate battery health forecasting.
- Regression models: Utilised various regression techniques for precise prediction outcomes.
- Hyperparameter tuning: Optimised model performance through fine-tuning of model parameters.
- Data Preprocessing: Included standardisation, normalisation, and feature engineering to prepare data for analysis.
- Docker: Used for containerisation, ensuring consistency across different computing environments.
- AWS Services (Lambda, CloudWatch, SNS): Enabled scalable computing, real-time monitoring, and alerting.
- Python: The primary programming language for its extensive libraries and community support.
- ML Flow: Facilitated experiment tracking, model versioning, and workflow management for efficient machine learning project execution.
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Joining the global data revolution
Steve Caughey, former Director of the National Innovation Centre said:
“As Newcastle Helix neighbours, Connected Energy quickly recognised the value data science skills and insights could bring to their business.They have joined the global data revolution and are leading the way with clean tech innovation – a forward-thinking organisation who are supporting both the circular economy and businesses with their sustainable goals.
Properly processed and analysed, data can lead to radical innovations creating significant value, providing evidence for actions and interventions whether for economic, health or for social good. We can’t wait to embark on the next stage of this project and see them grow.”
Capitalising on the data we have
Matthew Lumsden, CEO, Connected Energy Limited, said:
“When you build a business it’s important to recognise what skills you need in-house to create value. We recognised that being able to capitalise on the data we have available would be key to maintaining our competitive edge and so needed a flexible partnership to help us learn and build capability.
The National Innovation Centre for Data (NICD) quickly became part of our team and have been invaluable in helping us to unlock the power of big data. As an organisation we are looking to expand globally, support businesses to reduce their carbon footprint and shape battery technology – the expertise of NICD and their team has been invaluable in helping us achieve our goals.
New techniques and models are now being embedded and we hope to expand our own team of data scientists soon. Partnerships of this nature, where you can identify skills gaps then rapidly fill them with value-generating expertise are essential to scaling up businesses and NICD’s approach to providing support is a perfect fit with our needs.
Newcastle is a great place to grow a business and, being in the heart of Newcastle Helix, alongside likeminded businesses, talent and innovators is helping take us forward to the future.”
Perfect example of the Helix ecosystem
Councillor Ged Bell, Cabinet Member for Employment and Culture at Newcastle City Council added:
“This is a perfect example of the eco-system on Newcastle Helix facilitating growth and innovation. It is a place where businesses can collaborate, access talent, and make a difference.
Data is a vital asset for businesses, with projects like this playing a critical role in the recovery of our economy. Data provides new opportunities for new products and services, and in turn jobs for future generations.”
Connected Energy is an engineering-led innovator in energy storage. Its technologies, which utilise second-life EV batteries, are rapidly changing the way intensive energy users can access the benefits of low-cost, on-site energy storage solutions.
By redeploying partially degraded EV batteries in stationary energy storage applications, they almost double the usable lives of the batteries before recycling.
Connected Energy are already working on the next phase of their collaboration with NICD, taking forward insights gained from this first phase.
Explore the next chapter in Connected Energy's innovation story and uncover the outcomes of their partnership with the National Innovation Centre for Data.
Read the full story here.
With thanks to the North of Tyne Combined Authority Digital Growth and Innovation Programme (NTCA Digital) for funding this project.
To find out more about Connected Energy, visit their website.
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