UK energy supplier considers AI to cut costs
By GovInsider
Machine learning could help predict peak demand and supply.
British electricity company National Grid is considering the use of artificial intelligence to make supply systems more efficient. National Grid is in talks with Google-owned AI company DeepMind to explore AI.
“We are in the very early stages of looking at the potential of working with DeepMind and exploring what opportunities they could offer for us," a spokesperson for National Grid told City A.M.
"One really interesting possibility is whether we could help the National Grid maximise the use of renewables through using machine learning to predict peaks in demand and supply," a spokesperson for DeepMind said.
Google has implemented this technology in its own data centres, and cut energy for cooling by 40% last year and increased efficiency by 15%.
“We are always excited to look at how the latest advances in technology can bring improvements in our performance, ensure we are making the best use of renewable energy, and help save money for bill payers,” National Grid added.
There is also “huge potential for predictive machine learning technology to help energy systems reduce their environmental impact”, DeepMind said.
Image by Tim Greenfield - CC BY 2.0