Project Overview
Energy data integration was central to Stark Software International Ltd’s (Stark) project with Transparity, where Stark needed middleware to connect its meter reading and monitoring systems to the UK electricity market’s central data-exchange network across half-hourly and non-half-hourly markets. The engagement sat within Transparity’s App Innovation capability.
Transparity engineered bespoke middleware (ASP.NET, C#, Oracle PL/SQL) to interface Stark’s existing M&T platform with the market network, enabling automated, compliant transfer of large-scale consumption data. The outcome was reliable daily collection and delivery of half-hourly readings at national scale, aligning with Application Integration services.
The Challenge
When the UK electricity market opened up, suppliers could compete and sell electricity to anyone in the country, regardless of location. Commercial and industrial organisations consuming more than 100kW of electricity – around 110,000 of them, accounting for roughly 40% of the UK’s total consumption – have their meters read every half hour, in what’s known as the half-hourly market. The remaining 20 million or so meters, covering domestic and small business supplies, make up the non-half-hourly market and are read monthly or less often.
To keep the market open and functioning, a central electronic data interchange network was set up, and every participant – half-hourly and non-half-hourly alike – needs to use it to start and end contracts, send consumption data, and exchange other messages. New entrants must pass a series of rigorous technical tests, witnessed by auditors, before they’re approved – a process that typically takes around three months.
Stark’s existing meter and tracking (M&T) technology was already more than capable of reading electricity meters. However, to participate fully in the market as a data collector and aggregator across both half-hourly and non-half-hourly markets, Stark needed highly complex middleware that could interface its M&T software with the electricity data network.
The Solution
Stark engaged Transparity, and a team of custom software development experts worked closely with Stark over some 18 months to develop the middleware, drawing on highly sophisticated, leading-edge design and development techniques. The system was built in ASP.NET, C# and Oracle PL/SQL, interfacing with Stark’s own data collection and monitoring system, which is developed in Visual C++ and supports both Oracle and SQL Server databases.
At daily intervals, the Stark software communicates with each meter, obtains a reading for every half hour of consumption, and delivers this to the relevant recipients. Stark is responsible for hundreds of thousands of items of data each day, with 48 readings taken from most meters every night across thousands of customers – and a database that now holds more than a billion meter readings.
With a deep understanding of the regulatory mandates and the complexities involved in interfacing with the electricity market’s data network, Transparity is one of very few specialist organisations in the UK capable of developing middleware of this intricacy.
This was a major development project that required close interaction with Stark’s internal team, external bodies and industry participants.
Geoff Ballard, Technical Head of Practice – App Innovation, Transparity
Development of the Stark middleware application is now complete, though – like any complex system – it continues to be enhanced as regulations change and Stark’s user base grows.
The Outcome
National-scale, daily data delivery
Stark now reliably collects and delivers half-hourly meter readings at national scale, processing hundreds of thousands of items of data every day across a database of more than a billion meter readings.
Full market participation
The middleware enables Stark to operate as a fully compliant data collector and aggregator across both the half-hourly and non-half-hourly markets, meeting the UK electricity market’s strict technical and regulatory requirements.
Specialist integration expertise on tap
Few organisations in the UK have the regulatory knowledge and technical depth to build middleware of this complexity – giving Stark a long-term partner it can call on as the market continues to evolve.
Built to evolve
The middleware continues to be enhanced in response to changing regulations and Stark’s growing user base, rather than being a fixed, one-off build.
