Bridging Data Gaps in Energy Sector: A Case Study on Utility Bill Verification in Ontario using Digital Data via Green Button and EBT infrastructures

Access to standardized, digital energy billing and meter information is crucial for advancing research and innovation in the energy sector. Without granular data, smart grid technology and performance-based algorithms face significant challenges, hindering global efforts to optimize energy costs and develop effective management strategies. Ontario, Canada, exemplifies this complexity with over 50 diverse electric and natural gas utilities, each with unique infrastructures and rate charges.
This case study, conducted over four months, delves into validating bill and meter information from three utilities, offering insights into the intricacies of utility data and its potential for reuse. Building on our previous research published by Energy Central in the Nov/Dec 2024 Special Issue, this study explores bill validation, bill-to-meter verification, and meter-to-meter verification using data from the UEnergyHub portal, a pilot energy research hub. This portal aids in authenticating and authorizing utility account holders to share their energy data with researchers, providing data visibility, transactional auditing, and data translation.
The findings from 16 meters or 16 accounts reveal slight discrepancies in Green Button (GB) data and bill totals, with negligible differences in GB versus Electronic Business Transaction (EBT) data. Key challenges to ensuring 100% verifiable and consistent energy data include addressing data interconnectivities, rate complexities, and inconsistencies due to ad hoc utility system updates. This research underscores the need for regulatory adaptation to technological challenges, ensuring utility data can effectively support the marketplace while maintaining compliance and consumer confidence.
By incorporating insights from subject matter experts and employing triplicate validation methods, this study aims to pave the way for more accurate and reliable energy data management, inspiring further research and innovation in the field.