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Comment

EDITOR Polly Jones PRODUCTION MANAGER & DESIGNER Dan Kanolik PRODUCTION CONTROL Deimante Gecionyte

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Contents Government Technology 07

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NEWS

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Contents

18.1

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MAPPING

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APPS

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AI

DIGITAL ID

30

SKILLS

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SUSTAINABILITY

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DATA

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DATA

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CYBER SECURITY

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ISE 2026

Government Technology magazine

ENERGY

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DATA

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ALTERNATIVE FUELS

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News

TECHNOLOGY

Barnsley to become UK’s first Tech Town Barnsley has been named the UK’s first Tech Town. Local schools, colleges, businesses and NHS organisations will get more bespoke government support to unleash AI opportunities.

It is hoped the designation will see improved public services, better support in local schools, quicker NHS care and new opportunities for jobs and skills as it becomes the UK’s first government-backed Tech Town.

Barnsley will become the UK’s trailblazer, acting as a national blueprint for how AI can improve everyday life.

For the next 18 months, the government will be working closely local business leaders, educators, NHS workers and more to build local talent who can access the jobs of the future, and make local services fit for the AI era.

Residents will be able to take part in free AI and digital training to boost their career, retrain or learn something new.

The Seam Digital Campus will be expanded to give small and growing businesses hands‑on support to use new technology, scale up and create good local jobs.

There will be a partnership with Barnsley Hospital to test AI tools that offer quicker check-ins, faster triage and smoother outpatient care. This will provide a better service and free up NHS workers to focus on other tasks.

In schools and at Barnsley College, AI tools and edtech tools will be tested to improve evidence of the impact of technology on pupil outcomes.

Science and technology secretary Liz Kendall said: “I am delighted to have been invited by Barnsley, to work with them to achieve their ambition to become the UK’s leading tech town...

CONTINUE READING

TECHNOLOGY

Government customer services to be boosted with tech The government has launched a new unit within the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, to modernise public services.

CustomerFirst will use technology to transform public services, modernise government, and accelerate national renewal across the UK. The unit will be led by Tristan Thomas, formerly of Monzo, with Greg Jackson, CEO of Octopus Energy, as first co-chair.

It will test innovative ways to tackle delays and frustrations by partnering with departments to rewire the government services on which millions rely.

CustomerFirst will build services that make use of AI and modern solutions to mirror best practice from the private sector such as modern banking and online shopping.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) will be the first organisation to partner with CustomerFirst. The team will work on the millions of customer interactions each year on driving licences, vehicle registration and other motoring services and make life easier for motorists by deploying technology on the front lines of customer service.

Work at DVLA will then be used as a blueprint for improving services across government...

Minister for digital government Ian Murray said: “Too often people are put off from interacting with the services they need by the frustration that comes with waiting on hold, filling in endless forms, and jumping through hoop after hoop...

CONTINUE READING

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News

AI

Lanarkshire named latest AI Growth Zone Lanarkshire has been announced as the latest AI Growth Zone.

The Lanarkshire AI Growth Zone will be delivered by data centre company DataVita around their data centre site in Airdrie and in partnership with AI cloud firm CoreWeave.

It is hoped this will bring more than 3,400 jobs over the course of the coming years, including delivering 50 apprenticeships to nurture the next generation of Scottish AI expertise. 800 of these jobs are expected to focus on the AI jobs of the future, including AI researchers, coders and permanent staff who will run and maintain data centres.

The other jobs will be made up of immediate construction jobs.

A new community fund will inject up to £543 million into support for a range of local programmes over the next 15 years, alongside £8.2 billion in private investment that will drive economic renewal in the local area.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “Getting on in life should not mean travelling miles from your community for work while struggling to pay the bills at home.

“By bringing billions of pounds of investment into Lanarkshire, we are creating good, wellpaid jobs and funding support that directly helps families with the cost of living.

“With strong progress made on our AI Opportunities Action Plan over the past year, now is the time to put our foot on the accelerator and ensure working people feel the benefits in every corner of the UK.”...

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DATA

Government publishes new plans for public sector data Five new kickstarter projects have been launched. The Government Digital Service and public sector bodies will test how connecting data across energy, social care, legal records and weather insights can deliver better services to tackle everyday challenges.

One of the projects includes partnering with the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) to deliver the new Get Adult Social Care Data service. This data platform will gather, analyse and share essential data in clear, accessible formats, while protecting privacy. It will support researchers and organisations like the NHS in planning care for those that need it most.

Data from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will be brought together to identify those who need energy bill support and ensure they get it.

Teams will also explore whether closer integration of services can reduce extensive health-related admin for disabled people and those with long-term health conditions.

In some of the projects, data held by public bodies is being explored to understand whether AI can boost their effectiveness, such as giving businesses easier access to legal guidance.

Researchers will test how Met Office data could be converted into formats suitable for AI tools and other technology. This will allow organisations to understand how local weather and climate conditions could...

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News

AI

Government launches free AI training

CYBER SECURITY

Government launches new cyber action plan The government has launched a new cyber action plan to make public services more secure and resilient.

The announcement supports government plans to digitise public services.

A new Software Security Ambassador Scheme will now help drive adoption of the Software Security Code of Practice - a voluntary project designed to reduce software supply chain attacks and disruption.

Digital Government Minister Ian Murray said: “Cyber-attacks can take vital public services offline in minutes – disrupting our digital services and our very way of life.

“This plan sets a new bar to bolster the defences of our public sector, putting cybercriminals on warning that we are going further and faster to protect the UK’s businesses and public services alike.

“This is how we keep people safe, services running, and build a government the public can trust in the digital age.”

READ MORE

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The government has announced free AI training, available for all adults in the UK. The courses will enable users to gain practical AI skills for work, with plans to upskill 10 million workers.

The government aims to make Britain the fastest-adopting AI country in the G7.

The selection of industry-developed AI courses is now available on the government’s AI Skills Hub. The courses have been checked against Skills England’s AI foundation skills for work benchmark. Those who completed the courses will receive a virtual AI foundations badge.

All adults in the UK are eligible to take the courses, which take as little as 20 minutes.

The courses will give people the skills needed to use simple AI tools effectively in the workplace and teach the use of AI for tasks like drafting text, creating content and completing administrative tasks, to free up time to focus on other work.

It is hoped the training will give workers and employers confidence in their new skills, and set standards for what good AI upskilling looks like.

The programme has already delivered one million courses since June.

Research shows that 21 per cent of UK workers feel confident using AI at work and as of mid-2025 only 1 in 6 UK businesses are using AI. Meanwhile micro businesses are 45 per cent less likely to adopt AI than large...

CONTINUE READING

DIGITAL SOLUTIONS & INNOVATION FOR THE PUBLIC SECTOR | www.governmenttechnology.co.uk

Households at risk of being cut off due to lack of data access

Campaign to support parents to discuss harmful online content: READ MORE

A new report from the Digital Poverty Alliance has revealed that two million households across the UK are at risk of losing access to essential digital services, including healthcare, welfare and education, because they cannot afford the mobile data they need.

‘Zero Rating: When Data Decides Access’ shows that running out of data can lead to missed GP appointments, unfinished benefit claims and disrupted school communications, since these services are often online by default.

More than a third of those surveyed said that mobile data was their main way of getting online.

Respondents reported anxiety, stress and isolation when lack of data prevents them from getting online for appointments, completing forms or staying in touch with services or support networks The report also sets out the actions needed to protect access to essential digital services as more public systems move online. It identifies the need to clearly define which digital public services are essential, to guarantee that these services remain free to access through measures such as zero rating, and to embed this protection as a permanent feature of digital public infrastructure rather than a temporary response to crisis. Zero rating was successfully used during the COVID-19 pandemic to keep NHS and key public service websites accessible.

Elizabeth Anderson, CEO of the Digital Poverty Alliance, said: “Once public services move online, access is no longer guaranteed by...

CONTINUE READING

News

DIGITAL INCLUSION

More top news stories from www.governmenttechnology.co.uk

Up to £1 billion for community energy: READ MORE UK and Japan sign science and tech agreement: READ MORE AI experts join government to boost public services: READ MORE NHS launches AI and robot pilot to spot lung cancer: READ MORE AI note taking tools could free up clinicians: READ MORE TECHNOLOGY

£36 million for Cambridge supercomputer The government has announced £36 million government investment into the AI supercomputer centre in Cambridge.

The money will be used to increase the power of one of the UK’s leading supercomputing centres sixfold.

Home to the DAWN supercomputer, the University of Cambridge is part of the AI Research Resource (AIRR) – a national programme that gives free access to the kind of high-powered computing usually only available to the world’s biggest tech companies.

The supercomputer has already supported over 350 projects including developing AI tools that could speed up personalised cancer vaccines.

The extra supercomputing power will be available from Spring 2026 and create benefits such as faster, more accurate tools that help doctors spot diseases much earlier; smarter technology that cuts waiting times and makes public services easier to use; and better climate modelling to help communities prepare for extreme weather.

Minister for AI Kanishka Narayan, said: “The UK is home to world-class AI talent, but too often our ambitious researchers and most promising start-ups have been held back by a lack of access to the computing power they need...

CONTINUE READING

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Mapping

Why location data will matter more than ever in 2026 From conversational maps to agentic AI, Ordnance Survey’s Manish Jethwa predicts 2026 will be a pivotal year for turning location data into actionable insight What do you think will happen in 2026?

We often refer to geospatial data as the invisible backbone of modern policy – supporting climate resilience, smart city planning, improving connectivity and traffic optimisation, and national defence. Valued at hundreds of billions globally, the geospatial industry is a critical asset due to its deep integration across sectors and the way location data and technologies drive growth.

At OS, we’re leading the development of next-generation geospatial technologies. The average person in the UK already interacts with OS data 42 times a day – a number set to rise as services become increasingly location-aware.

AI is set to democratise geospatial data, unlocking new ways for people to interact with location intelligence. I think we’re going to see the focus shift from interoperable data to actionable insight. Customers don’t want lightbulbs, they want light. At OS, we often say customers don’t want data, they want insights.

We’re exploring how people will interact with maps over the next decade. The future is conversational: users will ask questions and receive answers from maps and the data behind them; maps will then ask questions back.

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Emerging technologies, especially agentic AI, are key to enabling this shift, but they also expand the threat surface we’ll need to manage.

In 2026, responsible AI frameworks will become standard – not just for compliance, but to build trust. Geospatial data is now one layer in complex decision-making systems.

With agentic AI, verifying legitimacy and bias becomes harder, and because agents need broad access to be useful, the threat surface grows. For OS, whose datasets support emergency services and critical infrastructure, safeguarding against disruption is vital which is why industry standards for validation, auditability, and ethical use will be essential.

What do you think is going to be new (or take off) in 2026?

Generative AI is already transforming how we interact with maps. In 2026, expect assistants that can interpret complex datasets and guide users in plain language. We’re already experimenting with AI agents that sit between developers and our APIs. This kind of automation will accelerate – but it must be secure.

Conversational and agentic AI will become mainstream, enabling natural-language queries

DIGITAL SOLUTIONS & INNOVATION FOR THE PUBLIC SECTOR | www.governmenttechnology.co.uk

that democratise access to geospatial insights.

Imagine a planner asking, “Where’s the best site for a new school?” and receiving an answer that combines catchment analysis, transport access, and land availability – without needing specialist GIS skills.

Adopting AI isn’t just a technical shift – it’s a cultural one. To be effective, AI tools must be responsibly embedded into workflows, with a strong focus on quality, risk management, and IP protection. This means more than new technology; it requires upskilling and, in some cases, retraining. That’s why OS is building an AI Community and AI Champions across the business, alongside curated learning pathways and an AI Accelerator to drive experimentation.

Machine learning for feature extraction, like calculating solar potential from roof imagery, is just the beginning. We’ll see more use cases like this emerge. The concept of a ‘human-in-theloop’ will evolve into hybrid systems where AI handles the heavy lifting, but humans validate and guide outcomes.

Efficiency matters, but we must not lose the human qualities that bring depth, creativity, and value to our work and relationships with customers and partner organisations. At the same time, expect a rise in geospatial startups using AI to solve real-world problems - from environmental monitoring to urban planning. We’re already seeing this through Geovation’s accelerator programme with GeoTech start-ups Verna, which provides a software platform to unlock investment for nature recovery, and Land App, a land management mapping tool supporting Biodiversity Net Gain, agri-scheme applications, and landscape recovery projects. Innovation must be built on trust and provenance, because reliable data underpins everything – from future-proofing infrastructure against climate change to creating a more connected and sustainable nation.

Mapping

Adopting AI isn’t just a technical shift – it’s a cultural one What would you personally like to see change in 2026?

Everything happens somewhere, and geospatial data underpins it all – from emergency response to financial services and risk management – yet its importance often goes unnoticed. Skills in geodesy and cartography are becoming scarce, even as they remain critical to national infrastructure. We need renewed investment in these foundational disciplines and a stronger effort to embed geographical thinking into mainstream curricula and technical courses.

At OS, we’re investing in curriculum partnerships and an AI academy model to future-proof our workforce because flexible, future-ready skills are essential across the sector. But this needs to go further: geospatial thinking should be part of every technical discipline, not a niche.

Security is another priority. With agentic AI, it’s harder to tell if an automated request is legitimate or malicious. Agents need broad access to be useful, which expands the threat surface. For organisations whose datasets support emergency services and critical infrastructure, protecting against disruption is non-negotiable.

Responsible AI cannot be an afterthought, it must be embedded from the start.

Trust and provenance in geospatial data are becoming critical in AI-driven systems, especially for autonomous vehicles and national infrastructure. AI can join the dots - but it can also join them wrongly. That’s why we need provenance that tracks origin, transformation, and interaction history. Smart cities and climate models depend on spatial accuracy rather than relying on AI guesswork.

The sector needs to establish clear standards for validation, auditability, and ethical AI use and it must do so collaboratively. We don’t need different versions of reality; we need a consistent source of truth. There must be a mindset shift toward an ecosystem, not competition – working with partners to extend impact and relevance, even in a competitive environment. 2026 should be the year collaboration becomes the norm, creating a unified geospatial ecosystem built on trust and shared responsible and ethical standards. M FURTHER INFORMATION

www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk Issue 18.1 | GOVERNMENT TECHNOLOGY MAGAZINE

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AI

What are benefits and the risks of AI in healthcare?

Professor Christina Pagel, director of UCL’s Clinical Operational Research Unit, and a member of The Operational Research Society explores how AI can boost efficiency, accuracy and patient care, while warning of risks around bias, over-diagnosis and ethics Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming industries worldwide. According to PwC’s 2025 AI Predictions report, top-performing organisations are shifting their focus from simply experimenting with AI use cases to embedding AI at the core of their business strategy. Healthcare is one example of where AI adoption is accelerating.

A survey of UK healthcare organisations by SOTI showed that in just one year the number of UK healthcare organisations using AI jumped from 47 per cent in 2024 to 94 per cent in 2025.

Once limited to administrative functions, over half now use AI to help diagnose conditions or personalise treatment, though the most common use remains processing or analysing medical data.

AI in action By 2027, the roll out of validated AI diagnostic tools and administrative aids, including AI

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AI

scribes, across GP practices is set to save time, up the equivalent of more than 2,000 full-time GP positions. Meanwhile, NHS England is investing £6 million in an AI research screening platform to help hospitals trial tools that analyse images and detect abnormalities .

This is a taster of how AI could reshape future diagnosis and treatment.

The UK government is fully invested in AI use across the NHS. Supporting its 10-Year Health Plan for England, a National Commission has just been established to make the NHS “the most AI-enabled care system in the world,” accelerating safe access to AI and shaping a regulatory framework.

Yet with any innovative technology, there are risks as well as benefits, and implementation will need to be planned carefully to ensure it’s successful and lives up to the expectations.

The benefits of AI Understanding what is meant by AI matters.

A few years ago, the term mainly referred to machine learning (ML) and neural networks, systems trained to recognise patterns, particularly in images. Today, AI usually refers to large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT.

AI also promises to relieve administrative burdens

The distinction matters. ML excels in pattern recognition, classification, and prediction tasks, while LLMs manage language, synthesis, and reasoning.

In my view, medical imaging offers the clearest success case so far. ML systems can analyse scans and flag anomalies with remarkable accuracy, making radiology and pathology ideal areas for AI support. These tools assist rather E

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AI F than replace human experts. However large language models (LLMs) are now emerging as practical tools to support clinicians in realworld decision-making.

These can review, summarise, and synthesise patient data, identify subtle patterns that might be missed (particularly from text data), and offer alternative explanations, essentially acting as another pair of eyes. Rather than replacing clinical judgment, they complement it by reducing common sources of error, such as cognitive bias or communication gaps within teams. By providing input without regard to E F hierarchy or status, LLMs have the potential to quietly strengthen the way care decisions are made. The key is that LLMs should not be used to replace clinical judgement and expertise, but to enhance it.

AI also promises to relieve administrative burdens. Tools that transcribe consultations, or draft letters, can save clinicians or support staff hours every week. In an overstretched NHS, time is precious, but efficiency must not compromise empathy, the human connection that data alone cannot capture.

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There is the question of ethics and consent Navigating the risks of AI One of the biggest risks for ML systems analysing imaging data is that they can also detect harmless irregularities, which can contribute to over-diagnosis. Given over-diagnosis is already a concern for some conditions such as thyroid or prostate cancers, the use-case for ML must be considered on a disease-by-disease basis.

Detecting more does not always mean treating better, and as diagnostic AI expands, the NHS must avoid over-testing and overtreatment.

The seductive trap will be that the more healthy people are treated when they do not need to be, the better outcomes from your programme will look (because you are diluting the statistics with people who were always going to be fine).

AI is only as good as the data it relies on; incomplete or biased datasets risk perpetuating inequities. Historic underrepresentation of women, ethnic minorities, or older adults

DIGITAL SOLUTIONS & INNOVATION FOR THE PUBLIC SECTOR | www.governmenttechnology.co.uk

AI

AI can process information faster than any clinician, but human expertise remains essential to interpret results and apply context

can skew outcomes, though AI does hold potential to correct these gaps too, for example, improving recognition of skin conditions on darker skin or ensuring women’s symptoms are accurately assessed.

There is the question of ethics and consent.

For example, a small pilot research study is currently being conducted at University College London Hospital (UCLH). Researchers led by an ICU doctor are using camera-based AI to monitor sedated patients (with their prior consent) for signs of pain or delirium.

Early results suggest it can improve comfort and shorten hospital stays, but it raises concerns around surveillance and how consent is sought routinely if rolled out more broadly.

Finally, data alone cannot capture (and will never capture) the full complexity of healthcare.

Lifestyle factors, patient-reported symptoms, and in-person observations are often unrecorded but vital to effective care. AI can process information faster than any clinician, but human expertise remains essential to interpret results and apply context.

Building an AI-ready future While AI is proving effective in areas such as imaging, hospitals are far from fully AI-enabled.

Most clinicians cannot use advanced LLMs due to legal, ethical, and infrastructure limitations.

Real progress will require secure, ring-fenced models within hospitals, trained on local datasets under strict governance and with upgraded hardware and software. Just as much of an issue is that most UK healthcare settings are understaffed and clinical teams simply struggle to find the time or energy to learn new systems.

AI offers immense promise though to improve efficiency, accuracy, and patient care. It can streamline administrative work, enhance diagnosis, reduce bias, and support clinical decision-making. Yet its success depends on the people who design, deploy, and interpret it. AI will not replace health professionals, but when implemented responsibly, it can help them work smarter, placing patients at the centre of healthcare. L

Professor Christina Pagel, director of UCL’s Clinical Operational Research Unit, and a member of The Operational Research Society

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Apps

How mobile technology is revolutionising social housing services A digital platform is enabling social housing providers to give their residents easier access to services, information and support, writes Sam Dugmore, systems development and support manager at Wolverhampton Homes When you’re responsible for more than 21,000 tenanted and leasehold council homes, you soon realise that each household has very different routines, schedules and priorities, and this shapes how they want to engage with their housing provider.

A resident on night shifts, a working parent or someone with caring responsibilities might

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not have the time or space to visit our website, drop us an email or call us during office hours to report a leaking tap.

At Wolverhampton Homes, we understand how important it is for residents to do all these things easily, and we knew technology could provide the answer. However, it was important to avoid giving people yet another digital

Apps

channel to navigate that might only make their lives more difficult.

At a time when people can order a taxi, transfer money overseas or track a pizza delivery from their phones without a second thought, then shouldn’t they be able to access their housing services just as easily?

As easy as Uber or Amazon Most of us naturally expect the services we use every day to be simple, fast and responsive to our needs, and banks, restaurants and retailers have responded accordingly. Our expectations are now so high, if our online shopping experience is not easy and stress-free, we will go elsewhere.

However, there is still a perception that accessing local government services could never be as easy as ordering a takeaway. But with advances in digital housing technology, it’s possible to give residents the same positive experience they receive when using their favourite apps.

We wanted to give residents an app they could use at any time, day or night, to manage their tenancy, book repairs and check their eligibility for social housing if they are on the housing E

There is still a perception that accessing local government services could never be as easy as ordering a takeaway

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Apps

Since residents have been able to report and book repairs online, we’ve experienced fewer missed appointments F waiting list. But helping residents to manage the basics of housing from their phone was just the first step: our main aim was to provide something more meaningful. That’s where personalised technology comes in.

Technology that learns and evolves The best apps are not only easy to use but are also smart enough to understand, respond and adapt to people’s preferences, depending on which services matter to them.

The NEC Engage app, which is part of our housing management platform, allows us to connect people with relevant information so they don’t have to go searching for it through a lot of irrelevant content.

The more the residents use the app, the better the content is tailored to their previous activity and interests. The technology learns about the residents from the data it collects, and it uses this to offer residents what they need.

It’s similar to the way some shopping platforms suggest products you might like based on what you’ve viewed or bought before. The more the service is used, the more personalised and relevant the suggestions become.

The app continues to learn from our housing management data, and this enables us to connect with residents on the issues they care about.

Working together to support communities It’s important for social housing providers to listen to their residents’ concerns, gather their views and gain a deeper understanding of what matters to them.

One of the benefits of digital tools is that they make it so easy for residents to give us their feedback. Residents can tell us what they think in just a few quick taps, in the same way they would when they are rating an online delivery service or reviewing a product.

Social housing providers have a responsibility to respond to residents’ concerns, and digital technology helps us to maintain a dialogue with

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residents, which ensures those concerns don’t slip through the net.

One example of this was when residents expressed their views on fly-tipping and asked us for a way to report incidences of fly-tipping in their local area. This feedback enabled us to flag the issue to our development team, who added the service to the platform.

That’s just one case where technology has made us more responsive to the needs of residents and their communities.

Channel shift brings new opportunities Since residents have been able to report and book repairs online, we’ve experienced fewer missed appointments. If a resident needs to cancel or reschedule a repair, they simply do it on the app, wherever and whenever suits them, without having to find time in the day to call us.

This means changes reach our maintenance colleagues faster, and they can adjust their scheduling straight away. It’s also helping our teams avoid the frustration of making a repair visit when nobody is home.

When people have a positive experience with an app, they are more likely to use it regularly and receive an improved experience by doing so. This has certainly been the case for us. Our

DIGITAL SOLUTIONS & INNOVATION FOR THE PUBLIC SECTOR | www.governmenttechnology.co.uk

Apps

app has been downloaded 32,000 times and it is growing monthly. As a result we’ve seen our email traffic reduce significantly and our social media messages reduce by 90 per cent.

With 15 per cent fewer calls coming in from residents, we can free up our phone lines for those residents who still prefer to speak to us directly. Team members spend less time responding to simple requests, so they now have more time to devote to people who need help with more complex needs.

In the digital age, people have higher expectations from their service providers Sam Dugmore, systems development and support manager at Wolverhampton Homes

Transforming services and improving lives In the digital age, people have higher expectations from their service providers. With richer data on residents and their homes, and smarter technology for resident engagement, social housing can deliver on those high expectations, too.

People’s needs and priorities change over time, and the more we can do to make services easier to access, the better we can support people in their homes.

Digital technology is revolutionising the way we shop, bank and travel, and now it is changing social housing residents’ lives for the better. L

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Digital ID

Demystifying digital ID: the truths behind the misconceptions Laura Foster, associate director for tech and innovation at techUK, examines the debate around Digital ID. She unpacks the misconceptions shaping the conversation and outlines what government and industry must do to build a trusted, citizen‑centred system We are at a crossroads on digital identity. In the last six months, following the UK Government’s announcement that it would mandate a national digital ID for right-to-work checks, headlines have been dominated by thoughts and opinions on whether that was the right choice or not.

Following much public outcry, in January, the government decided not to mandate its use, but a national digital ID itself remains a popular topic of conversation and will certainly continue to be so as we expect a consultation imminently. But neither digital ID, nor the journey to build a digital ID system in the UK,

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is a new debate in the UK; it has been ongoing since the introduction of the 2006 Identity Act. After all this time, digital ID is still debated because it’s somewhat of a misunderstood subject.

Benefits When implemented fairly, it can deliver real value for people. At its core, digital ID is about giving people a secure, convenient, and trusted way to prove who they are in the digital world: a teenager can prove their age at the selfcheckout safely, privately, and without handing over a passport. A young renter looking for

DIGITAL SOLUTIONS & INNOVATION FOR THE PUBLIC SECTOR | www.governmenttechnology.co.uk

Digital ID

their first flat can verify their identity in minutes instead of waiting days. A parent can open a savings account for their child online during a lunch break without needing to search for paperwork or trying to find time to travel to a bank, and a retiree can use digital ID for the first time to securely access their pension data.

These benefits extend far beyond speed and convenience. A government analysis of the UK digital identity ecosystem found that efficiency, reduced administrative burden, improved user experience and, importantly, enhanced security and fraud prevention are core advantages of digital ID adoption. From finance to travel, digital ID is also helping companies reimagine their services for customers in ways that prioritise access and choice. That is why techUK firmly believes that adoption of digital identity can offer access, convenience and security to citizens, and why it should be treated as a cornerstone of both public sector transformation and economic growth in the UK. Scepticism However, despite all these benefits, digital ID is seen negatively. This tension between potential and perception sits at the heart of today’s debate.

At techUK, we have outlined the long history of this debate in our digital ID report, “Digital ID: Empowering citizens, enabling growth”, which we published shortly after the government’s E

The benefits will only be realised if government addresses the root causes of public scepticism

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Digital ID

Companies have since worked with government to ensure the GOV.UK Wallet complements, rather than competes with, existing services F initial mandatory digital ID announcement.

Our conclusion was clear: the benefits will only be realised if government addresses the root causes of public scepticism now playing out in the debate.

First of all, we need clarity and consistency.

Before the government’s announcement of mandatory digital ID, the Trust Framework for Digital Verification Services – a set of rules from government that show what a good digital identity looks like – was already delivering value. Whether for banking, age assurance, or right to work, millions of UK citizens have used some form of digital ID from one of the Digital Verification Service providers approved under this Framework. These companies currently employ over 10,000 people, and generate £2.05 billion annual revenue, a figure expected to double by 2030. Yet, since the announcement of the national digital ID, it has been unclear how this government policy will align with the Trust Framework, causing confusion for citizens and businesses alike.

Secondly, that same clarity and consistency are essential to address citizen concerns.

The national digital ID was not the only announcement on digital ID in 2025. In January of that year, government announced the creation of the GOV.UK Wallet. This initiative hopes to provide citizens with access to digital versions of official ID credentials – beginning with a veterans card and a mobile driving licence (mDL), before expanding to include passports and other government-issued documents by the end of 2027 (though it is likely that these timeframes have shifted.)

Although the announcement initially surprised industry, companies have since worked with government to ensure the GOV.UK Wallet complements, rather than competes with, existing services. The result has been a mixed model of digital ID, whereby a thriving private sector facilitates voluntary digital ID supported by the Trust Framework; meanwhile, the GOV. UK Wallet, which is still in its rollout, will

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Digital ID

develop government-issued digital credentials of existing physical IDs. Any national digital ID must fit this mixed model, recognising that no single actor can deliver it alone.

This can be seen in the example of fraud.

Combatting fraud requires a connected antifraud ecosystem that brings together banks, telecoms, tech platforms, law enforcement and regulators, leveraging shared intelligence and advanced technology to stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated criminal networks.

Stronger identity verification helps detect and prevent fraud, while shared threat intelligence enhances trust across the system. This is not a challenge government or industry can solve in isolation. The mixed model enabled through the Trust Framework provides one practical way to achieve this collaboration.

Communication and design Finally, as our report has emphasised, public trust is not a given; it must be earned through clear communication and inclusive design that involves communities, accommodating diverse needs, and explaining in plain language what

Public trust is not a given; it must be earned through clear communication and inclusive design Digital ID (and digital verification services) does, and does not, do.

The government’s reversal on mandatory digital ID should not be seen as defeat but as a pivot point. Handled well, it is an opportunity rather than a setback. It offers the chance to build a system that is flexible, inclusive, secure and trusted – one that brings citizens, government and industry together, not pushes them apart. If policymakers prioritise accessibility, transparency, trust frameworks and collaboration, digital ID could become one of this decade’s defining infrastructure achievements – empowering citizens and enabling growth in an increasingly digital world. M FURTHER INFORMATION

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Skills

The UK’s geospatial skills shift The AGI’s new Foresight Report sets out the forces reshaping the UK’s geospatial sector to 2030, from AI to data governance. It warns that skills and education must evolve rapidly if the UK is to stay competitive and meet rising public‑sector demand In 2024 a UK Government report highlighted the importance of geospatial in the economy.

Geospatial data, defined as the description of the location of places, objects and people, and the associated technology (software, hardware, services), was valued at over £6 billion and has so far attracted £1.2 billion in investments between 2013 and 2024. There were over 2,600 companies in the UK, for which geospatial data was core to their product or service offering, and the sector provided more than 37,500 jobs.

At the same time this report was being compiled and published, the Association for Geographic Information (AGI), the UK membership group for organisations and individuals working in geospatial, had started preparations to undertake its own research and analysis project looking at the challenges and opportunities facing the geospatial sector to 2030.

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Skills

The AGI Foresight Project was a 12-month exercise which sought to engage with both the mainstream geospatial industry in the UK and beyond, and also with those on the fringes of the sector. Building on previous work undertaken in 2010 and then repeated in 2015, the AGI extracted key opinions and insights from the geocommunity in the form of an online survey, engagement with partner organisations, and extensive in-depth, one-to-one interviews.

The result is an extensive report providing a clear view of the opportunities and challenges facing the geospatial community, alongside a road map of recommendations.

Fergus Craig, chair of the Association for Geographic Information, commented: “In the first AGI Foresight Study the opening sentence was ‘The geospatial industry is undergoing radical change’ and, since the only constant in life is change, that statement is probably truer now than ever. In the words of the current report: ‘the geospatial sector isn’t simply evolving, it’s fundamentally reconstituting itself around six interconnected forces that challenge every assumption about spatial intelligence in the 21st century’”.

Themes The key themes, as identified by the report, that will drive change in geospatial, are as follows.

Data – the next transformation: the report predicts the biggest transformation in geospatial data since the advent of digital mapping, one which will extend beyond

The report predicts the biggest transformation in geospatial data since the advent of digital mapping the technological capability to encompass fundamental questions of trust, community engagement, and professional authority.

Artificial Intelligence: AI stands as perhaps the most consequential technological force reshaping the geospatial sector today. However, success requires moving beyond technological optimism to address fundamental challenges around skills, collaboration, data access, and ethical deployment.

Interoperability & infrastructure: currently at a critical juncture, where foundations underpinning spatial data exchange and system integration are changing, the geospatial community needs to seize the nettle by embracing standards and APIs, with a “make it work” attitude.

The Great Skills Shift – evolution for an embedded future: traditional education models are colliding with rapidly evolving industry demands and the question isn’t whether geospatial will remain relevant, it’s whether our education systems and professionals can adapt quickly enough to thrive.

Collaboration: questioning whether the geospatial sector is moving from traditional, competitive models to more collaborative E

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Skills

Longer term, there is a need to invest in education and skills F frameworks that recognise the interconnected nature of geospatial challenges?

The theme and desire are evident, but the reality is more piecemeal.

Earth systems evolution: earth systems don’t just inform decisions, they are instrumental in how we build, finance, and protect our future. However, the future does not lie in a single technology, but in the connections between them, the wisdom of deployment, and collaboration to address challenges.

Call to action The report then attempts to address the “so what?” challenge with calls to action for major stakeholders in the geo ecosystem.

These include industry delivering responsible innovations at scale and Geospatial Membership Groups leading the professional evolution revolution. Government and policy makers are charged with enabling the infrastructure revolution with specific actions including, in the next two years, improving geo AI literacy, establishing comprehensive data governance, and reforming licensing and access models for API-driven integration. Longer term, there is a need to invest in education

and skills with the report warning “The choice facing geospatial education is stark: evolve rapidly to meet the demands of an embedded future, or watch as other disciplines absorb our capabilities while leaving our institutions behind. The window for transformation is open, but it won’t remain so indefinitely.” The report also calls for regulatory leadership and international coordination if the UK wants to remain at the forefront of geospatial adoption, application, and innovation.

Together with the five-year roadmap for geospatial transformation combined with a warning that ‘the window for proactive adaptation remains open, but evidence suggests it is narrowing rapidly’, the AGI is keen to ensure that conversations around the report and its content continue. It is urging members of the geocommunity to use the report in their day-to-day activities and conversations, to challenge the content, and to engage with the AGI, Government, and Industry, to advocate for wider deployment of geography and geospatial.

Outreach Since officially launching the AGI Foresight Report 2030 to an audience of more than 200 geospatial professionals at the AGI Foresight Conference at the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) in London in November, the AGI has proactively been supporting this. Outreach

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Skills

Outreach activities have included an online briefing to a number of teams from across government activities have included an online briefing to a number of teams from across government including from the Government Digital Service.

Members of the AGI team are also contributing to podcasts, interviews, and events including AGI Scotland’s Annual Conference (24th February), an AGI Education and Skills Webinar (25th February), and the British Cartographic Society’s GeoFutures Event (25th March). The ongoing work around the Foresight Project will feature in the recently announced AGI Awards for Geospatial Excellence with a new award category seeking submissions from people and projects that align with one of the six report themes. Later this year, the Foresight Report will feature strongly at the AGI’s prestigious annual GeoCom event which will take place on the 12th November in London.

Richard Flemmings, director of the AGI and Council lead for the Foresight Project, added: “The AGI is uniquely positioned as an independent, volunteer-run organisation

representing a broad, cross-discipline range of geographers and geospatial professionals and organisations. We can therefore remain impartial when compiling a report such as this.

To maintain this impartiality, we appointed an editorial team that was independent of AGI’s volunteer Council team. This has allowed us to push a variety of voices from our community to the fore, and as far as possible remove any individual bias from the published report.

“Now the report is published, it’s our role to support our members and the wider geocommunity to act on the opportunities and challenges that the report highlights, and to ensure that geospatial continues to contribute in a meaningful way to the delivery of public services, the UK economy, and the wider issues we are facing as a global society.”

The AGI would like to thank Cadcorp, CGI, Esri UK, GIS Jobs, Idox Geospatial, Informed Solutions, MGISS, Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Northern Ireland, and Verisk for their sponsorship, which has made the Foresight project possible, and extend special thanks to the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) for its backing. M FURTHER INFORMATION

The AGI Foresight Report 2030 can be viewed and downloaded free of charge and without obligation from the AGI website.

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Sustainability

Connected places and sustainable outcomes. How your digital, data and leadership insights can turn into positive actions Sam Smith, Institute Director at Socitm, sets out how digital and data can drive sustainable outcomes across communities The shift from smart cities to connected places continues to accelerate across our local public services. Going beyond urban boundaries and vertical silos to a truly connected place with a ‘whole system’ approach to service design and delivery.

Services work together with integrated plans, prioritisation, policies and resources.

Digital, data and technology (DDaT) are means to an end in this situation: with healthier people, more resilient communities, and more sustainable places the potential outcomes.

Using digital for your sustainability strategies and activities At the heart of a connected place is a practical sustainability agenda: using data, IoT and AI to understand what’s happening, to act faster,

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and to target activity where it makes the biggest difference.

Socitm’s Connected Places collection lists energy and environmental sustainability, alongside health, mobility and engagement, as a core component of your place outcomes.

Making it clear that climate action is integral, not peripheral, to your digital transformation work.

Technology can enable community-led sustainable transitions Sustainability is not achieved through infrastructure alone; it depends on people.

Digital technologies can play a crucial role in empowering communities to participate in climate action, particularly when the impacts are felt at a hyper-local level.

Sustainability

These tools strengthen our shared responsibility, making sure that sustainability is a community endeavour rather than a top down mandate Our communities are facing challenges from rising energy costs to worsening pollution, and digital tools that help us all navigate these pressures.

What can this work look like?

When you integrate ICT and IoT, to collect and analyse data, you end up with examples such as: air quality monitoring; flood prevention and warning; “smart” bins that signal when they need emptying; and housing sensors that detect mould or support temperature monitoring for vulnerable residents.

Individual and combined examples of this kind of integration, “whether it’s a hospital wing adjusting its airflow [or] a town hall automating its lighting” can also come under that category of the ‘smart space’.

And digital twins [a virtual representation of an object or system designed to accurately reflect a physical object] offer a way to continuously monitor data. The digital version can then be analysed, manipulated, and optimised.

These are not abstract pilots; they’re targeted data uses that reduce emissions, improve wellbeing and cut waste. Find more environmental and sustainable case studies here.

Your existing data, if you use it, can support: better resource allocation; improved environmental monitoring; targeted investment in green infrastructure; energy optimisation across public assets; and early warning systems for climate-related risks.

These tools strengthen our shared responsibility, making sure that sustainability is a community endeavour rather than a top down mandate. And ‘community’ here means within our organisations as well the wider external community beyond our (often virtual) walls.

The obvious missing element technology here is Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI is ideal for adding to your mix of ICT and IoT for all the above use cases. But it comes with a big hit to sustainability for all of us. And balancing the benefits it offers (and we’re already using)

with the impact of it in terms of resource use and carbon emissions is a work in progress for everyone.

Sustainability also starts at home with your IT estate How much attention do you pay to your IT lifecycle emissions and the responsible disposal of electronic waste to reduce environmental impact?

Looking in to the details here really can help you to reach your organisational net zero ambitions.

And this ties directly to climate goals and social value, through circular economy practices. The fusion of innovation and environmental responsibility is not only possible but imperative.

Using data, again, to combat pollution, reduce emissions, and identify energy opportunities in delivers fair outcomes where we all participate and benefit.

Ethics and inclusion come into play here as well Technology adoption and procurement should advance your social value and environmental goals, not just efficiency.

Socitm frames “technology for public good” within a bigger shift to reimagined services as a whole; breaking down silos and prioritising outcomes for people, communities and places. E Issue 18.1 | GOVERNMENT TECHNOLOGY MAGAZINE

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Sustainability

Ethical technology and social value are inseparable from environmental sustainability F This puts ethics, accessibility and sustainability alongside innovation and productivity. Read more about the impacts of the 2023 Procurement Act here.

Your procurement and programme design can make this concrete by using established frameworks such as TOMs (Themes, Outcomes, Measures), and Doughnut Economics to rebalance social, economic and environmental foundations in digital strategies and contracts.

Social value and sustainability go hand in hand Ethical technology and social value are inseparable from environmental sustainability.

Technology strategies shaped by social value frameworks create synergies that benefit both communities and the planet.

Models such as Doughnut Economics and other social value methodologies help organisations balance environmental limits with social foundations like equity, fairness, wellbeing and opportunity.

These approaches encourage you and your colleagues to consider how every digital investment can affect: community cohesion; access to services; environmental health; longterm resilience; and local economic opportunity.

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When sustainability and social value inform digital decisions – from procurement to system design – technology has a multiplier effect, improving both environmental outcomes and the everyday lives of residents.

Ethical digital transformation isn’t just about using the right tools; it’s about using them for the right reasons, in ways that uplift both people and the planet.

Social Progress Index If you’re in England you can access a Social Progress Index (SPI) from Impera Analytics for your authority. An SPI brings together a rich variety of datasets – metrics, include health, noise and air pollution, rates of exercise and obesity, recycling and domestic violence.

New insights are generated into the principal components of diverse social ecologies – relationships and root causes of persistent problems that undermine basic human needs, the foundations of wellbeing and access to opportunities.

Leadership throughout your organisation Sustainable digital transformation is a people challenge before it’s a technology challenge.

Both are, of course, complicated.

You need to invest in the foundations (skills, capacity, infrastructure and data).

While at the same time align your digital ambitions with organisational priorities and resilience.

Achieving ethical, sustainable digital transformation requires investment in people.

DIGITAL SOLUTIONS & INNOVATION FOR THE PUBLIC SECTOR | www.governmenttechnology.co.uk

Sustainability

Our skills underpin all of this Public Sector Digital Trends reports from recent years emphasise whole workforce capability.

It can’t only be about IT teams; it extends to service managers, commissioners and frontline staff. Digital leaders must develop the skills and confidence to integrate sustainability into technology decisions, while staff across your whole organisation need the capability to use digital tools safely, responsibly and effectively.

This includes: digital literacy; data awareness; understanding environmental impacts of tech; ethical use of emerging technologies; and crosssector collaboration.

Sustainable transformation is ultimately a leadership challenge. And it requires long-term vision, clear priorities and a commitment to aligning digital investment with environmental and social goals There’s a lot to do and think about here! And it is not easy and you can’t do it alone.

Your (short) to do list 1. Get sustainability onto everyone’s brief.

2. Operationalise social value.

3. Invest in foundations.

4. Lead across borders.

5. Design for inclusion.

It’s not all about the gadgets and dashboards Sustainable connected places are about creating the conditions in which people and communities can thrive – using digital, data and technology to reduce emissions, improve wellbeing and unlock inclusive growth.

Sustainable connected places are about creating the conditions in which people and communities can thrive That requires you and your organisation to invest in the foundations, collaborate across borders, and measure what matters.

It also requires a communications narrative that keeps the end user at the centre and treats sustainability as a shared, local endeavour.

If we get that right, DDaT becomes the tool that help councils and partners deliver public good first. Turning insight into action for greener, fairer, more resilient places. M FURTHER INFORMATION

About Doughnut Economics: 7 ways to think like a 21st century economist More about Themes, Outcomes, Measures (TOMs) From Socitm: Report: Maximising social value in procurement: Measurement and evaluation for buyers The Connected Places collection Briefing: Green and sustainable IT. Give your device a second life Issue 18.1 | GOVERNMENT TECHNOLOGY MAGAZINE

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Energy

How the public sector is powering up energy storage Battery storage is rapidly becoming one of the public sector’s most powerful tools for cutting costs, strengthening energy security and supporting the shift to clean power, as Gareth Simkins, senior communications adviser at Solar Energy UK, explains Storing electricity is critical for the energy transition, enabling power to be stockpiled when renewable supplies are plentiful and discharged when demand is greatest.

Falling costs are transforming the economics of storage From Whitehall’s huge investments into gigawatt-scale systems, to more modest ones saving schools thousands of pounds a year, the public sector is benefitting from battery energy storage systems (BESS) technology at all scales.

That is because the economics have never been better.In early 2025, BloombergNEF found that global average turnkey system prices had fallen by 40 per cent in one year, the biggest drop

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since its surveys began in 2017. International Energy Agency data says that between 2010 and 2024, the dominant lithium-ion battery technology became 90 per cent cheaper, offering longer service lifetimes and higher energy densities, too – driving a revolution on the roads and on the grid. The technology delivers greater energy densities and longer lifetimes, too.

How storage supports a smarter, more flexible grid BESS offers a way of cutting the costs of managing the grid. By providing flexible loads, they can reduce curtailment – that is, when renewable energy generators are paid not to

DIGITAL SOLUTIONS & INNOVATION FOR THE PUBLIC SECTOR | www.governmenttechnology.co.uk

National Wealth Fund backing accelerates large‑scale projects Sensing an excellent opportunity, the National Wealth Fund (NWF) has been particularly active in stimulating the sector’s growth when portfolio-level debt for it was still emerging. The fund’s first investment in battery storage was a £62.5m loan to developer Pulse Clean Energy – a time when portfolio level debt for the sector was still rare. Agreed in 2023, it was paid off two years later thanks to a lower-interest loan from a consortium of six banks.

“This wasn’t only a major milestone for Pulse Clean Energy, but also for the NWF. We step away with the confidence that our involvement has successfully mobilised private debt finance into the sector, opening up new pools of capital for battery storage developers and operators,” said a statement from the body.

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generate as the grid cannot accept the power.

They can also avoid the need for new electricity transmission and distribution links.

By providing a flexible load on the grid, storage systems reduce curtailment costs – that is, payments to renewable energy generators prevented from generating when the grid is unable to take the power produced. In parallel, co-locating BESS and solar panels allows limits on power export, put in place where the grid is weak, to be overcome, permitting larger systems to be installed.

In September, the NWF invested £200m into a Fidra Energy, which is behind a 500-megawatt, 100-megawatt-hour battery energy storage system (BESS) at West Burton, Nottinghamshire – using the grid connection of the decommissioned coal-fired power station there. The project will be able to store 3,100 megawatts-hours – more than any other UK project and enough to make 443bn cups of tea. It will discharge at a rate of up to 1,400 megawatts, slightly more than one of the UK’s nuclear power stations.

“It’s fantastic to see the National Wealth Fund breathing new life into a former coal site — turning it into a cutting-edge battery hub that will power thousands of British homes and businesses with clean energy from wind and solar. Every battery we build boosts Britain’s energy security, reduces our exposure to fossil fuel price shocks and drives us towards clean power by 2030 - all part of our Plan for Change,” said energy secretary Ed Miliband.

NWF’s further investments in energy storage, as shares and debt, include: highview Enterprises, behind CryoBattery One, the world’s first commercial-scale liquefied air energy storage system. It aims to provide a more flexible and scalable alternative to pumped hydropower storage, while able to provide grid services such as frequency and voltage support, inertia and black start capability.

NWF is contributing £200m towards the £500m partnership behind UK BESS developer Eelpower Energy.

NWF has invested in Invinity Energy Systems, a UK-based manufacturer of vanadium flow batteries, which have a number of technical advantages over lithium-ion systems and have a lower levelised cost, though at the cost of greater weight.

NWF has also invested in Cornish Lithium, which is working on the commercial-scale extraction of the metal from rock and geothermal waters, providing an important domestic supply for battery manufacturers.

The £24m equity investment will advance a geothermal extraction project to commercial drilling and a hard rock mine towards a construction decision.

The former Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy also provided many millions of pounds towards innovation, pilotscale and demonstrator projects in BESS technology. E

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Energy F The scale of the challenge ahead As things stand, the UK can supply almost 6 gigawatts from grid-scale BESS. The figure needs to rise quickly to 23-27GW to meet the Government’s Clean Power 2030 Action Plan, which calls for an additional 4-6GW from long-duration storage systems, plus 10-12GW from so-called ‘consumer-led flexibility’, such

A typical domestic battery system stores around 10-15 kilowatt-hours in a unit about half the volume of a household fridge

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as turning heat pumps and electric vehicle charging off or on temporarily.

Another aspect of BESS is ‘behind the meter’ systems – far smaller than grid-scale systems, which are generally packed into shipping containers. A typical domestic battery system stores around 10-15 kilowatt-hours in a unit about half the volume of a household fridge.

These are now installed alongside the vast majority of home solar systems, maximising their economic return.

When the days are longer and brighter, they collect excess power that would otherwise be exported to the grid at the time of generation.

However, combining a time-of-use tariff with a battery allows power to be exported when it’s most in demand – the early evening – which can attract a greater payment and thus a better return on investment.

But one of the greatest advantages of behindthe-meter battery storage is making electricity cheaper in the dark days of winter. When solar power is insufficient to charge them fully over the course of a day, they can be charged from the grid in the small hours when the price is lowest, supplying cheap power all day and exporting some in the evening.

Why public buildings are embracing battery storage An increasing number of public buildings are getting on board with energy storage – with payback for 100-kilowatt scale systems

Energy

One of the greatest advantages of behind-themeter battery storage is making electricity cheaper in the dark days of winter expected within three to four years, according to one developer. The business case is clear: a 100kW BESS in a leisure centre is expected to cut its electricity bill by hefty 27 per cent, with one in a primary school projected to generate a 23 per cent saving, according to VEST Energy.

Rooftop solar developer Emtec supported Sunderland City Council’s aspiration to become carbon neutral by 2040 by installing over a thousand solar panels on its Parson’s Depot EV fleet hub. The 410kW array was complemented by a BESS able to supply 500kW and store 2,052kWh. When installed in 2022, it was assumed that the solar-only payback would be a mere three years, plus four for the battery.

But it transpired that the battery’s payback was faster than the solar array.

Local authorities leading by example Local authorities are also using their land for grid-scale energy storage, such as at a disused landfill owned by West Sussex County Council.

Seeing no alternative use due to the presence of methane gas, the site was first converted into a

7.4MW solar farm – the first to be built after the end of the feed-in tariff regime. Working with public sector energy consultancy LASER Energy, they then added a 4MW/4MWh battery system from TESVOLT, becoming the first publicly-owned solar farm to be co-located with BESS. Not only did it respond within two seconds of the sudden loss of nearly 1,700MW of generation on 9 August 2019, linked to a lightning strike on an electricity transmission line, it was also one of the first batteries to participate in the National Grid’s ‘Firm Frequency Response’ auction to provide stability services to the power network, at the beginning of 2020.

Further sources of income include the Capacity Market, price arbitrage and sale of power via a purchase agreement.

“As one of the first solar farms to be built with battery storage and free from government subsidy, we are blazing a trail among local authorities and demonstrating that councils have a role to play as local leaders on energy,” said Louise Goldsmith, former Leader of West Sussex County Council.

It is now working on a four times larger BESS on another decommissioned landfill, expected to come online in 2026. M FURTHER INFORMATION

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Data

New national street lights data from Ordnance Survey shines a light on Britain’s brightest and darkest roads to support safe travel Ordnance Survey has released the first national dataset showing the position and coverage of more than six million street lights across Great Britain. The data reveals the country’s brightest and darkest routes and offers new insights to support safer travel, planning and public‑sector decision‑making New data released by Ordnance Survey (OS) will enhance safe walking across Great Britain by highlighting its brightest and darkest roads and paths according to the position of street lights.

The data was released into the OS National Geographic Database (OS NGD) last year and is the first national dataset of its type. It consists of over six and a half million street lights located along publicly accessible roads and paths and has been captured from OS aerial imagery. The enhancement also shows whether roads and paths are fully lit, mostly lit, mostly unlit and fully unlit.

Showing the position of street lights will help local councils and service providers to identify safe walking and cycling routes to important services such as hospitals, train stations and schools. It will also identify the need for new street lighting where safe routes are currently limited, enabling more effective use of local transport budgets and better support for statutory duties like school admissions. The data contributes to Active Travel policies by encouraging walking and cycling as a healthier and more sustainable option than driving. Transport bodies and local authorities can use the data to maintain street lights more effectively, and it may also identify opportunities to repurpose existing infrastructure, for example by installing EV charge points or 5G technology.

Bright spots and black spots OS analysis of street lights in the 50 largest towns or cities in Britain shows that the brightest lit is Sunderland, where there

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is a density of over 650 streetlights per square kilometre, compared to the lowest in Northampton, which has 305 lights per square kilometre. Surprisingly, London comes halfway down the list with 400. Sunderland also comes out top as the town or city with the most fully or mostly lit roads at 98 per cent, with York at the lowest with 81 per cent.

The level of illumination is based on an inferred light radius from streetlights and their intersection with the road. Roads that are fully lit have over 80 per cent of their length intersecting with the light, and those that are mostly lit have over 50 per cent. The largest continuous fully-lit region in the country is the West Midlands, showing a connected network of 3,713km of roads with streetlights.

Data

Safer travel Chief Customer Officer John Kimmance said: “As the evenings get darker at this time of year, it is so important to provide well-lit routes for safe walking and cycling to ensure continued access to local amenities and vital services for citizens.

The new street light dataset will be a great asset to local councils and service providers in understanding the existing provision of street lights and where there is a need for more to create safer communities.”

OS has been exploring how street lights data could be used to support a variety of insights.

One way could be to highlight crime hotspots, mixing it with OS NGD datasets to show how crime may correlate with darker environments, commercial or residential areas, greenspaces and so on. Working with Snowflake, OS has developed a demonstrator which took open crime data from Police UK in the West Midlands area and used a raft of datasets from the OS NGD – including street lights, land use and buildings – to develop insights into the types of areas where a higher proportion of particular crime types are being committed in the region.

This could help develop more effective crime prevention strategies such as increased police patrols in high-risk areas.

Tom Waller, lead data engineer at the Metropolitan Police, was keen to use the new data. He said: “The new street lights dataset from Ordnance Survey is going to be very beneficial to show officers how street light levels and positioning relate to the locations of various types of incidents and offences we see. Once they have identified the location of repeat offences in particular, they can use the

Showing the position of street lights will help local councils and service providers to identify safe walking and cycling routes dataset to identify the location and level of street lights and then take concerns with this to partners, such as councils, to get their help in improving the environment to design out crime.

This will allow a multiagency approach to help deter further offences in known crime hotspots further protecting the public.”

The Street Light feature type is available in OS NGD Transport Features collection, and the information on light coverage for roads and paths is available in the OS NGD Transport Network Collection. The street light data was released as part of the Public Sector Geospatial Agreement (PSGA). The PSGA is a contract between the Government Digital Service, managed on behalf of the UK Government, and OS for the provision of geospatial data and services to the emergency services and wider public sector organisations. All of OS’s location data is available to market through a range of products and services accessed via the OS Data Hub – which provides access to the data through both APIs and downloads. M FURTHER INFORMATION

For more information about the OS NGD, visit OS National Geographic Database (OS NGD) | Data Products.

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Data

How location data can help identify Hard-to-Heat homes in Britain Ordnance Survey has analysed 23.6 million homes to understand which parts of Britain are hardest to heat as temperatures fall. The findings reveal clear regional patterns in heat‑loss risk With plummeting temperatures and cold winds sweeping across the country at this time of year, nothing beats a warm and cosy home when it’s miserable weather outside. But when you’re considering turning up the heating, you’re not necessarily thinking about how well your home is insulated.

With rising living costs, heating homes is not always easy for every household and the term fuel poverty is now sadly heard on a regular basis.

Ordnance Survey has analysed around 23.6 million homes across Great Britain using the OS National Geographic Database (OS NGD). With over 600 million features, the OS NGD was used to identify trends and compare the physical characteristics of homes using a heat index to assess how easy they are to heat, and which households might be more vulnerable when temperatures drop.

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The analysis aligns with the government’s recently announced £15 billion Warm Homes Plan, which aims to help millions of families benefit from energy-efficiency improvements, save households hundreds of pounds on their energy bills, and reduce fuel poverty by 2030.

The analysis considered: connected homes (properties with shared walls, such as terraced or semi detached properties, retain heat better than detached houses); period of construction (older properties built before 1960 are less likely to have cavity walls, insulation or double glazing); and construction material (homes built with insulating materials lose heat more slowly).

Urban v rural Initial analysis suggests that urban areas generally have a lower heat-loss risk. This could be influenced by a range of external factors – such as the urban heat island effect, higher ambient temperatures, and denser, often newer housing stock. In contrast, OS data indicates that coastal and remote areas tend to be harder to heat.

Local Authority Districts in northern Scotland and Wales have the highest average heat-loss scores, suggesting more homes may be harder to heat. Na h-Eileanan an Iar (Western Isles) has the highest average score of 1.30, while Stevenage in Hertfordshire has the lowest at 0.26. The scores give an indication of how hard it might be to heat up the average home in a particular Local Authority based on the three chosen building characteristics. Across Britain, most Local Authority Districts fall between 0.8 and 0.95, with around 6 per cent scoring 1 or higher.

Data

Hard to Heat Homes Great Britain Breakdown of the hard to heat score by building characteristic, grouped by Local Authority District Connectivity index

0.01

0.12

0.18

0.24

0.30

0.36

Connectivity Index Score

0.41

Age index

0.13

0.39

0.46

0.51

0.56

0.60

Material index

0.69

Age Index Score

0.001

0.005

0.008

0.011

0.016

0.023

0.043

Material Index Score

Source: NGD Buildings, NGD Boundaries © Crown copyright and database rights. Ordnance Survey 2025

Additional factors also play a role. In Cornwall, for example, the predominance of traditional granite-built homes can make insulation more challenging. Across England, around 25 per cent of residential properties are detached. Other coastal areas with a higher heat index are Wales and Scotland, which also have a higher number of detached properties – 29 per cent in Wales and 32 per cent in Scotland – with every wall exposed to the elements of the outdoors.

In the Scottish Highlands in particular, the higher proportion of old stone houses means heat is often lost through poor insulation, as well as ageing windows and doors. While details about granite and older stone construction are based on general characteristics and not derived from OS data, they help illustrate why certain areas face greater heat retention challenges.

You might expect coastal towns like Bournemouth to benefit from a milder microclimate due to protection from the Isle of Wight – an observation based on regional climate patterns. However, OS data shows homes in the area actually have a higher heat index with 59 per cent being built before 1960s and almost 50 per cent being standalone.

Local Authority Districts in northern Scotland and Wales have the highest average heat-loss scores In London, boroughs such as Tower Hamlets rank among the easiest to heat, likely due to the high proportion of flats (21 per cent) with shared walls, modern construction standards, and the lowest percentage of pre-1960 buildings (37 per cent). In contrast, Harrow is among the hardest to heat, largely because of its high number of standalone properties and the fact that 84 per cent of its buildings date before 1960, meaning they are more likely to have older insulation standards. Additionally, urban areas like London also experience the urban heat island effect, which could mean properties require less energy to heat.

Old v new Homes built post-1960 generally have better insulation, cavity walls and double glazing, reducing heating bills and preventing damp and condensation. Building regulations E Issue 18.1 | GOVERNMENT TECHNOLOGY MAGAZINE

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Data F introduced in the mid-1960s began requiring insulation, and standards have tightened significantly since then. Homes built after this period tend to feel warmer and less damp, meaning they require less energy to heat.

Among older cities, York is surprisingly easier to heat than Winchester and St Albans. By contrast, new towns such as Milton Keynes are also easier to heat, as the majority of homes (around 85 per cent) were built after 1960, giving it the second-lowest heat index of all Local Authorities. Stevenage, the UK’s first New Town, has the lowest heat index overall and the highest proportion of homes built from 1960 onwards (87 per cent) among Local Authority Districts. Basingstoke and Deane also has a relatively low heat index, reflecting the fact that much of its development occurred after insulation standards improved.

Cambridgeshire has a lower heat index likely due to a high proportion of energy-efficient new-builds from 2011 onwards. Equally Glasgow has a higher proportion of flats and high-rise buildings so we can assume with shared walls they might retain heat better.

Using OS data, it’s possible to identify southfacing rooftops suitable for solar panels, which could help households reduce energy costs. In South Cambridgeshire, 14 per cent of residential properties already have solar panels installed.

These solar panels work throughout winter, because they rely on daylight rather than temperature, although shorter daylight hours do reduce output.

When looking at the geography of Britain, hilly and mountainous regions such as the Scottish Highlands, Peak District and Lake District and three national parks in Wales are more exposed to harsh weather and tend to have older stone farmhouses and traditional buildings. Wales also has the oldest housing stock in the UK, largely due to industrial-era terraced housing built during the 19th century for coal and steel workers which might suggest poorer insulation.

Isabelle Chatel de Brancion, land and property lead at Ordnance Survey commented: “Understanding which homes are hardest to heat is critical for improving energy efficiency.

Ordnance Survey data provides detailed insights into building age, construction materials, and location, enabling us to model heat-loss risk at scale. This data-driven approach helps pinpoint areas most vulnerable to heat loss and identify where energy-efficiency improvements would have the greatest impact.

Beyond highlighting national patterns, OS data

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can also shed light on viable solutions such as identifying rooftops suitable for solar panels, informing town planning, and helping utility companies optimise renewable energy plans.

These insights could support local authorities and homeowners in making informed decisions to keep homes warmer this winter and reduce costs.”

OS already plays a central role in supporting national and local government and in enabling cost-effective approaches to delivering reliable, affordable heat. This includes a partnership with Arup, which was appointed in 2024 by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) to identify and develop heat network zones across England, underpinned by OS data.

Conclusion Homes that are harder to heat are typically older, detached properties built from less insulating materials such as stone or timber.

In contrast, homes that are easier to heat are

Cambridgeshire has a lower heat index likely due to a high proportion of energyefficient new-builds from 2011 onwards

Data

newer, built to modern insulation standards and often share walls with neighbouring properties.

By applying OS NGD building attributes to create a heat index, we can visualise areas where homes are most at risk of heat loss. These insights can help identify locations that would benefit from retrofitting, insulation upgrades and other energy-efficiency improvements, helping to ensure warmer homes across Britain this winter. Understanding which homes are hardest to heat can help target energy-efficiency improvements and support households most vulnerable during cold spells.

Methodology To identify ‘hard to heat homes’, a risk index was created by giving each residential building a score based on certain physical characteristics.

There are many factors which can impact a property’s ability to warm up and retain heat.

Here, we focus on three building characteristics, listed below, due to the following reasoning: Connectivity (standalone properties are less likely to retain heat compared to properties that share walls with adjacent buildings); Building Age Period (the time period of building construction. Older properties are less likely to have good insulation compared to newer properties, making them harder to heat); and Construction Material (properties built with more insulating material will likely retain heat more effectivity.)

A risk index was created by giving each residential building a score based on certain physical characteristics A score was given for each of the three building characteristics, based their attribute values. If a property had a building attribute that was considered harder to heat a score of 1 was given, otherwise a score of 0 was assigned.

Once assigned, the scores across the three attributes were totalled for each property resulting in an overall score. The lower the score, the easier the property it is to heat. The scores were then grouped and averaged by each Local Authority District.

It is also important to recognise that the physical characteristics of a building are not the only factors which influence how easy a home is to heat or indeed the ability of a household to heat a home. This index could therefore be augmented with other data which may have an impact on the ability of a household to heat a home such as Index of Multiple Deprivation statistics related to income deprivation, council tax bands and other population characteristics. M FURTHER INFORMATION

www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk

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Data

How Met Office weather and climate intelligence powers government and industry when it really matters Steve Calder is the chief customer officer at the Met Office, working to ensure weather and climate intelligence can power future plans for local and national government, as well as support key UK industries to grow. Here, he discusses how innovative science and partnerships will prove crucial to the future success of government and industry Hanging the washing out? Check the Met Office.

Landing planes or managing the country’s electricity network? Check the Met Office.

Wedding day plans? Probably still the Met Office. When it really matters, it’s always the Met Office.

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Weather and climate science has never been more important. Climate change is already bringing increasingly frequent weather extremes to the UK. Severe weather and named storms are also never too far away from people’s thoughts, but how can such complex

Data

challenges be properly addressed by both government and business? It’s here where the Met Office has quite a unique position.

Over our 170-year history we’ve got a wellhoned reputation of being the UK’s national forecaster. Trusted by the public when it matters, whether it’s stormy skies or clear ones, the Met Office is where people turn for the weather. But we also underpin countless industries, keeping the wheels of business in motion and enabling UK innovation and growth from Camborne to Lerwick.

Government, industry and innovation At the apex between government and industry, innovation and a focus on customer needs is how the Met Office ensures a cohesive and fruitful relationship that benefits all. But what does that really mean?

Weather and climate intelligence is big business. Met Office expertise has long been behind safe aviation, defence operations, energy decision making and transport infrastructure. But the market is changing, so we change with it.

Government partners, like the MOD, rely on our expertise for high stakes operations.

Increasingly, industry partners expect tailored, outcome-focused insights. Simply knowing the

Met Office expertise has long been behind safe aviation, defence operations, energy decision making and transport infrastructure forecast isn’t enough. Knowing the impacts from it is the key.

Forecasting is changing fast. Competitors are using AI to move quickly, and we welcome that challenge; it keeps us sharp. But speed alone isn’t enough. Trust and verification are nonnegotiable. That’s why we combine cutting-edge data science with proven meteorology, working with partners like the Alan Turing Institute to deliver innovation that stands up under pressure.

Fortunately, our historical reputation and demonstrated ability to adapt to new technology means we’re well-placed to advance and pivot to AI approaches to weather forecasting. The coming influence of AI on weather and climate forecasting could be transformational. But improvements have to be underpinned by credible science.

We know that existing physics-based approaches to forecasting have earned trust E

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Data

We know that existing physics-based approaches to forecasting have earned trust over time, so the same must be true of future AI approaches F over time, so the same must be true of future AI approaches. This is why we work closely with the Alan Turning Institute to combine our meteorological expertise with their data science knowledge. A coherent and science-backed approach to innovative improvements that can really make a difference to the next generation of weather forecasts.

Customer-led weather and climate intelligence We’re pivoting to a service-led model, one that is customer driven - because decisions, not data, drive value. That means listening hard and moving fast. We’re turning on the head of a pin to deliver what matters, when it matters.

Agility isn’t a buzzword for us; it’s how we stay relevant in a world where expectations change overnight.

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Working in partnership is one way to deliver this. Earlier this year, we signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Network Rail to help push forward research into severe weather and railway infrastructure. Where previous links may have focused on transactional relationships, a collaborative approach enables fast-paced research which could make a real difference to how disruptions are avoided and managed on railways, not just now, but long into the future.

We’ve signed a similarly ambitious agreement with the National Energy System Operator (NESO), reaffirming a shared commitment towards the transition towards a future clean, resilient and affordable energy system. This MOU encompasses both the short and long-term influence of the weather on the energy system, with a need for resilience against increasingly severe weather events and also knowledge around how to effectively use weather as a fuel for an efficient energy system.

While much of that work continues at pace behind the scenes, the partnership between Met Office and the BBC is very much public facing. By combining Met Office expertise on weather and climate with the BBC’s journalism

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Data

and broadcasting expertise, we hope to deliver the most trusted information when it comes to not only weather forecasting, but also climate science.

In an age of rampant misinformation, trusted and consistent information between Met Office and the BBC can ensure the public gets what they want; timely, clear information with understandable guidance.

What’s important for us as an organisation is that we’re as fast paced and innovative as people need us to be. We’re going through a huge transformation ourselves, pivoting to agile delivery of services and we’re all embracing that.

That is the best way for us as an organisation to ensure we continue to be one of the most trusted providers of weather and climate information in the UK and internationally.

The challenges discussed here aren’t unique to the Met Office. We can see across government and industry that need for agility, innovation and purpose. By adapting, like we have done throughout our history, we help make sure that the next generation also checks the Met Office when it really matters. M

We hope to deliver the most trusted information when it comes to not only weather forecasting, but also climate science Steve Calder, chief customer officer, Met Office

FURTHER INFORMATION

www.metoffice.gov.uk

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Cyber Security

Tackling the Cyber Skills Gap Vanessa Henneker, chief operating officer at the UK Cyber Security Council, explores why the UK’s cyber‑skills gap persists and how clearer professional standards, accessible career pathways and a coordinated national approach can help build the capable, confident workforce needed We live in the Cyber Age. So much of our lives – our phones, laptops, tablets, cars, even household appliances – are connected to the internet and constantly sharing data online.

That data is some of the most valuable currency in the world and cyber criminals go to great length to access it; something that affects us all on an individual and a societal level. Any breach, whether it’s in the private or public sector, can have a huge knock-on effect.

Cyber security professionals work to protect our information systems and networks from cyber-attacks. It’s a profession that plays a crucial role in keeping us all safe; the need for a well-trained and capable cyber security workforce has never been more important.

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However, a lack of understanding and consistency around the cyber security profession can make building a career or finding the right practitioners challenging. This, plus ever-increasing demand, has created a cyberskills gap.

Research from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, estimates that 50 per cent of all businesses in the UK have a basic cyber skills gap, and 33 per cent have a more advanced skills gap – that’s the difference between the skills they need, and the skills they have.

Why is there a skills gap?

Cyber security threats, and the defences against them, are constantly evolving. This leads to

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Cyber Security

One of our central aims is to create greater transparency and consistency around the skills and experience required for different cyber security roles a fast-moving sector, regularly adapting to changing needs and requirements, all whilst looking to the future at what might come next.

But, with these constantly changing threats, many organisations still lack clarity about what ‘good’ looks like in a cyber role. What skills, experience and expertise do practitioners need to tackle the threats they face? Without clear answers, employers can struggle to set expectations for recruitment and, as a result, it can be difficult to find the right people.

Similarly, there is also a lack of understanding around accessible entry routes into the profession. To those without prior experience or knowledge, a career in cyber security can seem either vague or overly complex, discouraging people from pursuing it.

Even those starting out on traditionally cyberadjacent courses such as computer science, can find the range of professional pathways daunting. And for those studying different subjects, or looking to change careers, it’s not often understood that are many other routes into the sector, and a wide variety of transferable skills.

Where do the UK Cyber Security Council come in?

The UK Cyber Security Council was established

by Royal Charter in 2022 to connect, champion and charter the UK’s cyber security profession.

Through setting government-backed standards for competence and ethics, awarding professional titles, and supporting more people to get into a career in cyber, we’re on a mission to grow and empower the UK’s cyber security workforce.

Professionalising the sector At the Council, one of our central aims is to create greater transparency and consistency around the skills and experience required for different cyber security roles. E

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Cyber Security

How can we make cyber security inviting, accessible and easy to navigate?

F In collaboration with partners across industry and government, we developed the UK Cyber Security Standard for Professional Competence and Commitment. The Standard is a government-backed, common framework that sets out the competencies, knowledge, skills, and ethical expectations for cyber security professionals across a range of specialisms and career stages.

We also established and maintain the first live national register of cyber security professionals. As the only body chartered to award professional titles in cyber security, the Council confer four: Associate Cyber Security Professional, Practitioner Cyber Security Professional, Principal Cyber Security Professional and Chartered Cyber Security Professional.

The titles reflect a progression in knowledge, expertise and professional development, from starting a career in cyber security to achieving professional mastery and recognition.

As with professions like engineering, law or accounting, professional cyber security titles set a unified standard of excellence. They can give employers confidence that that a practitioner has the skills, experience and ethical standards to succeed in a specific role.

Currently, individuals can achieve professional registration in eight cyber security specialisms.

Each is contextualised to the UK Cyber Security Standard for Professional Competence and Commitment, providing clear evidence that the holder can bring the skills an employer is looking for.

By the end of 2025, the UK’s Cyber Security Professional Register reached 1000 registrants – an important milestone, but only the beginning.

We’re excited to continue working with partners across industry as well as national and devolved government to grow and professionalise the UK’s cyber security workforce.

Championing cyber careers But what about paths into the sector? For those starting their working life, or considering a career change, how can we make cyber security inviting, accessible and easy to navigate? Last year, we launched our Cyber Access Network (CAN), designed to empower and support the

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next generation of cyber security professionals.

Free to join, and open to anyone over 16 interested in exploring a career in cyber, it offers networking opportunities, interactions with employers, webinars, newsletters and a range of curated career guidance. It’s a platform to showcase both the benefits and the practical steps involved in starting a career in cyber security.

Those exploring the sector can access a wide range of resources, including guidance on entry routes into the sector, interactive tools to help identify career interests, and detailed information on different cyber security specialisms, including examples roles, average salaries and suggested career steps.

Additionally, our new Associate level professional title was created for those at the start of their career as a first step on the professionalisation ladder. It helps individuals transition from entering the sector to progressing through it, aligning themselves with our unified Standard of competence and ethics as they advance.

Connecting the sector The UK Cyber Security Council was created not only to set standards and award professional titles, but also to connect the cyber security sector. We’re here to amplify the voices of those

DIGITAL SOLUTIONS & INNOVATION FOR THE PUBLIC SECTOR | www.governmenttechnology.co.uk

Cyber Security

Closing the cyber skills gap depends on collaboration across the public and private sectors across the industry who are looking to make the UK the safest place to live and work online.

Closing the cyber skills gap depends on collaboration across the public and private sectors – sharing expertise, promoting best

practice and supporting career development.

A coordinated, collaborative approach is essential.

As we enter a new year, there is so much exciting work to be done to support this vital profession and to continue building a cyber workforce that is skilled, understood and empowered. M FURTHER INFORMATION

Find out more about the UK Cyber Security Council at www.ukcybersecuritycouncil.org.uk

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ISE 2026

Security surge: why cybersecurity emerged as a defining AV megatrend at ISE 2026 The convergence of audiovisual technology and security has been gathering momentum for several years, but recent industry data – and the conversations that dominated Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) 2026, the world-renowned annual tech show for the audiovisual and systems integration industry – confirm that this momentum has now become a defining force According to AVIXA’s Industry Outlook and Trends Analysis (IOTA) 2025, the security and surveillance segment grew by 6.9 per cent, making it one of the strongest-performing areas within the AV industry. This growth reflects a rising demand for integrated, intelligent security systems capable of supporting increasingly complex public- and private-sector environments.

That demand was unmistakable at ISE 2026, which took place early February 2026, where

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cybersecurity featured prominently across the show floor, and where ISE introduced its CyberSecurity Summit for the first time, signalling a clear shift in how the AV and systems integration industry views risk, resilience, and responsibility.

From surveillance to intelligence Security has long relied on AV technologies, but the role of AV has evolved far beyond traditional surveillance. Advanced video systems are now

DIGITAL SOLUTIONS & INNOVATION FOR THE PUBLIC SECTOR | www.governmenttechnology.co.uk

ISE 2026

central to how organisations monitor and respond to events in real time.

High-definition cameras combined with video analytics and AI-driven processing allow security teams to move from passive observation to actionable intelligence. As highlighted in AVIXA’s IOTA research, video analytics are increasingly valued not just for detection, but for their ability to reduce response times and support informed decisionmaking.

At ISE 2026, these capabilities were consistently framed through the lens of cybersecurity: how video data is protected, how systems are secured end-to-end, and how vulnerabilities are mitigated in networked AV environments.

Hearing what cameras can’t Audio sensing technologies are also gaining traction as a complementary security layer.

By detecting sounds such as breaking glass, gunshots, or other unusual noises, audio sensors can provide early warnings that visual systems alone may miss.

Integrated with video platforms, audio sensing creates a more holistic situational awareness model, which is a trend reflected both in AVIXA’s research and in the solutions showcased at ISE. As these systems become more software-driven and IP-based, ensuring the integrity E

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ISE 2026 F and security of audio data has become just as critical as protecting video streams.

Integration drives resilience One of the strongest messages to emerge from ISE 2026 was the growing importance of integrated security ecosystems. End users, particularly in government, education, healthcare, and transportation, are seeking unified platforms that bring together video surveillance, access control, intrusion detection, and life-safety systems.

For AV integrators, this presents a significant opportunity, but also a responsibility.

Integrated systems reduce complexity for end users, but they also expand the attack surface.

Cybersecurity, therefore, is foundational to system design, deployment, and long-term management.

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The launch of the CyberSecurity Summit at ISE underscored this reality, bringing AV professionals, IT leaders, and security specialists into the same conversation, something that would have been far less common just a few years ago.

Software, cloud, and the cybersecurity imperative The shift away from hardware-centric security toward software-based and cloud-managed platforms is accelerating.

Cloud-enabled security systems offer clear advantages: scalability, remote access, and cost efficiency, particularly for organisations managing multiple sites or requiring centralised oversight.

However, this transition also heightens the need for robust cybersecurity frameworks.

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ISE 2026

At ISE 2026, discussions increasingly focused on secure architectures, compliance, data sovereignty, and lifecycle management, which are topics that now sit squarely within the AV integrator’s remit.

As AVIXA’s IOTA report indicates, the future of security lies in software-driven, updatable platforms that can evolve alongside emerging threats. Integrators who can demonstrate cybersecurity competence alongside AV expertise are becoming trusted strategic partners rather than just technology providers.

The CyberSecurity Summit at ISE 2026 ISE 2026 marked the first time the event dedicated a focused forum to the topic. Its inclusion reflected a broader recognition that as AV systems become more interconnected and data-rich, they also become part of an organisation’s wider cyber risk profile.

The Summit brought together perspectives from across the AV, IT, and security ecosystems to address the realities of deploying networked AV technologies in sensitive and mission-critical environments. Discussions centred on realworld challenges such as securing IP-based devices, managing supply chain risk, protecting data flows, and ensuring resilience across complex, multi-vendor systems.

For public-sector stakeholders in particular, these conversations highlighted how AV infrastructure now underpins essential services – from transport and emergency response to civic spaces and government facilities. In this context, cybersecurity is a matter of operational continuity, public trust, and regulatory compliance.

Importantly, the Summit helped reposition cybersecurity as a shared responsibility. Rather than being siloed within IT departments, cyber resilience was framed as something that must be considered across the entire lifecycle of an AV system – from design and procurement through to deployment, maintenance, and eventual upgrade. This shift signals a maturing industry that increasingly recognises security as integral to long-term value and performance.

ISE 2026 marked a turning point by reframing the industry’s priorities. With cybersecurity now recognised as a megatrend for the year ahead, those who act decisively will be best placed to support safer and smarter environments across the public sector and beyond. M FURTHER INFORMATION

www.iseurope.org

Getting ahead of the curve Security and cybersecurity are now a businesscritical priority and central growth drivers. By upskilling teams, expanding solution portfolios, and embedding cybersecurity principles into every stage of system design and delivery, AV professionals can position themselves at the forefront of this transformation.

Issue 18.1 | GOVERNMENT TECHNOLOGY MAGAZINE

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Alternative Fuels

The low‑carbon fuels powering the UK’s net zero fleet transition Transport is the UK’s largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, and public sector fleets – from waste collection to emergency services – are under pressure to lead the way to net zero There are certain renewable fuels that can achieve immediate carbon savings, and act as a short-term solution until viable zero-emission options are mass market. So what are they?

For public sector operators, this presents a unique challenge. Heavier vehicles – from refuse trucks to fire appliances – must deliver reliable services across long duty cycles, often on extended routes. Range limitations and charging times risk disrupting essential operations, while the high upfront cost of electric trucks makes them prohibitive for many local authorities and emergency services.

There is a handful of zero emission trucks on the market, and a growing number of fleet operators using them. But it is nowhere near the scale that it needs to be. While these challenges are being ironed out, the pressing issue of climate change continues.

There are certain renewable fuels that can achieve immediate carbon savings, and act as a short-term solution until viable zero-emission options are mass market.

Here we investigate what renewable and alternative fuels there are on the market, as well as the fleets that are using them.

Hydrotreated vegetable oil Hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) is a drop-in alternative to diesel that is made from renewable raw materials and sustainable waste from verified vegetable fats and oils. It reduces carbon dioxide emissions by 99 per cent compared to traditional diesel and cuts nitrous oxide emissions by 25 per cent, improving air quality.

HVO supplier Certas Energy defines HVO as being a “paraffinic fuel, with near-zero sulphur and very low aromatics content”. Compared to

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standard diesel, it produces fewer regulated emissions of toxic hydrocarbons, nitrous oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM), which are all harmful to human health and the environment.

Crucially, fuel-related emissions can be cut by up to 90 per cent compared to standard diesel.

What’s more, it can be used with no engine modifications needed. Because of this, HVO is proving popular with fleet operators.

In January 2025, Brentwood Borough Council announced that 56 of its vehicles including waste trucks now run on HVO.

Alternative Fuels

The Leader of Brentwood Borough Council and Chair of the Clean and Green Committee, Councillor Barry Aspinell said: “This is a really exciting initiative. Switching to more environmentally friendly fuels will have a E

Brentwood Borough Council announced that 56 of its vehicles including waste trucks now run on HVO

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Alternative Fuels

F very positive effect on air quality and provide enormous benefits to our residents. The move to HVO demonstrates our commitment to addressing climate change and improving local air quality, all while ensuring that essential waste collection services remain reliable and efficient. While the Council is taking this brilliant step, we hope to encourage the private sector to join us in transforming their petrol or dieselfuelled vehicles to alternative energy sources.

This initiative is a key part of the Council’s broader ambition to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2030, paving the way for a cleaner, greener future for Brentwood”.

Biomethane Renewable biomethane is a compressed natural gas that is a low-carbon alternative to diesel, reducing carbon emissions by up to 90 per cent.

CNG Fuels, who operates the UK’s largest CNG refuelling network, sources its biomethane from waste products including food, animal, and waste water, and it is independently verified and approved by the Department for Transport’s Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO).

The company claims up to a 40 per cent lifetime fuel cost saving when switching from diesel to bio-CNG. Major fleet operators are using bio-CNG, such as John Lewis Partnership, Waitrose, Royal Mail, Warburtons, Aldi, AO, Farm Foods, Hermes and Wessex Water.

Nottingham City Transport is running the largest fleet of bio-gas double deck buses in the world. Launched in 2017, these buses reduce CO2 emissions by up to 84 per cent compared to an equivalent brand new diesel double deck bus and have prevented over 26,000 tonnes of CO2 and 180,000Kgs of NOx being emitted.

Wessex Water trucks are powered by sewage and food waste. Every truck that makes the switch from diesel to biomethane achieves a carbon saving equivalent to removing more than 100 cars from the roads. All fuel used in the trucks comes from the anaerobic digestion of sewage and food waste at Bristol Bioresources and Renewable Energy Park.

Sean Hill, Wessex Water’s director of bioresources, said: “The tankers collecting sewage sludge for treatment and the trucks delivering the output fertiliser are both powered by the gas generated from this treatment, so we’re closing the loop when it comes to our recycling.

“This will make a huge difference to our carbon footprint and help improve the air

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All fuel used in the trucks comes from the anaerobic digestion of sewage and food waste

Hydrogen Hydrogen has long been touted as the answer to zero emission heavy goods vehicles.

Refuelling is quick and ranges are comparable to ICE trucks. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles emit only vapour, meaning they release no harmful emissions. However, as of December 2023, there are only 16 operational hydrogen fuel stations in the UK. Hydrogen fuelled trucks are also expensive, and there are only a small number available.

However, there is a project to roll out 30 hydrogen fuel cell HGVs UK roads by 2026 as part of the government’s Hydrogen Aggregated UK Logistics (HyHaul) project.

Wales & West Utilities completed a monthlong trial of hydrogen fuel cell vans with First Hydrogen to evaluate the potential of hydrogen for its commercial fleet.

Due to the lack of hydrogen vehicle refuelling infrastructure, the project was supported

by Protium Green Solutions and Hyppo Hydrogen Solutions to create a hydrogen eco-system.

Green hydrogen was produced at Protium’s Pioneer 1 site in Baglan via electrolysis and renewable power, meaning that there are no emissions produced as part of the process.

Hydrogen fuelled trucks are also expensive, and there are only a small number available

Alternative Fuels

quality of communities in our region, as well as improving operational efficiency and bringing cost benefits.

“Two vehicles have been purchased initially and we hope to eventually roll out the use of Bio-CNG across our entire tankering and biosolids fleet.”

The trial van completed more than 2,000km over the four-week trial, travelling up to 189km per day on mostly urban roads and highways. Data collected showed that the vehicle has the potential to fulfil more demanding duties, like carrying heavier payloads, driving over hilly terrain or powering auxiliary equipment. Moreover, there was positive feedback from the WWU team with feedback agreeing that FCEVs could help fulfil operational demands in future.

Public sector fleets sit at the frontline of the UK’s net zero journey. From waste trucks in Brentwood running on HVO, to Nottingham’s biomethane buses, and hydrogen trials with Wales & West Utilities, these examples show that renewable fuels are not just theoretical solutions – they are already delivering measurable carbon savings and cleaner air for communities.

By embracing these alternatives, public sector operators demonstrate leadership, resilience, and innovation – proving that the path to net zero is achievable, practical, and already underway. M FURTHER INFORMATION

greenfleet.net

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