RECCo picks Raidiam & PayPoint for consent framework

RECCo has appointed Raidiam and PayPoint to develop the trust framework for the Consumer Consent Solution in the GB retail energy market, advancing work on a common system for managing consumer consent over energy data.

Under the appointments, Raidiam will provide digital trust infrastructure input for the framework's design and implementation, while PayPoint will deliver the operational service model and service management needed to support the scheme as an ongoing service.

The Consumer Consent Solution, or CCS, is intended to create a standard way for consumers to control how their energy data is accessed and used. The framework is designed to set clear rules for participation across the market and support the secure, transparent handling of consent.

Consent model

The work forms part of broader efforts to build what the sector calls Consumer-Led Flexibility, under which households can take up flexible tariffs and other energy services that depend on access to usage data. A standard consent model is intended to reduce fragmentation between market participants and improve interoperability across the system.

For suppliers, service providers and other participants, the aim is to provide a dependable basis for joining and operating within the consent framework. For consumers, the focus is on maintaining control over who can access data and for what purpose.

Raidiam is known for developing trust frameworks and data-sharing systems in sectors including open banking, open finance and digital identity. Its technology is used to manage authorised access to data for approved purposes and support testing environments for digital data projects.

According to company-released details, its systems support open data initiatives in markets including Australia, Brazil and the UAE, and process more than 12 billion API calls each month. That experience appears to have informed its selection for the energy market project, where standardised governance and identity controls are central to the design.

PayPoint's role is different but complementary. It is set to provide the service management structure needed to move the framework from design into day-to-day operation, part of building an enduring service rather than a limited-term programme.

Market development

The CCS programme marks an operational milestone for RECCo as it seeks to put in place the infrastructure needed for data consent in the retail energy market. The organisation will continue working with Ofgem, industry stakeholders and consumer bodies as the framework develops.

That engagement is expected to shape the design around practical use cases in the sector. It also reflects the regulatory and consumer protection issues tied to energy data sharing, particularly as retailers and service providers seek to build new products around household consumption data.

Standardising consent processes has become a recurring issue in industries where personal data must move between multiple parties. In energy, it is tied to the rollout of more dynamic pricing, home energy services and flexible demand arrangements, all of which can depend on timely, permissioned access to customer information.

Without a common framework, market participants can face differing technical standards, governance arrangements and assurance requirements. RECCo's approach aims to address that through a single trust structure backed by operational oversight.

John Heaton-Armstrong, Head of Business and Commercial Strategy at Raidiam, said: "We're pleased to be working with RECCo and PayPoint on this important step for the Consumer Consent Solution in the GB retail energy market. Trusted consent infrastructure is essential to Consumer-Led Flexibility, and the decisions made now will help shape a market that is more secure, interoperable and consumer-led."