Twenty-five projects have been successful in securing funding in cycle four of the Ofgem Strategic Innovation Fund, delivered by Innovate UK.
The funding has been awarded to:
- five beta projects (£31.6 million)
- seven alpha projects (£3.3 million)
- 13 discovery projects (£1.8 million)
Successful beta demonstrators
Alongside the successful discovery and alpha projects, five large scale beta demonstrators were funded in cycle four.
These multi-million-pound real-world projects aim to turn their innovative solutions into new products and services that will be integrated into the daily operations of Britain’s energy networks.
Whole system network planning
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks’ (SSEN) Revisiting and Evaluating Environmental Inputs on Line Ratings (REVISE), will deliver a new Energy Networks Association Technical Recommendation, replacing current outdated methodology.
With renewable generation expanding at unprecedented speed, transmission networks are increasingly constrained by system capacity.
REVISE combines high-resolution weather topographic data with advanced system-modelling techniques and physical validation to ensure a more accurate, future-ready approach to overhead line rating.
Process and market approaches
The Smarter Network UpGrades (SNUG) project, is looking at how energy efficiency retrofits represent an opportunity for disadvantaged households to participate in the energy transition.
SNUG, led by UK Power Networks, will develop novel commercial models and coordinated market approaches to enable social landlords to participate in flexibility markets through bespoke contractual frameworks.
Energy efficiency will optimise electricity network use in constrained areas in preparation for heat pump roll out in efficient homes rather than poorly insulated ones to:
- incentivise use of energy efficiency
- unlock consumer benefits
- facilitate flexibility participation of ‘hard-to-reach’ customers at scale
Grid expansion delivery
Three more betas are addressing how we can use novel technology and processes to deliver grid expansion in ways that enhance public support and deliver wider local and environmental benefits.
Nature4Networks
Led by SSEN, Nature4Networks is pioneering real-world demonstrators that prove Nature-based-Solutions (NbS) can meet engineering needs while delivering climate resilience, biodiversity gains, and community benefits.
With growing momentum and regulatory support, the next phase will trial scalable NbS on live assets, develop funding models, and embed nature into infrastructure planning.
By leveraging utility-owned land and aligning with stakeholders, from regulators to local authorities, this initiative will also explore how coordinated, landscape-scale investments can unlock shared value.
Pathways to 2050
Another SSEN-led innovation project, Pathways to 2050, is creating a new, consumer-centric approach to planning and delivering low-voltage network upgrades, to support a just and efficient transition.
Using existing datasets, digital models and automated ‘scorecards’ for every substation, Pathways to 2050 will forecast demand growth, prioritise investment and cluster works for efficiency.
Local Pathways Plans will show when and where upgrades or flexibility is needed, helping communities:
- understand and shape decisions
- speed up EV and heat-pump connections
- cut costs
- ensure every consumer can decarbonise fairly
Wayl-Ease
Gaining consent from landowners to install, maintain, and upgrade the network is essential for network operators. Current complexities in securing consents can mean significant delays in vital work.
By creating a novel, data-led process allowing landowners to self-serve, UK Power Network’s Wayl-Ease, will create a digital platform that simplifies wayleave agreements using artificial intelligence (AI) and geospatial mapping.
By facilitating improved planning, faster network transformation and more informed customers, Wayl-Ease will support timely infrastructure expansion aligned with local priorities.
Cycle four projects
These projects are just a sample of the transformational innovation funded in cycle four. See the further information section for the full list including partners and funding.
Cleaner, more affordable energy system
Jodie Giles, Deputy Director of Ofgem Strategic Innovation Fund at Innovate UK, said:
This significant investment in energy network innovation will help us deliver a world-leading energy system that underpins a better future. The projects we fund today will deliver a cleaner, more affordable energy system that critically enables us to address climate change.
Many of the projects we fund include small and medium enterprises (SMEs) whose growth supports the UK economy. These collaborations with large network companies will deliver jobs and help the massive societal shifts in how we use and generate energy for our homes, businesses, industry, and transport.
Ultimately, it’s about our future, and putting the people who use and pay for our energy system right at the centre. Customers are at the forefront of our funding decisions, and all SIF projects must benefit energy bill payers long term.
Progress towards net zero
Marzia Zafar, Deputy Director for Digitalisation and Innovation at Ofgem, said:
Ofgem is committed to creating clear pathways for innovation across the energy sector, supporting projects that will accelerate progress towards net zero, strengthen GB’s energy independence, and deliver a stable energy system.
The innovation on show with these latest SIF projects is hugely exciting and has the potential to help deliver these goals. I’m looking forward to watching them develop and seeing the value they can bring for consumers.
