The Ofgem Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) has awarded funding of over £36.7 million to 25 groundbreaking projects designed to decarbonise Great Britain’s energy networks.
To achieve its 2050 net zero ambitions the UK is in critical need of technologies that can modernise the current energy system, and accelerate the delivery of net zero.
Funded by Ofgem and delivered in partnership by Innovate UK, the SIF, brings together the networks, partners, ideas and innovators necessary to drive the transformation towards the decarbonisation of Great Britain’s energy networks.
The projects will deliver real benefits to companies and consumers, secure affordable energy, and build a resilient, competitive economy for the future. It will focus on a range of solutions, including grid expansions, network upgrades and making energy efficient technology available to disadvantaged households.
As part of ‘cycle four’ of the Ofgem SIF, five large scale ‘beta demonstrator’ projects – those that will go on to commercialisation or deployment – were awarded £31.6 million. Seven ‘alpha’ projects were awarded £3.3 million, which are smaller proof-of-concept projects.
The funded Beta projects include:
- REVISE – The collaborative project led by SSEN Transmission looks at high-res weather data with advanced system-modelling techniques to deliver a more accurate, future-ready approach to overhead line rating.
- SNUG – Designed by UKPN and its partners, SNUG aims to develop new commercial models and market approaches to enable Social Landlords to participate in flexibility markets.
- Nature4Networks – Southern Electric Power Distribution will explore scalable nature-based-solutions to develop funding models and embed nature into infrastructure planning.
- Pathways to 2050 – SSEN Distribution alongside a host of collaborators is looking to create a new consumer-centric approach to planning and delivering low-voltage network upgrades to forecast demand growth and prioritise investment.
- Wayl-Ease – UK Power Networks and its delivery partners will launch a digital platform that simplifies wayleave agreements using AI and geospatial mapping.
Jodie Giles, Deputy Director – 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.”
The proof-of-concept Alpha projects include:
- VOLT – Collaboration led by Northern Powergrid to develop and validate how microgrids can help industrial and commercial sites decarbonise.
- SHARED – UK Power Networks will explore the potential of low-cost hydrogen production and storage to improve the resilience of the worst served rural customer communities.
- ODIN – SSEN Distribution and Ross Robotics aim to capture and analyse live data to detect early signs of wear and performance loss to minimise outages and enhance reliability.
- Future Fleet – UKPN and its delivery partners will be looking to develop a framework that provides network and logistics operators with strategies for scalable, affordable and grid-friendly freight electrification.
- HVDC Wind Connect – SSEN, Carbon Trust Advisory and WindGrid will integrate offshore wind into the energy system by demonstrating new meshed HVDC systems.
- Hydrogen-Enhanced Biomethane for Energy System Resilience – The project by Wales & West Utilities will use hydrogen to convert additional carbon dioxide to boost biomethane output and support network balancing.
- Power Wheels – Northern Powergrid alongside its project partners will look to harness over 10GW of flexibility from Motability’s growing electric vehicle fleet. It will explore smart charging and bidirectional charging to create a virtual power plant and safeguard households reliant on medical equipment during outages.
Marzia Zafar, Deputy Director for Digitalisation and Innovation at Ofgem, also commented:
“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.”
Find out more about the Ofgem SIF programme and its innovative ventures.
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