Ofgem has awarded a total of £5.8 million to 44 network innovation projects in the discovery phase of round three of its Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF).
The winning projects seek to address a wide range of issues, including the decarbonisation of shipping, aviation and roadworks, hydrogen production and storage, and cybersecurity threats from quantum computing.
The £450 million SIF allows network operators to apply for funding for innovation projects to address strategic challenges identified by Ofgem.
There are three phases in each funding round. In the discovery phase, network operators can apply for up to £150,000 to undertake feasibility studies. In the alpha phase, they can apply for up to £500,000 to develop and test their ideas. And in the beta stage, they can apply for up to £10 million to conduct large-scale demonstrations.
Ofgem sets challenges for each round, which the regulator launches on an annual basis. For round three the challenges are: whole system planning for faster asset rollout; novel approaches to deliver a secure power system; unlocking system flexibility to electrify heat; and enabling power-to-gas to provide system optimisation.
The full list of winners for the discovery phase of round three can be read below.
Ofgem has revealed that the challenges for round four will be: faster network development; greater heat flexibility; embedding resilience; and accelerating towards net zero energy networks.
| Project/Challenge | Licensee | Purpose | Ofgem Funding |
| Whole system planning for faster asset rollout | |||
| BluePrint | SSEN | Identify and mitigate key risks for the connection of offshore wind farms to constrained areas of the transmission network | £147,090 |
| Probability Pathways for Energy System Planning | NGESO | Develop a whole system network planning methodology that uses advanced computational techniques to capture risks and uncertainties from future energy scenarios | £149,544 |
| Nature4Networks (N4N) | SSEN | Develop nature-based solutions for protecting networks from risks such as flooding and extreme heat | £148,247 |
| SeaChange | SSEN | Develop a model for the decarbonisation of seaports | £149,431 |
| Fractal Flow | NPG | Develop a tool to provide visibility over network power flows | £141,649 |
| Unblocking Networks: Local Optimisation, Consumers and Knowledge (UN:LOCK) | SSEN | Explore novel market-based methods to create additional network capacity | £101,373 |
| MaxFlex | SSEN | Develop Energy Flexibility Certificates for industrial, commercial and local authority buildings | £137,102 |
| Scenario Analysis for Non-domestic Network Decarbonisation (SANND) | NPG | Develop a software tool for modelling and forecasting demand from large energy users as they decarbonise | £144,831 |
| Carbon and Hydrogen Transportation to SAF Production Facilities | NGT | Explore how hydrogen and carbon networks could support the production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). | £118,707 |
| HyNTS Maritime | NGT | Explore how links to hydrogen networks could enable seaports to decarbonise and import/export hydrogen | £150,000 |
| Road to Power | NGED | Forecast demand and infrastructure needs for roadworks and investigate methods for providing temporary grid connections | £141,229 |
| Hybrid Network Improvement and Reliability Enhancement | NGET | Research new techniques for monitoring the condition of offshore power cables | £135,082 |
| KnowMyFlex | UKPN | Develop Energy Flexibility Certificates for homes and other buildings | £146,266 |
| HeatNet | UKPN | Develop tools to manage loads from heat pumps to regulate voltage and avoid drop-offs | £145,516 |
| Data Mate | UKPN | Develop arrangements for accessing data from customers’ low-carbon technologies to understand and resolve voltage issues | £114,547 |
| Wayl-ease | UKPN | Develop a software platform for obtaining and managing consents from landowners for the installation of network equipment | £110,637 |
| Rural Energy and Community Heat (REACH) | NGED | Establish a way of helping rural community energy groups to develop decarbonisation plans | £116,995 |
| Community Led Integration Planning (CLIP) | UKPN | Establish a way of helping local communities to develop decarbonisation plans | £122,833 |
| Regional Energy Strategic Modelling (RSIM) | NGN | Create a tool for developing regional energy plans | £110,526 |
| Cross Vector Energy Hub | NPG | Design and implement a cross-sector energy hub for planning and operation of the energy system | £117,305 |
| Electric Thames | UKPN | Explore now boats, docks and ports on the River Thames can be decarbonised | £130,050 |
| Novel approaches to deliver a secure power system | |||
| Revisiting and Evaluating Environmental Inputs on Line Ratings (REVISE) |
SSEN | Review the methodology for assigning overhead line ratings | £149,854 |
| System Strength Measurement and Evaluation (SYSMET) | SSEN | Create tools for measuring the stability of electricity system | £99,733 |
| Hydrogen Storage in Aquifers | WWU | Assess the viability of using aquifers for hydrogen storage | £111,580 |
| Network Security in a Quantum Future | NGET | Investigate cybersecurity risks from quantum computing | £149,621 |
| LDES NODE | ENW | Develop a methodology for determining the optimal location of long-duration energy storage | £145,953 |
| Look NortH2 | NGT | Explore the benefits/costs of integrating offshore electricity generation and hydrogen production as well as commercial models and market designs | £118,329 |
| EquiFlex | SPEN | Promote the participation of less affluent and engaged customers in flexibility markets | £133,704 |
| SizeWise | UKPN | Develop tools to help customers determine the right size/mix of low-carbon technologies for their house | £145,937 |
| Balancer | UKPN | Trial innovative business models for community batteries | £149,557 |
| CarbonFlex | UKPN | Develop a service for controlling and optimising heat demand in multi-occupancy buildings | £129,727 |
| Flex Direct | UKPN | Develop commercial models to enable local authorities and social housing providers to fund energy efficiency upgrades by selling them as a flexibility service | £139,662 |
| GridLink | NPG | Demonstrate the use of a system for optimising the placement and operation of smart switches to dynamically link feeders on low-voltage networks | £131,925 |
| LV Optimiser (LVOE) | SPEN | Demonstrate the use of innovative power electronics to regulate voltage on low-voltage networks | £142,136 |
| Fuel Cell Renewable Energy Equity (FREE) | NPG | Explore how combined heat and power micro fuel cells can provide uninterruptible power supplies to homes | £112,827 |
| Gas Volume for Embedded Electrical Generation Modelling | SGN | Design a notification platform to embedded generators to inform gas distribution networks of upcoming demand | £123,830 |
| Unlocking system flexibility to electrify heat | |||
| CoolDown | ENW | Explore the impact of electricity demand for cooling on networks | £149,996 |
| OptiHeat | UKPN | Develop tool for recommending home upgrades to customers | £113,324 |
| Wastewater Sourced Heat (WASH) | UKPN | Investigate the extraction of heat from wastewater to supply district heating networks | £125,264 |
| Enabling power-to-gas to provide system optimisation | |||
| Realistic modelling of power-to-gas operability | NGT | Develop an integrated hierarchical network of established models for simulating the operation of the energy system | £128,475 |
| B-Linepack+ | NGT | Explore the feasibility of building hydrogen storage facilities to supplement linepack within gas networks | £150,000 |
| Advanced Low Carbon Hydrogen and Energy Management (ALCHEM) | WWU | Demonstrate an innovative biomass electrolysis technology for producing green hydrogen | £87,436 |
| Exploring Geological Hydrogen Storage Opportunities in the East Midlands (EMStor) | Cadent | Investigate options for hydrogen storage in the East Midlands | £138,382 |
| Production and Long-term Containment of Hydrides (PATCH) | NGN | Demonstrate the use of waste energy and gases from industry and excess renewable electricity to produce chemical hydrides | £147,528 |