All Live Projects
Strategic Innovation Fund
Consumer vulnerability
SHARED
SHARED (Smart Hydrogen And Resilient Energy Decarbonisation) will investigate how low-cost hydrogen production and storage could strengthen the resili
View project
Welcome
Welcome to the home of innovation
We’re fostering a culture of innovation that serves our customers and stakeholders well, delivered by people who are passionate about innovation.
Numbers that add up to positive change
£0 million
of NIA funding going to third party innovators (75%)
0+
innovation projects brought into business as usual, more than any other network
£0m+
of smart savings between 2015 and 2024
How are we doing it?
Innovation is a driving force behind our performance, ensuring that we are the safest, most reliable and cost-efficient electricity network in the UK, leading the way in tackling Net Zero and the Energy System Transition challenges, whilst protecting vulnerable customers. To help turn this vision into a reality, our innovation strategy has focused on six fundamental themes.
Consumer vulnerability
Delivering best value and excellent service for all our customers, both in our normal operations and in the transition to Net Zero.
Outcomes
- Understanding vulnerability through innovative data analytics
- Digital inclusion
- Making Net Zero inclusive
- Policy
Net zero and energy system transition
Facilitate the timely and cost-effective roll-out of low carbon technologies (LCT) and removing barriers impeding the Net Zero transition.
Outcomes
- A network prepared for an uptake in LCTs.
- Simplifying the LCT connections process for customers and their installers
- A fair and just transition for all
Whole energy system
Looking beyond our own networks and developing our understanding of how we interact with and impact on the wider energy system.
Outcomes
- Supporting local and national planning
- Benefiting customers through improved interactions across the electricity system
- Finding innovative ways to decarbonise transport
- Finding innovative ways to decarbonise heat
Flexibility and commercial evolution (DSO)
Our DSO philosophy is flexibility first, delivering affordable capacity through competition and choice; and maximising the utilisation of the network through the use of service solutions.
Outcomes
- Driving forward market platform development
- Innovating new flexibility product design
- Testing and proving the case for real-time and Net Zero operations
Proactive optimised assets and practices
Improved asset understanding to optimise the operation of our network.
Outcomes
- Improve resilience
- Improve maintenance activities
- Maintain asset health
- Increase capacity / maximise utilisation
Data and digitalisation
Using data to leverage value and optimise our network
Outcomes
- Harnessing the power of emerging technologies
- Optimise the use of our existing assets
- Facilitating the sharing of our data
Our Innovation Projects
OVERVIEW
The Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) is designed to drive the innovation needed to transform gas and electricity networks for a low-carbon future.
Learn more about Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF)
All Live Projects
Strategic Innovation Fund
Net zero and energy system transition
Flexibility and commercial evolution (DSO)
Proactive optimised assets and practices
Conductor
Conductor is looking at how renewable energy could be plugged directly into Traction Bulk Supply Points, the high-capacity connections that keep train
View project
All Live Projects
Strategic Innovation Fund
Net zero and energy system transition
Flexibility and commercial evolution (DSO)
HeatNet
HeatNet is developing new tools to support the electricity network in managing the energy used by heat pumps and enabling coordinated smart home heati
View project
All Live Projects
Strategic Innovation Fund
Net zero and energy system transition
Whole energy system
Hot Chips
Hot Chips aims to recover surplus heat from data centres, combined with the integration of thermal storage solutions and dynamic tariffs, to improve t
View project
Strategic Innovation Fund
Net zero and energy system transition
Whole energy system
Wayl-Ease
Wayl-Ease was developed a secure, data-driven platform to streamline the process of obtaining asset consents — bridging the gap between network oper
View project
All Live Projects
Strategic Innovation Fund
Net zero and energy system transition
Whole energy system
Electric Thames
Electric Thames explores how electric vessels can support the grid by supplying power during peak demand — reducing strain, cutting CO₂ emissions,
View project
OVERVIEW
The Consumer vulnerability is designed to drive the innovation needed to transform gas and electricity networks for a low-carbon future.
All Live Projects
Strategic Innovation Fund
Consumer vulnerability
SHARED
SHARED (Smart Hydrogen And Resilient Energy Decarbonisation) will investigate how low-cost hydrogen production and storage could strengthen the resili
View project
All Live Projects
Consumer vulnerability
Engage+
Engage+ is exploring the use of behavioural science and data-driven strategies to remove barriers that prevent eligible customers from signing up for
View project
All Live Projects
Consumer vulnerability
Keeping Comms Open
Keeping Comms Open is designed to benefit customers who have a Smart UPS device in their home or live near a Community Satellite phone. In the event o
View project
Strategic Innovation Fund
Consumer vulnerability
Net zero and energy system transition
Flexibility and commercial evolution (DSO)
Flex Direct
Flex Direct aims to make energy flexibility markets more accessible by creating new commercial arrangements. It will empower social landlords to offer
View project
All Live Projects
Consumer vulnerability
Data and digitalisation
AImee
UK Power Networks is developing a new digital tool to help vulnerable consumers who are at risk of being left behind by the energy system transition.
View project
Consumer vulnerability
Net zero and energy system transition
Green Home Support Service
The Green Home Support Service is a new, accessible service designed to provide customers of all budgets and backgrounds with the information and supp
View project
OVERVIEW
The Net zero and energy system transition is designed to drive the innovation needed to transform gas and electricity networks for a low-carbon future.
All Live Projects
Net zero and energy system transition
Flexibility and commercial evolution (DSO)
Proactive optimised assets and practices
Super DuPPR
Super DuPPR is exploring how Low Carbon Technologies (LCTs) on network assets, like batteries, solar panels, or heat pumps, could be used for extra pu
View project
All Live Projects
Strategic Innovation Fund
Net zero and energy system transition
Flexibility and commercial evolution (DSO)
Proactive optimised assets and practices
Conductor
Conductor is looking at how renewable energy could be plugged directly into Traction Bulk Supply Points, the high-capacity connections that keep train
View project
All Live Projects
Strategic Innovation Fund
Net zero and energy system transition
Flexibility and commercial evolution (DSO)
HeatNet
HeatNet is developing new tools to support the electricity network in managing the energy used by heat pumps and enabling coordinated smart home heati
View project
All Live Projects
Net zero and energy system transition
Whole energy system
Flexibility and commercial evolution (DSO)
HeatScape
HeatScape examines the impact of electrifying both existing and future heat networks on the electricity grid, and how their operational flexibility ca
View project
All Live Projects
Net zero and energy system transition
Whole energy system
Data and digitalisation
Blue Light
Blue Light aims to build on existing innovation initiatives and industry tools to simplify the connections process and improve visibility of requireme
View project
All Live Projects
Strategic Innovation Fund
Net zero and energy system transition
Whole energy system
Hot Chips
Hot Chips aims to recover surplus heat from data centres, combined with the integration of thermal storage solutions and dynamic tariffs, to improve t
View project
OVERVIEW
The Whole energy system is designed to drive the innovation needed to transform gas and electricity networks for a low-carbon future.
All Live Projects
Net zero and energy system transition
Whole energy system
Flexibility and commercial evolution (DSO)
HeatScape
HeatScape examines the impact of electrifying both existing and future heat networks on the electricity grid, and how their operational flexibility ca
View project
All Live Projects
Net zero and energy system transition
Whole energy system
Data and digitalisation
Blue Light
Blue Light aims to build on existing innovation initiatives and industry tools to simplify the connections process and improve visibility of requireme
View project
All Live Projects
Strategic Innovation Fund
Net zero and energy system transition
Whole energy system
Hot Chips
Hot Chips aims to recover surplus heat from data centres, combined with the integration of thermal storage solutions and dynamic tariffs, to improve t
View project
Strategic Innovation Fund
Net zero and energy system transition
Whole energy system
Wayl-Ease
Wayl-Ease was developed a secure, data-driven platform to streamline the process of obtaining asset consents — bridging the gap between network oper
View project
All Live Projects
Net zero and energy system transition
Whole energy system
Data and digitalisation
Indus 2.0
Indus 2.0 explores how industrial decarbonisation will influence the future energy system. The project focuses on enabling greater data sharing betwee
View project
All Live Projects
Strategic Innovation Fund
Net zero and energy system transition
Whole energy system
Electric Thames
Electric Thames explores how electric vessels can support the grid by supplying power during peak demand — reducing strain, cutting CO₂ emissions,
View project
OVERVIEW
The Flexibility and commercial evolution (DSO) is designed to drive the innovation needed to transform gas and electricity networks for a low-carbon future.
All Live Projects
Net zero and energy system transition
Flexibility and commercial evolution (DSO)
Proactive optimised assets and practices
Super DuPPR
Super DuPPR is exploring how Low Carbon Technologies (LCTs) on network assets, like batteries, solar panels, or heat pumps, could be used for extra pu
View project
All Live Projects
Strategic Innovation Fund
Net zero and energy system transition
Flexibility and commercial evolution (DSO)
Proactive optimised assets and practices
Conductor
Conductor is looking at how renewable energy could be plugged directly into Traction Bulk Supply Points, the high-capacity connections that keep train
View project
All Live Projects
Strategic Innovation Fund
Net zero and energy system transition
Flexibility and commercial evolution (DSO)
HeatNet
HeatNet is developing new tools to support the electricity network in managing the energy used by heat pumps and enabling coordinated smart home heati
View project
All Live Projects
Net zero and energy system transition
Whole energy system
Flexibility and commercial evolution (DSO)
HeatScape
HeatScape examines the impact of electrifying both existing and future heat networks on the electricity grid, and how their operational flexibility ca
View project
All Live Projects
Flexibility and commercial evolution (DSO)
Data and digitalisation
AI for Visibility and Forecasting Renewable Generation
AI for Visibility and Forecasting of Renewable Generation, is exploring the potential of artificial intelligence to accurately predict existing solar
View project
Strategic Innovation Fund
Consumer vulnerability
Net zero and energy system transition
Flexibility and commercial evolution (DSO)
Flex Direct
Flex Direct aims to make energy flexibility markets more accessible by creating new commercial arrangements. It will empower social landlords to offer
View project
OVERVIEW
The Proactive optimised assets and practices is designed to drive the innovation needed to transform gas and electricity networks for a low-carbon future.
All Live Projects
Net zero and energy system transition
Flexibility and commercial evolution (DSO)
Proactive optimised assets and practices
Super DuPPR
Super DuPPR is exploring how Low Carbon Technologies (LCTs) on network assets, like batteries, solar panels, or heat pumps, could be used for extra pu
View project
All Live Projects
Strategic Innovation Fund
Net zero and energy system transition
Flexibility and commercial evolution (DSO)
Proactive optimised assets and practices
Conductor
Conductor is looking at how renewable energy could be plugged directly into Traction Bulk Supply Points, the high-capacity connections that keep train
View project
Past Projects
Proactive optimised assets and practices
Our View
Our View explored the benefits of using video-enabled technologies to improve customer service and enhance the safety of field staff. The project enab
View project
Strategic Innovation Fund
Past Projects
Net zero and energy system transition
Whole energy system
Proactive optimised assets and practices
CommsConnect
Electricity networks require resilient communications to operate safely and efficiently. To provide this level of resilience typically comes at a high
View project
All Live Projects
Strategic Innovation Fund
Net zero and energy system transition
Proactive optimised assets and practices
Climate Resilience Decision Optimiser (CREDO+)
CReDO+ (Climate Resilience Decision Optimiser) is a digital platform that uses digital twin technology to help safeguard infrastructure networks again
View project
Past Projects
Proactive optimised assets and practices
Automatic Tunnel and Shaft Inspections
An innovative new trial alongside engineering and built environment consultancy, Arup is seeing a 4-legged robot deployed in confined spaces during re
View project
OVERVIEW
The Data and digitalisation is designed to drive the innovation needed to transform gas and electricity networks for a low-carbon future.
All Live Projects
Net zero and energy system transition
Whole energy system
Data and digitalisation
Blue Light
Blue Light aims to build on existing innovation initiatives and industry tools to simplify the connections process and improve visibility of requireme
View project
All Live Projects
Flexibility and commercial evolution (DSO)
Data and digitalisation
AI for Visibility and Forecasting Renewable Generation
AI for Visibility and Forecasting of Renewable Generation, is exploring the potential of artificial intelligence to accurately predict existing solar
View project
All Live Projects
Net zero and energy system transition
Whole energy system
Data and digitalisation
Indus 2.0
Indus 2.0 explores how industrial decarbonisation will influence the future energy system. The project focuses on enabling greater data sharing betwee
View project
All Live Projects
Consumer vulnerability
Data and digitalisation
AImee
UK Power Networks is developing a new digital tool to help vulnerable consumers who are at risk of being left behind by the energy system transition.
View project
Strategic Innovation Fund
Past Projects
Net zero and energy system transition
Data and digitalisation
Community Led Integrated Planning (CLIP)
CLIP is pioneering a community-led Net Zero planning approach for multiple clusters of communities. By using an innovative circular digital planning p
View project
Past Projects
Net zero and energy system transition
Data and digitalisation
Powercast
Powercast is an innovative solution, including a data sharing and notification solution with delivery partner ev.energy. Powercast provides real-time
View project
Share your ideas
If you have an idea that could reshape or revolutionise the way we work, we want to hear from you.
Submit an idea