Welcome
We’re fostering a culture of innovation that serves our customers and stakeholders well, delivered by people who are passionate about innovation.
of NIA funding going to third party innovators (75%)
innovation projects brought into business as usual, more than any other network
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
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
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
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
Proactive optimised assets and practices
Improved asset understanding to optimise the operation of our network.
Outcomes
Data and digitalisation
Using data to leverage value and optimise our network
Outcomes
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)
Neighbourhood Watts is creating a practical model for community-led energy flexibility across the UK. The project will show how local energy schemes c
View project
All Live Projects
Strategic Innovation Fund
Consumer vulnerability
Net zero and energy system transition
Flexibility and commercial evolution (DSO)
Snug aims to make energy flexibility markets easier for organisations to access by developing new commercial models. The project will enable social la
View project
All Live Projects
Strategic Innovation Fund
Net zero and energy system transition
Flexibility and commercial evolution (DSO)
Future Fleet will help the freight industry shift to electric heavy goods vehicles by modelling the best places to charge, how to keep costs down, and
View project
All Live Projects
Strategic Innovation Fund
Consumer vulnerability
SHARED (Smart Hydrogen And Resilient Energy Decarbonisation) is exploring whether low‑cost hydrogen production and storage can help improve resilien
View project
Strategic Innovation Fund
Net zero and energy system transition
Flexibility and commercial evolution (DSO)
Proactive optimised assets and practices
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
Strategic Innovation Fund
Net zero and energy system transition
Flexibility and commercial evolution (DSO)
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
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
Consumer vulnerability
Proactive optimised assets and practices
Pathways is piloting geospatial planning tools to improve network reliability. By automating the analysis of network and third‑party data, these too
View project
All Live Projects
Strategic Innovation Fund
Consumer vulnerability
Net zero and energy system transition
Flexibility and commercial evolution (DSO)
Snug aims to make energy flexibility markets easier for organisations to access by developing new commercial models. The project will enable social la
View project
All Live Projects
Consumer vulnerability
The Greener Home project is creating the Home Energy Saver website, a one-stop resource for customers seeking tailored energy advice. By combining sup
View project
All Live Projects
Strategic Innovation Fund
Consumer vulnerability
SHARED (Smart Hydrogen And Resilient Energy Decarbonisation) is exploring whether low‑cost hydrogen production and storage can help improve resilien
View project
All Live Projects
Consumer vulnerability
Engage+ is exploring the use of behavioural science and data-driven strategies to remove barriers that prevent eligible customers from signing up for
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All Live Projects
Consumer vulnerability
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
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
Strategic Innovation Fund
Net zero and energy system transition
Flexibility and commercial evolution (DSO)
Neighbourhood Watts is creating a practical model for community-led energy flexibility across the UK. The project will show how local energy schemes c
View project
All Live Projects
Net zero and energy system transition
Proactive optimised assets and practices
Aero Prune is exploring whether drones equipped with cutting tools can safely trim trees near overhead power lines. This technology could help reduce
View project
All Live Projects
Net zero and energy system transition
Data and digitalisation
Click & Quote will enhance the Connections customer journey by reducing the time it takes to receive a quote when multiple customers apply for a conne
View project
All Live Projects
Net zero and energy system transition
Data and digitalisation
Cyber threats to the UK’s critical national infrastructure are increasing rapidly. Hydra aims to significantly reduce control‑system recovery time
View project
All Live Projects
Net zero and energy system transition
Flexibility and commercial evolution (DSO)
Flex Forward will identify, prioritise, and validate high‑impact flexibility use cases beyond traditional congestion management. The project will ge
View project
All Live Projects
Strategic Innovation Fund
Consumer vulnerability
Net zero and energy system transition
Flexibility and commercial evolution (DSO)
Snug aims to make energy flexibility markets easier for organisations to access by developing new commercial models. The project will enable social la
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
Proactive optimised assets and practices
CommsConnect NIA explores how a deeper understanding of the interdependence between mobile and electricity networks can strengthen resilience across b
View project
All Live Projects
Net zero and energy system transition
Whole energy system
Flexibility and commercial evolution (DSO)
HeatScape examines the impact of electrifying both existing and future heat networks on the electricity grid, and how their operational flexibility ca
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All Live Projects
Net zero and energy system transition
Whole energy system
Data and digitalisation
Blue Light aims to build on existing innovation initiatives and industry tools to simplify the connections process and improve visibility of requireme
View project
Strategic Innovation Fund
Net zero and energy system transition
Whole energy system
Hot Chips aims to recover surplus heat from data centres, combined with the integration of thermal storage solutions and dynamic tariffs, to improve t
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All Live Projects
Strategic Innovation Fund
Net zero and energy system transition
Whole energy system
Wayl-Ease was developed a secure, data-driven platform to streamline the process of obtaining asset consents — bridging the gap between network oper
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All Live Projects
Net zero and energy system transition
Whole energy system
Data and digitalisation
Indus 2.0 explores how industrial decarbonisation will influence the future energy system. The project focuses on enabling greater data sharing betwee
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
Strategic Innovation Fund
Net zero and energy system transition
Flexibility and commercial evolution (DSO)
Neighbourhood Watts is creating a practical model for community-led energy flexibility across the UK. The project will show how local energy schemes c
View project
All Live Projects
Net zero and energy system transition
Flexibility and commercial evolution (DSO)
Flex Forward will identify, prioritise, and validate high‑impact flexibility use cases beyond traditional congestion management. The project will ge
View project
All Live Projects
Strategic Innovation Fund
Consumer vulnerability
Net zero and energy system transition
Flexibility and commercial evolution (DSO)
Snug aims to make energy flexibility markets easier for organisations to access by developing new commercial models. The project will enable social la
View project
All Live Projects
Strategic Innovation Fund
Net zero and energy system transition
Flexibility and commercial evolution (DSO)
Future Fleet will help the freight industry shift to electric heavy goods vehicles by modelling the best places to charge, how to keep costs down, and
View project
Net zero and energy system transition
Flexibility and commercial evolution (DSO)
Proactive optimised assets and practices
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
Strategic Innovation Fund
Net zero and energy system transition
Flexibility and commercial evolution (DSO)
Proactive optimised assets and practices
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
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
Proactive optimised assets and practices
Loadscape aims to enhance UK Power Networks’ understanding of how non-domestic customers use electricity across different times of day and seasons.
View project
All Live Projects
Consumer vulnerability
Proactive optimised assets and practices
Pathways is piloting geospatial planning tools to improve network reliability. By automating the analysis of network and third‑party data, these too
View project
All Live Projects
Proactive optimised assets and practices
NExt sets out to raise the standard of the entire power network, delivering smoother, more reliable performance for everyone who depends on it. By act
View project
All Live Projects
Net zero and energy system transition
Proactive optimised assets and practices
Aero Prune is exploring whether drones equipped with cutting tools can safely trim trees near overhead power lines. This technology could help reduce
View project
All Live Projects
Net zero and energy system transition
Whole energy system
Proactive optimised assets and practices
CommsConnect NIA explores how a deeper understanding of the interdependence between mobile and electricity networks can strengthen resilience across b
View project
Net zero and energy system transition
Flexibility and commercial evolution (DSO)
Proactive optimised assets and practices
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
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
Data and digitalisation
Click & Quote will enhance the Connections customer journey by reducing the time it takes to receive a quote when multiple customers apply for a conne
View project
All Live Projects
Net zero and energy system transition
Data and digitalisation
Cyber threats to the UK’s critical national infrastructure are increasing rapidly. Hydra aims to significantly reduce control‑system recovery time
View project
All Live Projects
Net zero and energy system transition
Whole energy system
Data and digitalisation
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 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 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
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
If you have an idea that could reshape or revolutionise the way we work, we want to hear from you.
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