WIREDGOV

Ofgem has today announced the winners of its annual Network Innovation Competitions (NICs).

Each year network companies compete for funding for the development and demonstration of new technologies, operating and commercial arrangements which have the potential to benefit consumers. 

We are providing up to £57.5 million to seven projects this year. 

The seven winning projects are:

• Examining whether gas networks in Great Britain can safely transport gas that is 100 per cent hydrogen (Northern Gas Networks)
• Using advanced robotics to cut costs and lower the environmental impact of carrying out street works (SGN)
• Using automation technology to squeeze more capacity out of local electricity networks so that more consumers can be connected without expensive grid reinforcement (UK Power Networks)
• Developing new ways of supporting flexibility markets  forecasting of when flexibility services are needed on local electricity networks (Western Power Distribution)
• Trialling a local market for providing flexibility services using systems which have been developed in Europe (SP Energy Networks)
• Testing whether advanced transformers can be used by low carbon generators to release more capacity on lower voltage networks (SP Energy Networks)
• Developing and trialling markets for the provision of flexibility services on electricity distribution networks (Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks)

Read our decision document for more details about the projects and about NIC. 

Notes to editors 

• Flexibility markets could allow distributed energy resources, including generation, storage and demand side response, to trade energy to meet the needs of the distribution network operators and the system operator, as well as to trade with each other to meet their own needs.

Further information

For media, contact:

Tim Webb: 0207 901 7179

Media out of hours mobile: 07766 511470 (media calls only)

For investors, contact:

Martin Young: 0207 901 7114 

About Ofgem

Ofgem is the independent energy regulator for Great Britain. Its priority is to make a positive difference for consumers by promoting competition in the energy markets and regulating networks.

For facts, figures and information about Ofgem’s work, see Energy facts and figures or visit the Ofgem Data Portal. 

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