Further information
Ofgem SIF: Cycle four beta, summary of projects approved
Round three, challenge one: Whole system network planning and utilisation to facilitate faster and cheaper network transformation and asset rollout
Revisiting and Evaluating Environmental Inputs on Line Ratings (REVISE)
Combining high-resolution weather topographic data with advanced system-modelling techniques and physical validation, to deliver a new Energy Networks Association Technical Recommendation.
Ensuring a more accurate, future-ready approach to overhead line rating.
SIF Funding award: £5,892,440
Lead network type: Electricity transmission
Project partners:
- Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (lead)
- National Electricity System Operator
- Met Office
- University Of Strathclyde
- National Grid Electricity Transmission
- Energyline
- SP Transmission
Round three, challenge two: Novel technical, process and market approaches to deliver an equitable and secure net zero power system
Smarter Network UpGrades (SNUG)
Developing novel commercial models and coordinated market approaches to enable Social Landlords to participate in flexibility markets through bespoke contractual frameworks.
SIF Funding award: £4,435,203
Lead network type: Electricity distribution
Project partners:
- UK Power Networks (lead)
- University of Strathclyde
- Northern Powergrid (Northeast)
- Centre For Sustainable Energy
- Sia Partners UK
Round five, challenge four: Consumer-centric grid expansion
Nature4Networks
Next phase trials of scalable nature-based-solutions (NbS) on live assets, to develop funding models, and embed nature into infrastructure planning.
Unlocking shared value, delivering climate resilience, biodiversity gains, and community benefits.
SIF Funding award: £7,892,388
Lead network type: Electricity distribution
Project partners:
- Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (lead)
- Frontier Economics
- Gutteridge Haskins & Davey
- Great Yellow
- Guidehouse Europe
- James Hutton
Pathways to 2050
Creating a new consumer-centric approach to planning and delivering low-voltage network upgrades.
Using existing datasets, digital models and automated ‘scorecards’ for every substation, to forecast demand growth, prioritise investment and cluster works for efficiency.
SIF Funding award: £9,935,676
Lead network type: Electricity distribution
Project partners:
- Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (lead)
- Faculty Science
- Low Carbon Hub IPS
- James Hutton
- Energy Systems Catapult
- Sia Partners UK
- Industrial And Financial Systems, IFS UK
- NFU Scotland
Wayl-Ease
Gaining consent from landowners to install, maintain, and upgrade the network is essential for network operators.
Wayl-Ease proposes to create a digital platform that simplifies wayleave agreements using AI and geospatial mapping.
SIF Funding award: £3,481,350
Lead network type: Electricity distribution
Project partners:
- UK Power Networks (lead)
- Digital Catapult Services
- Community Energy South
- Tata Consultancy Services
Ofgem SIF: Cycle four alpha, summary of projects approved
Round four, challenge one: Faster network development
VOLT
Working to develop and validate how multi-vector microgrids can help industrial and commercial sites decarbonise, improve resilience, and provide flexibility.
Delivering scalable microgrid blueprints and operational processes aligned with national and regional strategies.
SIF Funding award: £496,123
Lead network type: Electricity distribution
Project partners:
- Northern Powergrid (Lead)
- EDF Energy R&D UK Centre
- Wales & West Utilities
- Lane Clark & Peacock
- Pulsant
- Newcastle University
- Northern Gas Networks
Round four, challenge three: Embedding resilience
Smart Hydrogen and Resilient Energy Decarbonisation (SHARED)
Exploring the potential of low-cost hydrogen production and storage as a solution to improve the resilience of worst served customer communities.
The project will assess how effective this approach could be and identify the specific needs of rural communities.
SIF Funding award: £499,526
Lead network type: Electricity distribution
Project partners:
- UK Power Networks (lead)
- Frazer-Nash Consultancy
- The First Element Group
Round four, challenge four: Accelerating towards net zero energy networks
Optimisation and Diagnostics for Innovative Networks (ODIN)
Capturing and analysing live operational data to detect early signs of wear, thermal imbalance, and performance loss.
Enabling predictive, data-driven maintenance to minimise outages, extend asset life, and enhance overall network reliability.
SIF Funding award: £455,450
Lead network type: Electricity transmission
Project partners:
- Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (lead)
- Ross Robotics
Round five, challenge three: High-energy demand point integration
Future Fleet
Developing a geospatially informed framework combining fleet archetypes, smart energy schemes, and innovative business models.
Providing networks and logistics operators with actionable strategies for scalable, affordable, and grid-friendly freight electrification.
SIF Funding award: £499,815
Lead network type: Electricity distribution
Project partners:
- UK Power Networks (lead)
- Voltempo Group
- Maritime Transport
- Energy Systems Catapult
- Baringa Partners
- Voltloader
Round five, challenge four: Consumer-centric grid expansion
HVDC Wind Connect
Integrating offshore wind into the energy system by developing and demonstrating novel ‘rigid’ and ‘hybrid’ meshed HVDC systems.
Addressing key technical challenges including system control and protection strategies, modular offshore platform designs, and dynamic rating approaches for cables.
SIF Funding award: £499,961
Lead network type: Electricity transmission
Project partners:
- Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (lead)
- Carbon Trust Advisory
- WindGrid
Power wheels
Looking at harnessing over 10 GW of flexibility from Motability’s growing electric vehicle fleet.
Exploring smart charging and bidirectional charging to create a virtual power plant and safeguard households reliant on medical equipment during outages.
SIF Funding award: £490,330
Lead network type: Electricity distribution
Project partners:
- Northern Powergrid (lead)
- Motability Operations
- Centre For Energy Equality
- Energy Systems Catapult
- Energy Innovation Centre
Round five, challenge six: Green Gas
Hydrogen-Enhanced Biomethane for Energy System Resilience
Using biomethanisation, injecting hydrogen to convert additional CO2 within digesters, to boost biomethane output dynamically and support network balancing.
Operational and regulatory frameworks will also be assessed to enable wider adoption.
SIF Funding award: £371,186
Lead network type: Gas distribution
Project partners:
- Wales & West Utilities (lead)
- Hydrostar Europe
- Dwr Cymru Cyfyngedig
Ofgem SIF: Cycle four discovery, summary of projects approved
Round five, challenge one: Advanced energy transmission and networks
Superconducting Fault Current Limiters Potential to Limit Reactor Implementation Within DC Network Topologies (SPRINT)
Aims to enhance the protection and efficiency of high voltage direct current (HVDC) networks by integrating superconducting fault current limiters (SFCLs).
By leveraging SFCL technology, the project aims to:
- reduce fault current peaks
- lower energy dissipation
- improve system stability
SIF Funding award: £147,254
Lead network type: Electricity transmission
Project partners:
- Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (lead)
- SuperGrid institute
WPT for Grid
Investigating the technical feasibility, adoption barriers, and cost-benefit implications in the use of wireless power transmission (WPT).
Enabling quicker, more-flexible grid connections and overcome delays associated with installing traditional cabled infrastructure.
SIF Funding award: £145,118
Lead network type: Electricity distribution
Project partners:
- National Grid (lead)
- National Grid Electricity Transmission
- Space Solar Engineering
- National Grid Partners
Round five, challenge three: High-energy demand point integration
Forecasting & Planning Regional Digital Infrastructure (FPRDI)
Developing a spatially integrated forecasting tool to help electricity networks anticipate the location, timing, and scale of future medium and large data centre demand.
The tool will integrate geospatial analytics, AI, grid connection, and planning data to support proactive investment and anticipatory reinforcement and will align with planning workflows and open data platforms.
SIF Funding award: £134,320
Lead network type: Electricity distribution
Project partners:
- Northern PowerGrid (lead)
- Jacobs UK
Round five, challenge four: Consumer-centric grid expansion
CREOS-OUT
Creosote is a tar-based wood preservative used to protect utility poles, but it is also an environmental contaminant that can leach into soil and water, posing serious health and ecological risks.
CREOS-OUT explores the natural enzymatic capabilities of certain microbes to break down creosote contaminants.
Offering an eco-friendly alternative to costly incineration, for safer reuse of infrastructure while supporting sustainable grid expansion and reducing public and environmental risks.
SIF Funding award: £137,020
Lead network type: Electricity distribution
Project partners:
- Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (lead)
- University of Strathclyde
- James Hutton
Demand Insights for Metered Enterprises (DIME)
Tackling a critical data gap for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with non-half-hourly metering, particularly in high street areas.
DIME uses alternative data sources and machine learning to infer business types and create accurate demand profiles to support better network planning, cost savings through efficient reinforcement, and faster deployment of low-carbon technologies.
SIF Funding award: £146,426
Lead network type: Electricity distribution
Project partners:
- Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (lead)
- Frontier Economics
- Southampton City Council
- CGI IT UK
Grounds for Change
Britain’s race to electrify our transport and heat is reshaping every street, yet open trenches slow the journey, increase costs and disrupt the lives of millions.
Grounds for Change will investigate precise slot cutting, directional drilling, and innovative onsite spoil recycling to reduce waste and restore sites faster.
This will result in quieter, cleaner, and more affordable works, with less disruption for everyone.
SIF Funding award: £94,125
Lead network type: Electricity distribution
Project partners:
- Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (lead)
- Energy Innovation Centre
- Southampton City Council
Social Virtual Power Plant (Social VPP)
Will empower vulnerable and fuel-poor households to actively participate in the energy transition.
By combining community-led investment with smart flexibility software, the project aggregates household batteries and demand response to lower bills, reduce carbon emissions, and strengthen grid resilience.
The discovery phase will assess technical, financial, and social feasibility, creating a replicable pathway for consumer-centric grid expansion that delivers operational benefits for electricity networks and fairer outcomes for households.
SIF Funding award: £149,924
Lead network type: Electricity distribution
Project partners:
- Northern Powergrid (lead)
- Centre for Energy Equality
- Lane, Clark & Peacock
Round five, challenge five: Enhanced system visibility and control
Smart Open Load Visibility Exchange (SOLVE)
Electricity networks face new challenges from electric vehicles, heat pumps and solar. These low-carbon technologies are vital for net zero but can strain local grids. High voltages waste solar energy, while low voltages trip EV chargers.
Project SOLVE builds on Ofgem’s and NESO’s innovation programmes, using open standards and smart meter data to provide real-time visibility of low-voltage networks.
By combining this with real-time, appliance-level forecasting, SOLVE enables networks to predict local demand and flexibility, plan ahead, and make better use of existing assets.
SIF Funding award: £148,911
Lead network type: Electricity distribution
Project partners:
- Northern Powergrid (lead)
- EDF Energy R&D UK Centre
- Green Energy Options
SwitchTwin
Inverter-based resources (IBRs) are vital for network operations, but their power electronics (PEs) present challenges for grid resilience and capacity utilisation due to unpredictable degradation.
This causes operators to under-utilise thermal capacity, leading to inefficiencies and premature replacements.
By combining advanced sensing technologies with AI/ML-driven digital twin analytics, operators can enhance asset management strategies and provide better insights on the condition of these assets.
This will save costs for the network and consumers.
SIF Funding award: £149,234
Lead network type: Electricity transmission
Project partners:
- National Grid (lead)
- The University of Manchester
- Frazer-Nash Consultancy
Round five, challenge six: Green gas
BioCapMap
Will develop a digital, self-service tool that helps developers identify optimal gas network connection points, the first of kind to solve this gap in the connections planning process.
SIF Funding award: £145,108
Lead network type: Gas distribution
Project partners:
- Cadent Gas (lead)
- Bohr
- Energy Systems Catapult
Clean Green
Identifying alternative green enrichment gases to fossil Propane and considering how improved measurement technology can inform network intelligence to optimise Biomethane injection.
SIF Funding award: £138,033
Lead network type: Gas distribution
Project partners:
- Cadent Gas (lead)
- Bohr
- Mace Consult
Renewable Energy Harvest
Unlocking the untapped power of Britain’s countryside by turning farm, food, and forestry residues into clean, flexible green gas.
By combining biomethane and syngas production with advanced mapping and forecasting tools, the project will identify where rural resources can best connect into the gas network.
This innovation supports a fair, low-carbon transition, cutting emissions, reducing costs, and keeping energy value in local communities.
SIF Funding award: £149,267
Lead network type: Gas distribution
Project partners:
- Northern Gas Networks (lead)
- Centre For Energy Equality
- Lane Clark & Peacock
- Foodchains
Round five, challenge seven: Whole system optimisation
Quantum optimisation for future gas network design
This project is a first of its kind exploration into the applicability of quantum-inspired optimisation to improve and accelerate modelling of future gas transmission configurations and whole-systems planning.
It will assess use cases where these techniques can:
- enhance scenario coverage
- integrate additional energy vectors
- address current computational limitations in modelling hydrogen and CO2 networks
- improve granularity of planning outputs
SIF Funding award: £148,434
Lead network type: Gas transmission
Project partners:
- National Gas (lead)
- National Electricity System Operator
- PA Consulting Services
