Electricity Transmission Innovation Strategy 2025
Since we last published our innovation strategy, the enormous volume of infrastructure work we need to do as an organisation to support a low-carbon economy has become far clearer. There’s also a renewed focus on the UK’s net zero goals with the introduction of the Government’s Clean Power 2030 agenda, which will seek to speed up the connection of new power infrastructure to the grid.
It’s crucial that the innovation work we do to support the drive towards net zero provides real benefits for consumers, customers and our industry. So we’ve made sure our innovation strategy demonstrates how we’ll deliver these benefits; with greater emphasis on our innovation focus areas, rollout, implementation and tracking how our innovations perform once they become business-as-usual.
We believe that to reach the country’s targets, we need to work with you – our stakeholders – closer than ever before and in a more coordinated way.
We also work together with the rest of the network licensees and we’ve jointly put together our thoughts in the latest Electricity Network Innovation Strategy 2024, which you can download below.
The Strategy has been designed to identify the most important challenges and opportunities facing Great Britain’s energy networks in supporting the delivery of the UK’s Net Zero carbon emissions targets, and delivering essential services to customers across the country. The Electricity Transmission Innovation Strategy is aligned to this.
You can also visit the Energy Networks Association (ENA) strategy pages for more information.
Download strategy Visit ENA strategy pages
Decarbonisation, decentralisation and digitalisation are transforming our energy landscape. Against this backdrop of unprecedented change in our industry, innovation has never been so important.
Innovating new technologies, processes and solutions for our transmission network are crucial to meeting the future needs of our stakeholders and making possible the energy systems of tomorrow.
Industry leaders in innovation
Through our passion for innovation and determination to deliver for our stakeholders, National Grid Electricity Transmission is leading the way in fostering new technologies and applying them to the network.
We’re driving open innovation across the industry, by developing initiatives that create the right environment to foster that innovation. An environment that encourages curiosity, is open-minded, unafraid of failure, and agile enough to match the pace of our changing energy landscape.
Working together to deliver the future
Our work is driven by stakeholder feedback, future technological developments and business objectives. We’re constantly seeking new people and organisations who are willing to learn about our industry and help us develop our network for the future.
Innovation funding mechanisms
As part of the RIIO-2 price control, there are two funding mechanisms that facilitate innovation across the electricity industry: the Network Innovation Allowance (NIA) and the Strategic Innovation Funding.
Innovation Annual Summary 23/24
RIIO-2 Innovation Annual Summaries
RIIO-T1 Annual Summaries
You can find out about the innovation work we have been doing on the network by downloading our annual summaries below.
Network Innovation Competition (NIC) 2019
Your inspiration could be the next great innovation for the UK’s electricity transmission network.
Every year, we invite submissions for our Network Innovation Competition (NIC) where we map out some key themes for you to focus your ideas on.
How it works
Projects must be innovative, save money for our customers and have a carbon or environmental benefit. Project proposals go through an Initial Screening Proposal (ISP) stage. This is when Ofgem will give a go/no go decision to proceed to full project submission. Costs for development of the project are not recoverable.
The maximum lifetime funding available for projects to apply for (and receive) from the Network Innovation Competition (NIC) is £70m.
If your proposal shows merit but is not progressed through the NIC route, we’ll look at whether it can still be funded through our annual Network Innovation Allowance (NIA).
You can find out more about the competition by reading the Ofgem NIC governance document.
We’ll update this page soon with more information on our next Network Innovation Competition including entry details.
What is the Network Innovation Allowance (NIA)
The purpose of the RIIO-2 NIA is to provide funding to network licensee to allow them to carry out smaller innovative projects which focus on the energy system transition and/or addressing consumer vulnerability, and which companies would not otherwise take forward as part of business as usual activities.
You can find out more about the NIA funding criteria by clicking on the link below.
What is Strategic Innovation Funding (SIF)
For the RIIO-2 network price control, Ofgem has introduced the Strategic Innovation Fund which aims to discover and fund ambitious, big scale innovative projects with the goal to accelerate the energy system transition to net zero. These projects should help shape the future of the gas and electricity networks and deliver value to energy consumers. Ofgem will set the strategic direction by regularly publishing Innovation Challenges that define what project ideas should address to receive SIF funding.
Data sharing policy for NIA, NIC and SIF projects
Following revisions to the NIA and NIC Governance documents, which were published by OFGEM on 30 June 2017 (for NIC) and 19 March 2021 (for NIA), OFGEM has introduced a requirement for National Grid Electricity Transmission plc to make available: (i) certain network and consumption data gathered by National Grid Electricity Transmission plc in the course of a NIC-funded project; and (ii) all data gathered by National Grid Electricity Transmission plc in the course of a NIA-funded project. The SIF Governance document published on 25 August 2021 also introduces a requirement for National Grid Electricity Transmission plc to make available all data gathered or created by National Grid Electricity Transmission plc in the course of a SIF-funded project.
The purpose of this data sharing policy is to make clear how such data can be requested by interested parties and the terms on which such data will be made available by National Grid Electricity Transmission plc.
This policy applies to data arising in the course of a NIC-, NIA- or SIF-funded project that is not commercially confidential or sensitive.
In accordance with the dissemination requirements of the NIC/NIA/SIF governance framework, National Grid Electricity Transmission plc already publishes much of the data arising from our NIC/NIA/SIF projects. You may wish to check our website before making an application under this policy, in case the data that you are seeking has already been published.
National Grid NIA, NIC and SIF Data Sharing Policy - November 2021
National Grid pioneers UK-first trial of 3D printed technology
National Grid is working with Hyperion Robotics and the University of Sheffield on a UK-first trial to manufacture, install and test 3D-printed substation foundations, which have the potential to reduce construction-driven carbon emissions and reduce costs to consumers of network construction.
Reducing grid bottlenecks with innovative software tool
We are working with Smart Wires on an innovation project to make better use of grid enhancing technologies like advanced power flow controllers, with the goal of reducing network congestion and maximising the potential of existing infrastructure.
National Grid granted nearly £1m to fund eight net zero innovation projects
Eight National Grid-led projects exploring innovation in the electricity transmission and distribution networks have been given the green light to progress to the first ‘discovery’ phase of Ofgem’s Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) programme.
National Grid joins the EPRI Climate READi initiative to ensure resilient energy systems
National Grid is supporting the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Climate READi framework which will enable global energy companies, climate scientists, regulators, and other stakeholders to address risks to energy networks from climate change.
Partnering with UK universities on innovation projects to help deliver net zero
National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET) has signed innovation partnerships with six universities across the UK that will help decarbonise the electricity system in Great Britain and accelerate progress towards net zero.
National Grid granted £1.5m Ofgem funding for innovation projects to accelerate progress towards net zero
Projects include innovative uses of hydrogen in the gas national transmission system and using satellite data analytics to further increase resilience of electricity network to the impacts of climate change.
Ofgem funding granted for three projects to accelerate network innovation towards net zero
NGET has been granted the Strategic Innovation Funding by Ofgem, the energy regulator, for three innovation projects that will accelerate Great Britain's progress towards delivering a net zero energy network at the lowest cost to consumers.
National Grid partner with Met Office to boost capacity on the electricity transmission network
National Grid Electricity Transmission (NGET) has partnered with the Met Office on an innovative weather data project to help expand capacity on the electricity transmission network for wind and solar power.