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    WHICH SERVICE WOULD YOU LIKE TO LOG IN TO?

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  • Search
Why innovate?
News and Events
Strategic Interest
Funding
Projects
Get in touch
    Why we innovate

    Why we innovate

    Our network powers everyday life for people now and in the future. As the UK energy landscape changes to meet net zero targets and the rapid growth in low carbon technologies, our 2023-28 plan recognises the fantastic opportunity and great responsibility that we are being presented with.

    Innovation Strategy

News and Events

DRIVING LOCAL DECARBONISATION: NORTHERN POWERGRID, TNEI, AND LCP DELTA SECURE OFGEM FUNDING FOR £14.5M ‘COMMUNITY DSO’ PROJECT
DRIVING LOCAL DECARBONISATION: NORTHERN POWERGRID, TNEI, AND LCP DELTA SECURE OFGEM F…
31 Jan 2023
Northern Powergrid is partnering with TNEI and LCP Delta on innovation project to enable communities to have greater control over their own energy and assets.
YORKSHIRE VILLAGE AT THE HEART OF SMART METER TRIAL THAT COULD CUT UP TO £500M ANNUALLY FROM CONSUMER ENERGY BILLS AND POTENTIALLY SAVE UP TO TWO MILLION TONNES OF CO2 NATIONALLY
YORKSHIRE VILLAGE AT THE HEART OF SMART METER TRIAL THAT COULD CUT UP TO £500M ANNUAL…
26 Nov 2021
Northern Powergrid is to put Boston Spa and Wetherby centre stage in a bid to reduce carbon emissions as part of a bold trial that will see real-time data-led
ENERGY STORAGE, RENEWABLE GENERATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY FUEL A SMART-GRID REVOLUTION
ENERGY STORAGE, RENEWABLE GENERATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY FUEL A SMART-GRID …
03 Nov 2021
Northern Power grid is to pilot a pioneering technology innovation that will maintain power supplies to critical infrastructure and isolated communities.
NORTHERN POWERGRID TRIALS INNOVATIVE SECURITY SYSTEM TO PROTECT POWER NETWORK
NORTHERN POWERGRID TRIALS INNOVATIVE SECURITY SYSTEM TO PROTECT POWER NETWORK
11 Oct 2021
The new innovative technology is critical to ensuring that the right people have the proper access at the correct time; while ensuring those who shouldn’t have access are kept out. It can potentially deliver a completely new range of valuable...
TRIAL SHOWS BATTERIES COULD ENABLE AT LEAST 25% MORE RENEWABLE ENERGY FOR USE DURING PEAK TIMES
TRIAL SHOWS BATTERIES COULD ENABLE AT LEAST 25% MORE RENEWABLE ENERGY FOR USE DURING …
20 Dec 2020
We launched the findings from our ground breaking two-year Distributed Storage and Solar Study.
SILENT POWER TRIAL COULD REVOLUTIONISE TEMPORARY POWER RESTORATION IN THE UK
SILENT POWER TRIAL COULD REVOLUTIONISE TEMPORARY POWER RESTORATION IN THE UK
11 Oct 2019
We've partnered with British energy storage SMEs Hyperdrive Innovation and Offgrid Energy to run a trial which could revolutionise temporary power restoration in the UK.
NORTHERN POWERGRID INVESTIGATES TRANSFORMER HEAT RECOVERY VIABILITY
NORTHERN POWERGRID INVESTIGATES TRANSFORMER HEAT RECOVERY VIABILITY
22 Mar 2019
Northern Powergrid, the company responsible for keeping the lights on for 3.9 million homes and businesses across the North East, Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire, has teamed up with engineering and design consultancy Arup, to help manage losses...
NORTHERN POWERGRID JOINS FORCES WITH NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY TO IMPROVE POWER NETWORK LOSSES
NORTHERN POWERGRID JOINS FORCES WITH NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY TO IMPROVE POWER NETWORK LO…
14 Mar 2019
We've joined forces with Newcastle University to enhance its understanding of electrical losses from the region's power network.
NORTHERN POWERGRID ENCOURAGES OTHER NETWORK OPERATORS TO BENEFIT AND EMPOWER CUSTOMERS WITH MOBILE APPS FOLLOWING GROUNDBREAKING NORTH OF ENGLAND TRIAL
NORTHERN POWERGRID ENCOURAGES OTHER NETWORK OPERATORS TO BENEFIT AND EMPOWER CUSTOMER…
08 Feb 2019
We're offering gas and electricity network operators across the UK, and beyond, the opportunity to learn from our game-changing ACE project with the public release of our final report and findings.
PAINTING A BETTER ENVIRONMENTAL FUTURE: NORTHERN POWERGRID IN UK FIRST TRIAL OF RAPID DRY ECO-PAINT
PAINTING A BETTER ENVIRONMENTAL FUTURE: NORTHERN POWERGRID IN UK FIRST TRIAL OF RAPID…
24 Oct 2018
We're the UK’s first distribution network operator (DNO) to trial an innovative new eco-paint.
GROUND-BREAKING MOBILE APP SEES THOUSANDS OF DOMESTIC ENERGY CUSTOMERS ACTIVELY PARTICIPATING IN NORTHERN POWERGRID FLEXIBILITY MARKET
GROUND-BREAKING MOBILE APP SEES THOUSANDS OF DOMESTIC ENERGY CUSTOMERS ACTIVELY PARTI…
11 Jul 2018
We've released details of our unique ACE project which has found that mobile games could become an important tool for energy companies as they seek to manage power demand and keep costs down for customers.
INNOVATIVE WOODEN MATERIAL TO ‘CHANGE THE FACE OF CONSTRUCTION’ AND SAVE 90,000+ TREES A YEAR
INNOVATIVE WOODEN MATERIAL TO ‘CHANGE THE FACE OF CONSTRUCTION’ AND SAVE 90,000+ TREE…
04 Jul 2018
We're championing a new sustainable ultra-strong wood pole manufacturing technique that reduces material use by up to 85%.
VIEW ALL

Areas of strategic interest

Five areas of strategic interest guide our modernisation investment for the long-term. They are:

  • Deploy smart grids
  • Maximise the value of smart meters
  • Develop digital services
  • Address affordability
  • Safety and environment
Deploy smart grids Maximise the value of smart meters Develop digital services Address affordability Safety and environment

Deploy smart grids

The emergence of new technologies such as small-scale generation, batteries, and electric vehicles challenges us to find ways to provide network access without simply resorting to building bigger assets. Using smarter technology to actively manage the network and to get more capacity out it is an example of what we are trying to achieve.  But we are not limiting ourselves to technological improvements to our assets: we also explore how we can encourage others to become more active in their pursuit of low-carbon solutions and where we can facilitate flexibility.

Maximise the value of smart meters

Smart meters bring access to new information about network performance in, or close to, real time. In most circumstances, we will no longer need customers to call us to tell us that they are without power. We will also know exactly which customers are driving what capacity requirements on the network. We are exploring opportunities to use that information to improve our response to power outages and to plan the network more intelligently, including how to measure and target the reduction of electrical network losses.

Develop digital services

Continued growth in web-based and digital-enabled services is introducing the possibility of enhanced customer interface and customer services. We work to develop our customer-facing systems and assets, improve the quality of the data that we hold, and streamline our background processes.

Address affordability

As provider of services that are paid for by all energy customers, we accept the imperative to keep downward pressure on our costs. Innovation trials help us find more cost-efficient ways to design, build and construct the network. We also are on the lookout to improve our involvement in addressing and alleviating fuel poverty, and in energy efficiency.

Safety and environment

We are committed to promoting environmental awareness, best practice, and legal compliance amongst all staff. We take our environmental responsibilities seriously and manage the environmental impact of our activities very closely. This includes our carbon footprint, the risk of noise, water and land pollution, waste recycling, and the care for wildlife. We also manage the visual impact of our overhead lines, balancing the network requirements with our stakeholders’ input.

How we fund innovation

We are involved in innovation in various ways: either by leading projects, or by partnering on projects. Projects are funded through different sources. We have access to the Network Innovation Allowance (NIA) through the regulator Ofgem, which is worth up to £29m over eight years, and we can also benefit from specialist funding sources (e.g. Innovate UK) through  partnering with universities or other industrial partners.

OUR PROJECTS

We provide here a list of all recent innovation projects that we run. In addition, and where possible, we look to collaborate with other network companies, as we are faced with similar issues. You can find a list of all projects, including those we collaborate on, on the Smarter Networks portal.

Boston Spa Energy Efficiency Trial (NIA_NPG_032)
Polesight (NIA_NPG_ 036)
Vonaq - Utility Pole Strength Measurement (NIA_NPG_001)
Integrated Substation Condition Monitoring (NIA_NPG_002)
Smart Data (NIA_NPG_003)
Development of An Improved Distribution Load Estimates Methodology (NIA_NPG_004)
Activating Community Engagement (NIA_NPG_005)
Modelling Asset Risk (NIA_NPG_006)
Foresight – LV pre-fault recognition and management (NIA_NPG_007)
Development of Oil-filled Cable Additive (NIA_NPG_009)
Pollywood - Alternative wooden pole system for OHL (NIA_NPG_010)
Improving Demand Forecasting (NIA_NPG_012)
Measuring the Societal Impact of Network Activities (NIA_NPG_013)
Vehicle to Grid (V2G) - the network impact of grid-integrated vehicles (NIA_NPG_014)
Geospatial PV Mapping (NIA_NPG_015)
Silent Power – Hybrid EV Generator (NIA_NPG_016)
Customer-Led Distribution System (NIA_NPG_19)
Moving to a Distribution System Operator
Smart Network Design Methodologies (NIA_NPG_020)
Distributed Storage & Solar Study (NIA_NPG_011)

Get in Touch



Northern Powergrid does not see innovation as limited to a department or as a sideline of our business; it is a capability and a culture. Our team creates a common vision across the business of the future network. The services we provide set our yearly priorities and helps develop innovation projects to something usable we can deploy.

If you’d like to share an idea that aligns with these priorities, or you have a question to ask, get in touch via innovation@northernpowergrid.com. 

If you are new to energy networks innovation and want more information, this industry guide may help.

Documents & Resources

DOWNLOAD DOCUMENTS

Polesight Monitoring Design Specification
Polesight Monitoring Design Specification
Leaflet to customers
Polesight – Leaflet to customers
Distribution Flexibility Services Procurement Report 2021/22
Distribution Flexibility Services Procurement Report 2021/22
Innovation Strategy
Our Innovation Strategy offers an overview of the challenges that we face as an energy network, and how we plan to address them through innovation.
Digitalisation Strategy
Our Digitalisation Roadmap forms part of our approach to meeting the challenge of the new zero carbon landscape.
Engaging Community in Network Innovation
A guide for communities and local energy stakeholders who are interested in electricity network innovation.
Environment Report 2021-22
Our Environment Report provides an account of what we are doing to address environmental matters including our role in the transition to a low carbon future.
Network Innovation Allowance Annual Summary 2017-18
Network Innovation Allowance Annual Summary 2017-18
Network Innovation Allowance Annual Summary 2016-17
Network Innovation Allowance Annual Summary 2016-17
Data Dissemination Policy
Our Data Dissemination Policy describes our approach to make available raw trial data generated by innovation projects that have been funded by the NIA, NIC or other regulatory innovation stimulus funding.
Report on the Impact of Voltage and the Harmonic Variations on domestic losses
Optimal energy efficiency is a fundamental feature of any power system, as it has a direct effect on other major parameters such as cost and environmental impact.
Distribution Flexibility Services Procurement Outcomes Report
Read the latest report on the outcomes of our tenders for distribution flexibility services.

DOWNLOAD RESOURCES

Joint industry innovation strategy
Working with all ENA members, we have developed one combined gas and electricity strategy to ensure that network innovation takes a fully integrated approach and aligns with the UK’s overall low carbon innovation portfolio.
View strategy document
Energy Innovation Centre
The Energy Innovation Centre is our standard route for interaction with innovative SMEs is through the Energy Innovation Centre (EIC), a brokerage system entirely led by industry
Energy Innovation Centre
Energy Network Association’s smarter networks portal
The Energy Network Association’s smarter networks portal is a library of information for all innovation projects run by energy networks and funded by the regulated allowances.
Smart Networks
Ofgem
Our regulator offers its own information on network innovation, as well as a ‘one stop shop’ for businesses looking to introduce innovative propositions to the energy sector (‘The Innovation Link’).
Ofgem - Network Innovation
Ofgem - How we engage
Innovation plans of other electricity network operators
The innovation plans of other electricity network operators are also available publically. Together with ours, they form a pool of knowledge that benefit the UK customer.
Western Power Distribution
Electricity North West
SP Energy Network
Scottish and Southern Power Networks
UK Power Networks
Customer-Led Network Revolution (CLNR)
As one of the most significant smart grid projects ever undertaken in the UK, CLNR generated important new learning on technology deployment and customers’ energy practices. Read more about the project, which Northern Powergrid led.
CLNR - Conclusions
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