Energy Network Companies have launched a ‘Call for Ideas’ for network innovations for gas and electricity network. Companies can work with gas and electricity network operators to develop bids for innovation projects that will total up to £20 million for gas network projects and up to £70 million for electricity network projects.

The call is being run by the Energy Networks Association (ENA). Network companies and their partners will compete for funding for the development and demonstration of new energy technologies that will help run energy network infrastructure in a smarter, cleaner and more flexible way. 

Proposals must provide a clear cost benefit to the public, cost benefits to the running of the networks, environmental benefits and demonstrate genuine innovation. They will need to fit with  priority areas or one of the possible cross-sector areas, such as whole system planning, set out in Gas and Electricity Network Innovation Strategies published earlier this year.

Phillip New, chief executive of Energy Systems Catapult, said: “We are seeing extraordinary changes across the energy system, in particular in how our networks manage the shift to more low carbon and decentralised energy. This programme gives innovative companies the important chance to road test new ideas and trial them at scale.”

The call for ideas is open until 26 October and pplications can be made on the ENA’s Network Innovation Collaboration Portal.