Ofgem Strategic Innovation Fund

Decarbonising Great Britain’s energy networks is a huge undertaking, and it is urgent. Innovation is critical to reaching this goal. The Ofgem Strategic Innovation Fund brings together the networks, the partners, the ideas and the people, to drive the innovation and transformation needed to accelerate the delivery of net zero by 2030.

Transitioning the UK’s energy networks towards a resilient and efficient future.

The Ofgem Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) is part of the price control system managed by industry regulator Ofgem and was established in 2021 to drive innovation and transformation in energy networks.

The SIF supports network innovation that contributes to the achievement of net zero, while delivering real net benefits to network companies and consumers. Working with other public funders of innovation so that activities appropriately funded by network consumers are coordinated with activities funded by Government. Energy network companies form partnerships with energy innovators to bid for funding to run transformative innovation projects. Key sectors include Agriculture, AI, Built environment, Digital, Energy, Energy efficiency, Fuel poverty, Net zero, Retrofit, Sustainability, Transport, Water.

The Ofgem Strategic Innovation Fund is delivered in partnership between Ofgem and Innovate UK, drawing on Innovate UK’s established expertise in managing innovation programmes, convening partners, and fostering entrepreneurship.

A giant leap together

The Ofgem Strategic Innovation Fund, in partnership with Innovate UK, aims to help deliver net zero at lowest cost to consumers and to help the UK become a global leader in energy network innovation. To create the change we need is a huge challenge, but we can do it if we collaborate… and take a giant leap together.

Vision and mission

Accelerating the UK’s transition to Net Zero at lowest cost to the consumer and make the UK the best place for energy businesses to grow and scale.
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Helping people

We create products and services to transition energy networks to net zero, ensuring value for money for consumers. We aim to empower people in businesses and communities.

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Helping the planet

We are accelerating the delivery of net zero goals while enabling energy security. Our efforts focus on making energy systems more resilient and robust.

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Helping business

We enable diverse collaboration to drive change and support the best ideas to grow and scale, encouraging finance and investment to foster innovation.

The process

The SIF programme has four clear stages to support your innovation journey. The process is designed to help grow and scale successful businesses to commercialisation, with the very best ideas becoming business as usual in the transition of GB’s energy networks to net zero and contributing to UK economic growth.
  • Challenges
  • Ideation
  • Incubation
  • Acceleration

Every year we engage with industry and other stakeholders to learn about and identify the most important energy network innovation challenges, based on problems that users and consumers are facing. These challenges provide you with focus and direction on the most pressing issues needing to be tackled.

Through our ‘Call for Ideas’ process we ask you to generate and submit new ideas for processes, products and services that will target the challenges identified. After a robust review process, the best ideas are asked to pitch their proposal to the networks. Unsuccessful projects that are close to being fundable are offered individual support to improve their proposal for future submission to SIF.

Successful ideas are invited by networks to form effective partnerships with them, and other stakeholder project partners such as industry and academia. Working in collaboration to develop the proposal into an application into SIF. Applications are submitted by the lead network onto the Innovation Funding Service portal.

Working with subject matter experts, Innovate UK and Ofgem select and fund the most promising ideas that meet the challenge criteria. Successfully funded projects begin a journey with three phases. At each phase projects compete for higher levels of funding, with fewer projects going through each time. Discovery: many projects, feasibility studies lasting 2-3 months, up to £150k. Alpha: fewer projects, proof of concept, lasting up to 6 months, up to £500k per project. Beta: a few projects, large scale, real world demonstrator developments lasting up to 5 years, multi million pound funding. Every year, three cycles will be open for opportunities to apply into the available rounds of the SIF. The cycles will open in January, May and September and close in February, June and October. All three phases, Discovery, Alpha and Beta will be available for applications within each cycle.

  • Projects that address the Round 3 innovation challenges must be in beta stage to apply.

    Projects that address the Round 4 innovation challenges can be in:

    • Discovery
    • Alpha
    • Beta
  • Projects that address the Round 3 innovation challenges must be in beta stage to apply.

    Projects that address the Round 4 innovation challenges can be in:

    • Discovery
    • Alpha
    • Beta
  • Projects that address the Round 3 innovation challenges must be in beta stage to apply.

    Projects that address the Round 4 innovation challenges can be in:

    • Discovery
    • Alpha
    • Beta

    Projects that address the Round 5 innovation challenges can be in:

    • Discovery
    • Alpha
    • Beta
  • Projects that address the Round 3 innovation challenges must be in beta stage to apply.

    Projects that address the Round 4 innovation challenges can be in:

    • Alpha
    • Beta

    Projects that address the Round 5 innovation challenges can be in:

    • Discovery
    • Alpha
    • Beta

OPPORTUNITY

Ofgem Strategic Innovation Fund Round 4 Discovery

Organisations can apply for a share of up to £30m for collaborative projects to improve the UK energy network.

PROJECTS

Explore projects funded by the Ofgem Strategic Innovation Fund

Find out more about all our SIF funded projects on the Energy Networks Association Innovation Portal.

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Networks

All SIF projects are led by one of Britain’s energy networks, to find out more watch our introduction to energy networks video series on YouTube.



Related Events and Recordings

Thu
25
Apr
2024

Ofgem Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) Show & Tell – Alpha Round 2

09.00 - 17.00 GMT | Online

Watch now
Mon
3
Jun
2024

Ofgem Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) Show & Tell webinars – Discovery Round 3

09.30 - 16.30 | Online

Watch now
See all events

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CONTACT

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If you need additional support or would like more information, please contact the team.

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