SIF Projects
The Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) is designed to drive the innovation needed to transform gas and electricity networks for a low-carbon future. To fund out more about SIF, please visit the Ofgem website here.
Challenge areas:
- Supporting a just energy transition
- Preparing for a net zero power system
- Improving energy system resilience and robustness
- Accelerating decarbonisation of major energy demands
Strategic Innovation Fund replaces the network innovation competition (NIC) It has 3 phases:
- Discovery (up to 2 months £150K)
- Alpha (up to 6 months (£500K)
- Beta (£500K+)
The aim is that the risk of big projects failing to deliver value for money is mitigated by having these three stages. Its managed by innovate UK on behalf of Ofgem. Round one was last year. DNO’s unable to participate until this year due to timing of ED2 start.
Successful Proposals
EV Respond
EV Respond will investigate methods to restore vulnerable customer supplies during a power cut, by making use of Electric Vehicles. The project will consider how this can be managed and coordinated by means of an app, will look at how connections can be carried out, and will consider the benefits/drawbacks when compared to the use of diesel generators.
PIONEER (Proportional Investment of Networks in Energy Efficiency Retrofit)
Proportional Investment of Networks in Energy Efficiency Retrofit (PIONEER) aims to develop commercial models by which the DNOs can provide funding for thermal energy efficiency (EE) measures and to demonstrate through pre and post retrofit monitoring the impact these measures have on network loads.
PRIDE ( Planning Regional Infrastructure in a Digital Environment) Planning Regional Infrastructure in a Digital Environment
(PRIDE) will investigate how we can bring together datasets from a variety of sources on a single platform to support regional planning. Working with West Midlands Combined Authority and Advanced Infrastructure, PRIDE examines how local decision making could be enabled by a digital twin, and what new supporting models and datasets would be required.
Shifting Currents
Shifting Currents will build on the FLOWERS NIA feasibility study to investigate how to embed flexible operation into water utility assets and develop whole system efficiency. It aims to develop mechanisms to shift the timing and control of operations to reduce electrical peak demand, lower the carbon costs of water networks and prevent curtailment of renewable generation.
TEED (Tyseley Environmental Enterprise District)
This project is an investigation of how a complex, multi-vector energy system with significant local generation and storage can be developed using a Digital Twin to be optimally resilient and deliver best value to a mixed local community of industry and domestic consumers, alongside ongoing regeneration of the area.