INNOVATION
Innovate with us
Collaboration is at the heart of our approach to innovation. If you have a project idea or a suggestion for improving the way we operate or develop the gas transmission network, we want to hear from you.
Progress through partnership
As owner and operator of the gas National Transmission System (NTS), National Gas is in a unique position to take a leading role in whole-system innovations. We work closely with UK electricity and gas networks and industry participants to develop the most efficient and cost-effective solutions to support the transition to net zero.
Collaboration is at the heart of our approach to innovation. It enables us to expand the scope of our innovation projects, by accessing wide-ranging expertise to help us develop a safe, efficient and reliable gas network for the future. We are always on the look-out for new ways to engage with colleagues, stakeholders and the wider gas industry. Our aim is to continuously learn from successes and failures, and to support ongoing collaboration and dissemination across the utility industries.
The partners we work with today:
Innovation funding mechanisms
There are two key funding mechanisms available to support innovation across the gas industry:
Network Innovation Allowance (NIA)
Provides an allowance to fund smaller-scale projects. NIA funding provides an opportunity to develop innovation programmes across the gas industry that focus on the energy transition and vulnerable customers. Drivers for the NIA are:
- Research and development – encouraging operational and technological innovation
- Collaboration and dissemination – working with external partners to solve problems and share new learning
- Customers and strategy – focusing on solutions that deliver direct financial value to our customers
Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF)
This replaces the Network Innovation Competition (NIC) and is intended to support innovation activities that contribute to achieving net zero. It provides funding for larger-scale demonstration projects and enables their development through three phases:
- The Discovery phase focuses on enhancing the understanding of a problem that needs to be solved. It typically takes between six and eight weeks to complete.
- The Alpha phase looks at trying out different solutions to the problem identified. It typically takes between ten and 20 weeks to complete.
- The Beta phase focuses on deploying the solution in a real-life environment, while continuing to make improvements. The duration of the Beta phase depends on the scale and complexity of the solution being deployed. It will likely be the longest and largest-scale phase of the SIF process.
SIF funding is determined by annual challenges, which focus on encouraging cross-industry collaboration.
Other potential funding mechanisms for innovation projects include UIOLI NZ reopener, EU and UKRI.