Ofgem has awarded £46.8m funding to four projects as part of the regulator’s 2018 Network Innovation Competitions.
Each year network companies submit bids for funding to develop and test new technologies or approaches which could help to cut the costs of the energy system for consumers. Funding will come consumers via the RIIO price controls.
The projects and winning bidders are:
- Trialling and gathering data on the charging patterns of different commercial fleets of electric vehicles (UK Power Networks)
- Plotting the ideal locations for electric vehicle charging points, including testing of on street charging and charge points in other locations including the work place and shopping centres (SP Energy Networks)
- Further testing of blending hydrogen with natural gas supplied to homes and businesses with a view to deploying it across Britain’s gas networks (Cadent)
- Trialling new ways of enhancing electricity security of supply (National Grid, the Electricity System Operator)
Jonathan Brearley, Ofgem’s executive director for systems and networks, said: “Millions of us will be driving electric vehicles in future. There is also significant potential for using hydrogen blended gas to help decarbonise how we heat the country’s homes and businesses”
For more detail on the projects see Ofgem’s decision document.
Related content:
How can regulators promote innovation? Treasury asks for comment
Hydrogen production could help balance intermittent energy generation, says Policy Exchange
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