Ofgem Strategic Innovation Fund Discovery C6
Forecasted
Ofgem Strategic Innovation Fund Discovery C6 supports energy network operators and partners to investigate network innovations that benefit users, lower the cost of reaching net zero and inform later testing.
Funder: UK Research and Innovation
Due Dates (Anticipated): June 2027 (competition closing)
Funding Amounts: Up to £200,000 per Discovery project; up to £30 million across the five challenges (exclusive of VAT)
Summary: Supports collaborative Discovery projects addressing Ofgem’s energy network Innovation Challenges.
Key Information: Only an Ofgem-licensed energy network operator or the National Energy System Operator can lead.
Description
The Ofgem Strategic Innovation Fund Discovery competition is delivered by Innovate UK in partnership with Ofgem. It funds collaborations investigating network innovations that could help Great Britain reach net zero at the lowest cost to consumers, deliver benefits to energy network users and support innovative businesses to grow. Discovery is the first of four phases, followed by Alpha, Beta and Deployment.
Projects must address one of five challenges: industrial and business connection acceleration; faster build and maintenance; instant use domestic energy devices; eliminating energy outages; or decentralised system balancing. Discovery work defines the problem, the value of solving it, and consumers’ and network users’ needs. Applicants must plan how their project could progress through testing, demonstration and deployment.
