Towards a Net Zero Future

Watch on-demand until 18 January 2021

Watch 100 on-demand presentations and panel debates showcasing the most significant Ofgem-funded innovation projects from the UK's gas and electricity networks.

If you would like to become an exhibitor please contact t.hewitt@venturebusiness.london

Agenda Highlights

Gas

  • The safety case for the hydrogen transition: what can we learn from the UK’s key innovation projects?
  • Facilitating the energy system transition: network operators’ views on the next steps
  • Find out what asset optimisation technologies you could “plug and play” into other networks
  • The UK’s plans for taking vulnerable customers on the net zero journey

Electricity

  • Hear how networks are planning for the EV mass market
  • TSO and DNO initiatives for building the flexibility markets of the future
  • Engaging communities and customers as we decarbonise the energy system
  • Asset optimisation game changers: a snapshot of the best NIC and NIA project outcomes
  • Whole energy system approaches to the decarbonisation of heat and power

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digital content bubbles

The 2020 event is now available to view on demand until 18 January 2021. Watch your choice of over 15 bubbles of concise virtual content, and fill your digital swagbag with case studies and insights into new technologies.

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network innovation projects

The 2020 virtual event showcases the lessons learnt from over 60 of the UK’s top network innovation projects enabling key net zero transitions, including hydrogen, electric vehicles and flexibility markets.

£0

To register and attend

Register and log-in for free until 18 January 2021 to experience the UK’s flagship knowledge dissemination event for the electricity and gas energy network operators.

Sponsored by:

Who should attend?

Anyone involved in managing, developing or implementing innovations that will pave the way for our future
gas and electricity transmission and distribution networks, including:

  • Distribution network/system operators (DNOs/DSOs)
  • Transmission system operators (TSOs)
  • Government and regulatory leaders
  • Research organisations/universities
  • Local authorities
  • Technology providers
  • OEMs
  • SMEs and start-ups
  • Service providers
  • Energy developers/producers
  • Energy consumers and associations
  • Community energy organisations

The Line up

The Rt Hon Kwasi Kwarteng MP

Minister of State

Steve McMahon

Ofgem

Duncan Clark

Ørsted

Claire Dykta

National Grid

Agenda

Gas sessions

Keynotes
10:00

Welcome to ENIC 2020

David Smith, Chief Executive, Energy Networks Association
10:10

Live ministerial address and Q&A

The Rt Hon Kwasi Kwarteng MP, Minister of State and Minister for Business, Energy and Clean Growth
10:25

Keynote

What are we looking for in future NIC and NIA projects?
Steven McMahon, Deputy Director, Electricity Distribution Network Price Controls and Cross Sector Policy, OfGem
10:40

Keynote

The future direction of the UK’s energy system and the role of innovation
  • What has been achieved over past 5 years on energy innovation
  • What might be the priorities for the next 5 years
  • How we can further drive collaboration and partnerships
Matthew Billson, Deputy Director, Energy Innovation – Strategy and Portfolio, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS)
10:55

Panel

Enabling net zero: decarbonising the energy system
  • Open Networks and Gas Goes Green Project updates
  • Interconnectivity, sector coupling and building the smart energy systems of the future
  • Energy system transformation: what does this mean?
  • The energy system transition: who pays?
  • The role of the networks in transitioning to a net zero energy system
Moderator:
Guy Newey, Director of Strategy and Performance, Energy Systems Catapult
Panellists:
Claire Dykta, Head of UK Strategy, National Grid
Chris Train, Green Gas Champion, Energy Networks Association
Nigel Turvey, DSO and Future Networks Manager, Western Power Distribution
11:30

End of session

Live exhibition stand session
11:30 - 12:30

Visit our Exhibition and Innovation Halls for:

  • New technologies on display
  • Q&A with projects leaders on their companies’ stands
  • Extra NIC and NIA project presentation videos available for download
12:30 - 13:00

Lunch

Energy system transition: building the safety case
Chair: Richard Hynes-Cooper, Head of Innovation, Northern Gas Networks

13:00

European perspectives

Greening our gas networks

Eva will talk you through some of the major hydrogen initiatives being undertaken by European gas networks, and the next steps on the horizon for scaling up the use of hydrogen across the continent.

Eva Hennig, Head of Department Policy Issues, Thüga, Germany
13:15

Hydrogen keynote

The hydrogen transition: from pilot projects to large-scale decarbonisation

Dr Taylor will share a high level view of the UK’s hydrogen transition vision, our achievements so far and the roadmap to 2050.

Dr Mark Taylor, Deputy Director for Energy Innovation (SICE), Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS)
13:30
H21: Pioneering a UK Hydrogen network

H21 is a suite of pioneering gas industry projects led by Northern Gas Networks, focused on demonstrating the existing UK gas grid can be repurposed to carry 100% hydrogen, to meet the 2050 objectives. Before the vision of a hydrogen gas network can be fully realised, the critical safety-based evidence for such a conversion, upstream and downstream of the meter, must be provided. Without it, a credible government policy decision on decarbonisation of heat cannot be made.

Tim Harwood, Head of Programme Management and H21 Project Director, Northern Gas Networks
,
13:45
HyNTS: Roadmap to hydrogen

Find out more about our hydrogen challenge, the work we have carried out looking at regional options, hydrogen deblending and building the future safety case. This session will give an overview of the next steps in our hydrogen journey and our broader hydrogen roadmap.

Tony Green,Project Director - Hydrogen and Tom Neal, Innovation Delivery Manager, National Grid Gas Transmission
14:00
The role of the Local Transmission System (LTS) in a net zero future

The LTS Futures programme is designed to develop the safety, technical and practical evidence to support the use of hydrogen in the LTS. The research work proposed, underpins many aspects of the decarbonised pathway. The work will:

  • Will provide evidence informing network safety to determine the suitability of LTS network assets for hydrogen
  • Provide the technical input to ensure the decarbonisation of industrial clusters can be delivered
  • Define the role of LTS in system transformation and the impact on hydrogen roll-out and the green recovery
Nancy Thomson, Energy Futures Project Manager, SGN
14:15
Positive results from the UK’s first grid-injected hydrogen pilot: HyDeploy

HyDeploy is a pioneering hydrogen energy project designed to help reduce UK CO2 emissions and reach the Government’s net zero target for 2050. As the first ever live demonstration of hydrogen in homes, HyDeploy aims to prove that blending up to 20% volume of hydrogen with natural gas is a safe and greener alternative to the gas we use now. It is providing evidence on how customers do not have to change their cooking or heating appliances to take the blend, which means less disruption and cost for them. It is also confirming initial findings that customers do not notice any difference when using the hydrogen blend.

Sikander Mahmood, Project Manager – Future Networks, Cadent
14:30

End of session

Live exhibition stand session
14:30 - 15:30

Visit our Exhibition and Innovation Halls for:

  • New technologies on display
  • Q&A with projects leaders on their companies’ stands
  • Extra NIC and NIA project presentation videos available for download
15:00

Visit the Networking Lounge to join group chats on:

A. Emobility: what do the networks need to do to enable the electrification of transport?
Randolph Brazier, Head of Innovation, Energy Networks Association (ENA)
B. The hydrogen transition: how are we building confidence in the safety case?
Nancy Thomson,Energy Futures Project Manager, SGN
Stephen Tomlinson, Energy Futures Project Manager, SGN
C. Funding operational efficiency innovations
John Richardson, Head of Innovation, SGN
D. Innovation in ED2
Ian Cooper, Innovation Programme Manager, UK Power Networks
Facilitating the energy system transition
Chair: Matt Hindle, Head of Gas, Energy Networks Association

15:30
H100 Fife
Stephen Tomlinson, Energy Futures Project Manager, SGN
15:40
Hybrid-Hydrogen (HyHy): Decarbonisation of heat, power and transport

The hybrid hydrogen project explores how a ‘hybrid first’ strategy can decarbonise heat in cities faster than alternatives and how hydrogen can be deployed away from the main focus areas in the north of England. The project explored the production of hydrogen, with the carbon dioxide being transported by ship for use or storage. Centred on Cardiff, the project compliments the South Wales Industrial Cluster, with the results providing a decarbonisation solution for heat, industry, power generation and heavy transport. It examined the optimal solution for hydrogen production capacity and storage as well as comparing hydrogen solutions to the mass deployment of heat pumps. As a bonus, the project has generated the concept of hydrogen ‘daughter’ locations, such as England’s hydrogen Riviera, linking deep water ports by tankers, bringing hydrogen to parts of the country earlier than planned.

Chris Clarke, Energy Strategy Director, Wales & West Utilities
15:50
A cleaner, greener gas network: OptiNet

The OptiNet project is a collaboration between Cadent, Wales & West Utilities and PassivSystems. OptiNet aims to investigate ways of decarbonising the UK’s gas networks by introducing more green gases. The project will review several solutions to create capacity in the network to allow additional biomethane plants or other distributed gas generation to connect and flow, even in the lowest demand periods.

James Whitmore, Innovation Manager – Future Networks, Cadent
16:00
Tools of Engagement: aiding regional authorities in the journey to net zero
  • A toolkit and simplified version of Pathfinder Plus, our whole energy systems model
  • Enables Local Area Energy Planning to meet any net zero target
  • Uses real profiles of energy consumption and electricity generation
  • Provides a ‘fair share’ of national energy assets to build upon with local supply and demand options
  • Supports development of a low regrets action pathway for heat, power and transport
  • Gives total average household energy bill and estimated blackout hours for each scenario modelled
Oliver Lancaster, Future of Energy Manager, Wales & West Utilities
16:10
Emissions monitoring and reduction

Find out about the work we have been carrying out to more effectively monitor and reduce the emissions from our day-to-day operational activities. An overview of two emissions related innovation projects: Monitoring of Real-time Fugitive Emissions (MoRFE), which looks at developing a cost-effective continuous fugitive emission detection system and CH4RGE, a project that looks at reducing methane emissions from rotating gas equipment.

Steve Johnstone, Senior Innovation Specialist, Neil BillinghamSenior Environmental Engineer, Matthew Williams, Project Lead, National Grid Gas Transmission and NPL and Dr Neil Howes, Higher Research Scientist, National Physical Laboratory
16:20

Panel

What are the next steps in facilitating the energy system transition?
  • The decarbonisation of heavy vehicles: what needs to happen next?
  • Industrial clusters: how can the networks assist in scaling up decarbonisation efforts?
  • What will the future of heat look like in Britain and how will we get there?
Moderator:
Matt Hindle, Head of Gas, Energy Networks Association
Panellists include:
Chris Clarke, Energy Strategy Director, Wales & West Utilities
Tim Harwood, Head of Programme Management and H21 Director, Northern Gas Networks
Stuart Easterbrook, Future Gas Strategy Manager, Cadent
Corin Taylor, Principal Consultant, Decarbonised Gas Alliance
17:00

End of session

Electricity sessions

Keynotes
10:00

Welcome to ENIC 2020

David Smith, Chief Executive, Energy Networks Association
10:05

Live ministerial address and Q&A

The Rt Hon Kwasi Kwarteng MP, Minister of State and Minister for Business, Energy and Clean Growth
10:25

Keynote

What are we looking for in future NIC and NIA projects?
Steven McMahon, Deputy Director, Electricity Distribution Network Price Controls and Cross Sector Policy, OfGem
10:40

Keynote

The future direction of the UK’s energy system and the role of innovation
  • What has been achieved over past 5 years on energy innovation
  • What might be the priorities for the next 5 years
  • How we can further drive collaboration and partnerships
Matthew Billson, Deputy Director, Energy Innovation – Strategy and Portfolio, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS)
10:50

Panel

Enabling net zero: decarbonising the energy system
  • Open Networks and Gas Goes Green Project updates
  • Interconnectivity, sector coupling and building the smart energy systems of the future
  • Energy system transformation: what does this mean?
  • The energy system transition: who pays?
  • The role of the networks in transitioning to a net zero energy system
Moderator:
Guy Newey, Director of Strategy and Performance, Energy Systems Catapult
Panellists:
Claire Dykta, Head of UK Strategy, National Grid
Chris Train, Green Gas Champion, Energy Networks Association
Nigel Turvey, DSO and Future Networks Manager, Western Power Distribution
11:30

End of session

Live exhibition stand session
11:30 - 12:30

Visit our Exhibition and Innovation Halls for

  • New technologies on display
  • Q&A with projects leaders on their companies’ stands
  • Extra NIC and NIA project presentation videos available for download
12:30 - 13:00

Lunch

Preparing networks for the EV mass market
Chair: Vicky Murchie, Stakeholder and Communications Manager, Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks

13:00

Probabilistic assessments in forecasting for network planning: focus on EV charging uncertainties

This presentation is on probabilistic assessments in forecasting used for network planning with a particular focus on EV charging uncertainties. Just a few years before we expect to see a significant number of EVs on the road, the main headaches for network planners are the uncertainties involved in EV charging, such as whether they will be charged at home, work or en route and at what capacities. These uncertainties can be better captured using probabilistic assessments as we do in our Reflect NIA project, providing useful cost and risk insights to network planners.

Dr Christos Kaloudas, DSO Modelling and Forecasting Lead, Electricity North West
13:15
Our EV uptake journey: CHARGE, EV-UP and PACE

The uptake of electric vehicles is something we know must happen now. We see the role of the DNO in enabling it while also preparing ourselves for the network impact and focusing on maintaining our network reliability. In this presentation, we will present an overview of our work in supporting the delivery of EV charging infrastructure, here and now, while also looking ahead to how we can best anticipate and enable regional uptake across our license areas in the future. This will cover key work across three critical projects in our portfolio:

CHARGE, EV-Up and PACE
Nicol Gray, Senior Project Manager,
Geoff Murphy, Lead Engineer and
Laura Dunn, Senior Innovation Engineer, SP Energy Networks
13:40

DC-Share and Take Charge: innovating for a cost effective EV charging infrastructure

DC Share is a £5.6 Million NIC project that is being delivered by Western Power Distribution, Ricardo, Turbo Power Systems, Electricity North West and Vectos. It will design and trial an innovative meshed DC network to balance the local distribution network and combine latent transformer capacity and utilise it for rapid car charging. We will be sharing an overview of the project as well as our progress to date. Our innovative 'Take Charge' NIA project aims to make rapid charging at service stations quicker and easier for both service station operators and customers while saving tens of millions of pounds. It involves designing, testing and trialling a 'one size fits all’ compact solution ensuring that service station customers can simultaneously charge their vehicles at peak times. Find out about the initial findings from the project including the work on site selection, system capacity and design.

Ricky Duke, Innovation and Low Carbon Networks Engineer, Western Power Distribution and
Neil Murdoch, Engineering Manager, GHD
14:00
Electric Vehicles: preparing networks for EV ready roads

Projecting highly localised EV uptake scenarios and addressing regional challenges through innovation, looking at the E Tourism and Local Electric Vehicle Energy Loop (LEVEL) projects.

Richard Hartshorn, EV Readiness Manager and
Kate Jones, Innovation Project Manager, Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks
14:20

End of session

Live exhibition stand session
14:30 - 15:30

Visit our Exhibition and Innovation Halls for

  • New technologies on display
  • Q&A with projects leaders on their companies’ stands
  • Extra NIC and NIA project presentation videos available for download
15:00

Visit the Networking Lounge for group chats on:

a. Emobility: what do the networks need to do to enable the electrification of transport?
Randolph Brazier, Head of Innovation, Energy Networks Association (ENA)
b. The hydrogen transition: how are we building confidence in the safety case?
Nancy Thomson, Energy Futures Project Manager, SGN
Stephen Tomlinson, Energy Futures Project Manager, SGN
c. Funding operational efficiency innovations
John Richardson, Head of Innovation, SGN
d. Innovation in ED2
Ian Cooper, Innovation Programme Manager, UK Power Networks
Accelerating flexibility markets
15:30
TRANSITION: tailoring flexibility to the needs of the market

DNO led flexibility market development can be driven by a combination of network needs, technology growth/availability and socio-political pressures. This is resulting in geographical diversity in the maturity of markets across both local and national levels. This is a natural process in market progression and is the reason products and prices of a single good/service may vary within a given area (local, national, international).

Brian Wann, Innovation Project Manager and
Charlie Edwards, Commercial Manager, Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks
15:45

FUSION

SP Energy’s project FUSION is actively working to unlock flexibility through aggregator participation in the flexibility market. By facilitating this structured and competitive market, based on the Universal Smart Energy Framework (USEF), network flexibility will be accessible to a much wider range of participants. The creation of a flexibility market will go beyond existing bilateral trading of flexibility, providing a whole systems approach to realising the value of flexibility. Project lead, Michael Green, will discuss the progression of the project and highlight some key learning from the journey so far.

Michael Green, Engineering Specialist: Low Carbon Technology, SP Energy Networks
16:00
Power Potential project for reactive power service provision from DERs

Power Potential is a TSO/DSO innovation project between National Grid ESO and UK Power Networks, enabling distributed energy resources (DERs) connected to the distribution grid to provide reactive power transmission services to the ESO. It focuses on the dynamic voltage support that can be obtained from the DERs and the associated provision of a ‘reactive power service’ to help manage transmission voltage constraints. The core of the project is a new IT control platform which facilitates the communication and control of DERs connected to networks, supporting the technical and market solution. We will be sharing the design of the project trials to validate both the technical and commercial framework.

Dr Biljana Stojkovska, Innovation Technical Manager, National Grid ESO
Rita Shaw, Project Lead, Power Potential, UK Power Networks
16:15
Closer to real time procurement- initial findings of Auction Trial Phase 2

The weekly auction trial is a two-year innovation project which is designed to test the hypothesis that closer to real-time procurement will lower the barrier for non-traditional participants, increase market liquidity, and reduce overall balancing costs via weekly pay-as-clear auctions. This presentation will outline the project brief, comparisons between innovative weekly frequency response market and traditional monthly market, ESO’s learning points so far and the plan for next steps.

Yingyi Wang, Balancing Markets Development Officer, National Grid ESO
16:25
Distributed ReStart: demonstration phase, shedding light on our findings and setting the scene for delivery

We have now passed our halfway point and are entering the ‘demonstration phase’ on the Distributed ReStart project. Learn about our progress and findings on:

  • Designing the technical, organisational, systems and telecommunications solutions to be tested in live trials
  • Reviewing the range of codes, policies, and standards
  • Learning about the development and implementation of the automated Distributed Restart Zone Controller
Pete Chandler, Project Lead, Distributed ReStart, National Grid ESO
16:45

Speed panel

Accelerating flexibility markets: next steps
  • What can we learn from these innovation projects that can be taken into future programmes?
  • New initiatives that require planning in the near to mid-term
  • Unanswered questions around how flexibility markets will be brough to maturity UK
Moderator:
Carolina Tortora, Head of Digital Transformation and Innovation Strategy, National Grid ESO
Panellists:
Audrey Gallacher, Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Policy, Energy UK
Prof. Keith Bell, ScottishPower Chair in Smart Grids, University of Strathclyde
Sotiris Georgiopoulos, Head of Smart Grid Development, UK Power Networks
17:00

End of session

Special sessions

Keynotes
10:00

Welcome to ENIC 2020

David Smith, Chief Executive, Energy Networks Association
10:10

Live ministerial address and Q&A

The Rt Hon Kwasi Kwarteng MP, Minister of State and Minister for Business, Energy and Clean Growth
10:25

Keynote

What are we looking for in future NIC and NIA projects?
Steven McMahon, Deputy Director, Electricity Distribution Network Price Controls and Cross Sector Policy, OfGem
10:40

Keynote

The future direction of the UK’s energy system and the role of innovation
  • What has been achieved over past 5 years on energy innovation
  • What might be the priorities for the next 5 years
  • How we can further drive collaboration and partnerships
Matthew Billson , Deputy Director, Energy Innovation – Strategy and Portfolio, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS)
10:55

Panel

Enabling net zero: decarbonising the energy system
  • Open Networks and Gas Goes Green Project updates
  • Interconnectivity, sector coupling and building the smart energy systems of the future
  • Energy system transformation: what does this mean?
  • The energy system transition: who pays?
  • The role of the networks in transitioning to a net zero energy system
Moderator:
Guy Newey, Director of Strategy and Performance, Energy Systems Catapult
Panellists:
Claire Dykta, Head of UK Strategy, National Grid
Chris Train, Green Gas Champion, Energy Networks Association
Nigel Turvey, DSO and Future Networks Manager, Western Power Distribution
11:30

End of session

Live exhibition stand session
11:30 - 12:30

Visit our Exhibition and Innovation Halls for:

  • New technologies on display
  • Q&A with projects leaders on their companies’ stands
  • Extra NIC and NIA project presentation videos available for download
12:30 - 13:00

Lunch

Open Networks Project
Chair: Louise van Rensburg, Deputy Director, Energy System Transition, Ofgem
13:00

Live polling session

Delivering tomorrow’s electricity network: the Open Networks Project

Quickfire updates on the five themes of work coming out of the ENA’s Open Networks Project, and a chance to feed back on its 2021 direction in our live polling panel.

  • Data and outputs: update from Open Networks and the Data Working Group
  • Whole energy system transformation
  • Flexibility and commercial evolution
  • Delivering Distribution System Operation (DSO)
  • Improving distribution connections for customers
Moderator:
Louise van Rensburg, Deputy Director, Energy System Transition, Ofgem
Speakers:
Sotiris Georgiopoulos, Head of Smart Grid Development, UK Power Networks
Mark Herring, Head of Code Change Delivery, National Grid ESO
Graham Campbell, Head of DSO, SP Energy Networks
13:30

Panel

What do you need from the future electricity grid?
  • DSO/ESO coordination: how will it work?
  • Opportunities for standardisation and opening up data to improve the customer experience
  • Working holistically across all energy vectors: how will this work?
  • Barriers to participation in flexibility markets
  • Role of networks in delivering net zero
Moderator:
Louise van Rensburg, Deputy Director, Energy System Transition, Ofgem
Dr Richard Dobson, Practice Manager – Data Systems, Energy Systems Catapult
Carmen Gimeno, Secretary General, GEODE
Sotiris Georgiopoulos, Head of Smart Grid Development, UK Power Networks
Mark Herring, Head of Code Change Delivery, National Grid ESO
Graham Campbell, Head of DSO, SP Energy Networks
14:30

End of session

Live exhibition stand session
14:30 - 15:30

Visit our Exhibition and Innovation Halls for:

  • New technologies on display
  • Q&A with projects leaders on their companies’ stands
  • Extra NIC and NIA project presentation videos available for download
15:00

Visit the Networking Lounge for group chats on:

a. Emobility: what do the networks need to do to enable the electrification of transport?
Randolph Brazier, Head of Innovation, Energy Networks Association (ENA)
b. The hydrogen transition: how are we building confidence in the safety case?
Nancy Thomson, Energy Futures Project Manager, SGN
Stephen Tomlinson, Energy Futures Project Manager, SGN
c. Funding operational efficiency innovations
John Richardson, Head of Innovation, SGN
d. Innovation in ED2
Ian Cooper, Innovation Programme Manager, UK Power Networks
Game changer technologies
Chair: Randolph Brazier, Head of Innovation, Energy Networks Association
15:30

Tech showcase

New solutions for future energy systems

Global innovators have just 5 minutes each to share their latest solutions, how they work and the benefits they can bring to energy networks, in this lively fast-paced session.

Speakers include:
Kelvatek
Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories
CGI
S&C
Opus One
17:00

End of session

Gas sessions

Keynotes
10:15

Welcome back to ENIC 2020

David Smith, Chief Executive, Energy Networks Association
10:20

European keynote

Shaping an inclusive energy transition

Kristian Ruby, Secretary General, Eurelectric
10:35

Outside the box speaker

Our view of the future of energy and how innovation will make it happen
Duncan Clark,Head of Region UK,Ørsted
10:50

Panel

Which international net zero projects can we learn from?
  • Germany’s lessons learnt from the SINTEG innovation projects and plans for its energy transition
  • European smart grid initiatives: progress, challenges and future direction
  • The USA’s net zero projects and focus for 2030 and 2050
  • What new projects we do need to fully decarbonise energy systems by 2050?
Moderator:
Dr Peter Couch, CEO, Joint Radio Company
Heiko Staubitz, Senior Manager Smart Grids and Energy Storage, Germany Trade and Invest (GTAI)
Mark McGranaghan, Vice President of Innovation, Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)
Antonella Battaglini, CEO, Renewables Grid Initiative (RGI)
11:30

End of session

Live exhibition stand session
11:30 - 12:30

Visit our Exhibition and Innovation Halls for:

  • New technologies on display
  • Q&A with projects leaders on their companies’ stands
  • Extra NIC and NIA project presentation videos available for download
12:30

Lunch

Optimisation of assets
Chair: Lucy Mason, Innovation Manager, Wales & West Utilities

13:00

Fast followers quickfire round

Technologies tested by the networks through the NIC or NIA projects, which can be readily implemented by other network operators.

  • GRAID: robots in pipes
    Dave Hardman, Innovation Specialist, and Josh Blake, Project Lead, National Grid Gas Transmission
  • Pressure Control and Management: demand response, network monitoring and automation SGN
  • Leakvision: sensor system for leakage detection
    Mark Skerritt, Innovation Project Manager, SGN
  • Foam Bag Operation on Stubs (FBOS)
    Vishal Dhanji, Innovation Project Manager – West Midlands, Cadent
    Richard Ditte, Senior Development Manager, Steve Vick International
  • Robotic and Roadwork Excavation System (RRES)
    Oliver Machan, Project Manager, SGN
Live exhibition stand session
14:30 - 15:30

Visit our Exhibition and Innovation Halls for:

  • New technologies on display
  • Q&A with projects leaders on their companies’ stands
  • Extra NIC and NIA project presentation videos available for download
15:00

Visit the Networking Lounge to join group chats on topics such as:

a. Power electronics: how they are being applied
Ian Cooper, Innovation Lead, UK Power Networks
Luca Grella, Innovation Project Lead, UK Power Networks
b. Flexibility and stability for islands and other remote communities
Alex Howison, Flexible Solutions Manager, Scottish and Southern Energy Networks
Consumer vulnerability
15:30
DoorStop: facial recognition technology to improve the safety of customers and colleagues

This project will augment the traditional ID card with facial recognition technology, linked to the organisation’s website, without the need for the customer to download additional apps or software. The engineer’s face will be validated against a database of known staff to identify them and the organisation they work for, or conversely flag to the customer that the caller could not be identified. It is anticipated that for most customers this facial recognition system will be an improvement and for customers with visual impairments DoorStop will also provide voice recognition technology.

Steve Dacre, Customer Experience Development Manager, Northern Gas Networks
15:45
Live Service Transfer: providing a service for vulnerable customers

The impact of COVID 19 has provided GDNs the opportunity to assess a 30 year process friction of isolating the customer’s gas supply to transfer or relay their service as a result of our mains replacement activity. A joint GDN taskforce was created to investigate this problem and try and develop a potential solution to this issue. This presentation highlights the outputs and potential opportunities created to solve this problem.

Ryan Smith, Innovation Delivery Manager,SGN
16:00
StreetScore: improving safety and accessibility of streetworks

In order to make our network net zero ready by 2035, we will need to continue replacing our metallic assets at a rate of around 500km a year. At the same time, our customers, through age and illnesses, are increasingly vulnerable and streetworks are becoming a major challenge for some to negotiate. StreetScore takes looks to provide tools to risk assess sites and score streetworks designs, to address:

  • The public’s ability to transit within streetworks affected areas with acceptable or no challenge
  • Additional risks associated with streetworks (excavation, trip, noise etc.)
  • Streetworks planning and actioning optimisation for both the public and the operators
Nigel Winnan, Customer and Social Obligations Manager, Wales & West Utilities
16:15

Panel

Taking customers in vulnerable situations on our net zero journey
  • What is a vulnerable customer?
  • Ensuring customers are not negatively impacted as a result of the energy systems transition
  • What are the opportunities to better engage with our customers in the future?
Moderator:
Matt Hindle, Head of Gas, Energy Networks Association
Panellists:
Peter Smith, Director of Policy and Research, National Energy Action
Nigel Winnan, Customer and Social Obligations Manager, Wales & West Utilities
Jo Giles, Customer Safeguarding Manager, Cadent
Malcolm Arthur, Future of Heat Programme Manager for Gas Transmission, National Grid Gas Transmission
Kerry Potter, Group Social Impact and Vulnerability Manager, SGN
17:00

End of session

Electricity sessions

Keynotes
10:15

Welcome back to ENIC 2020

David Smith, Chief Executive, Energy Networks Association
10:20

Shaping an inclusive energy transition

Kristian Ruby, Secretary General, Eurelectric
10:35

Outside the box speaker

Our view of the future of energy and how innovation will make it happen
Duncan Clark,Head of Region UK,Ørsted
10:50

Panel

Which international net zero projects can we learn from?
  • Germany’s lessons learnt from the SINTEG innovation projects and plans for its energy transition
  • European smart grid initiatives: progress, challenges and future direction
  • The USA’s net zero projects and focus for 2030 and 2050
  • What new projects we do need to fully decarbonise energy systems by 2050?
Moderator:
Dr Peter Couch, CEO, Joint Radio Company
Heiko Staubitz, Senior Manager Smart Grids and Energy Storage, Germany Trade and Invest (GTAI)
Mark McGranaghan, Vice President of Innovation, Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)
Antonella Battaglini, CEO, Renewables Grid Initiative (RGI)
11:35

End of session

Live exhibition stand session
11:30 - 12:30

Visit our Exhibition and Innovation Halls for:

  • New technologies on display
  • Q&A with projects leaders on their companies’ stands
  • Extra NIC and NIA project presentation videos available for download
12:30

Lunch

Communities
Chair: Helen Seagrave, Community Energy Manager, Electricity North West

13:00
Distributed intelligence on the low voltage electricity network: system and community benefits

OpenLV is a three-and-a-half-year project with a £5.5 million budget, funded through the Network Innovation Competition. The project, managed by EA Technology on behalf of Western Power Distribution, has investigated the benefit of deploying a distributed intelligence platform on the low voltage distribution network, testing the LV-CAP™ technologies ability to:

  • Monitor the low voltage loads on cables and transformers in substations
  • Provide network operators with accurate information about the state of the network
  • Perform calculations locally
  • Send out alerts when pre-set thresholds are met
  • Reconfigure or directly influence the local low voltage network

Further, OpenLV has investigated the appetite among community organisations, businesses and academics to receive low voltage network data and to use it if it is made available. This presentation will cover the network benefits of distributed intelligence and summarise the wider societal appetite and positive outcomes of making local data available to all.

Sam Rossi Ashton, Innovation and Low Carbon Networks Engineer, Western Power Distribution
13:15
Boston Spa Energy Efficiency Trial: using smart meters to reduce customers’ energy consumption

Conservation voltage reduction is the concept of reducing customers’ supply voltage to lower their energy consumption. Generally, customers’ supply voltage on low voltage distribution networks tends to be high and previous innovation projects have proven that by reducing this voltage household energy consumption can be reduced. The Boston Spa Energy Efficiency Trial (BEET) will develop and trial a control system to take smart meter voltage measurements and use these to determine an optimum target voltage set point to be applied at the 11kV busbars at three primary substations in the trial area. The aim is to provide customers with a lower supply voltage than they currently receive. The innovation is that smart meter voltage measurements will be used as part of the control system and no new primary hardware such as voltage regulators or on-load tap changers at secondary substations are required.

Mark Callum, Smartgrid Development Engineer, and Francis Shillitoe, Project Manager, Northern Powergrid
13:30

Panel

Protecting vulnerable customers as we decarbonise electricity networks
  • How to go about protecting vulnerable consumers and customers
  • Balancing the cost against the liability of providing a reliable system
  • How do we make the future energy system fair?
  • What are the opportunities to better engage with our customers in the future?
  • What are the opportunities to better engage with our customers in the future?
Moderator:
Randolph Brazier, Head of Innovation, Energy Networks Association (ENA)
Panellists:
Dr Giulia Privitera, Social Sustainability Strategy and Programme Manager, UK Power Networks
Dr Elizabeth Blakelock, Principal Policy Manager – Energy Supplier Monitoring and Performance, Citizens Advice
Peter Smith, Director of Policy and Research, National Energy Action
Cllr Kevin Frea, Chair, Climate Emergency Network, Local Governments Association
New technologies in the real world
Chair: Randolph Brazier, Head of Innovation, Energy Networks Association (ENA)

13:50

Fast followers quickfire round

Technologies tested by the networks through the NIC or NIA projects, which can be readily implemented by other network operators.

  • Smart Street IRM: the road to BAU
    Andy Howard, Innovation Programme Manager, Electricity North West
  • Low Voltage: Underground Fault Location Technologies (LV-UFLT)
    Kevin Dennis, Innovation Project Manager, Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks
  • Universal bushing project: successful reduction of spares holding
    Gordon Wilson, Senior Innovation Engineer, National Grid Electricity Transmission
  • iDentify
    Michael Alexander, Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, SP Energy Networks
  • Autodesign: LV connections self-service tool
    Clare Roberts, Design Engineer, Northern Powergrid
  • Load Blinding Relays
    Ben Gabb, Technical Sourcing and Standards Engineer, UK Power Networks, UK Power Networks
Live exhibition stand session
14:30 - 15:30

Visit our Exhibition and Innovation Halls for:

  • New technologies on display
  • Q&A with projects leaders on their companies’ stands
  • Extra NIC and NIA project presentation videos available for download
15:00

Visit the Networking Lounge to join group chats on:

a. Power electronics: how they are being applied
Ian Cooper, Innovation Lead, UK Power Networks
Luca Grella, Innovation Project Lead, UK Power Networks
b. Flexibility and stability for islands and other remote communities
Alex Howison, Flexible Solutions Manager, Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks
Smarter asset management
Chair: Dr Geraldine Paterson, Innovation Manager, Electricity North West

15:30
Silent Power: hybrid EV generator

Silent Power is a mobile electrical energy storage system that is used to restore domestic customer supplies in the event of a network fault or maintain customer supplies during a planned power cut. The system operates in silence and produces no particulate contamination. It can also be used to create a mobile microgrid, absorbing local generation and supporting local demand. Northern Powergrid is currently trialling three of these systems in its operating area.

Ross McFarlane, Innovation Project Manager, Northern Powergrid
15:45
Sentinel: the learning so far

The Sentinel presentation will cover a brief description of the project aims, the technologies employed/trialled and the progress to date. It will explain the end to end process for different fault types and highlight the challenges and solutions we have encountered and what the next steps are for the project.

Kieran Bailey, Innovation Engineer, Electricity North West
16.00
Optimised Infra-Red Image technology Systems (OsIRIS)

This project quantified the uncertainty in infrared measurements in substation environments using an ISO compliant methodology. This will help in identifying a threshold at which temperature triggers should be set to avoid false readings and alarms when using infrared imaging as part of asset management processes.

Oliver Cwikowski, Senior Innovation Engineer, National Grid Electricity Transmission
16:15
Fault location excellence: keeping the lights on as we move towards next zero

UK Power Networks’ experienced engineers will take you through the company’s projects using cutting-edge technology to deliver the most reliable power supplies ever across London, the South and East of England. The team will share insights from projects involving new uses for AI, new smart technologies and innovative operational equipment aimed at taking the DNO’s performance to the next level. You’ll learn more about a range of exciting projects, all of which are testing innovative technologies to either predict power cuts before they happen, or give engineers more information about faults when they happen – so they can keep the lights on more reliably than ever.

Peter Lang, Senior Technology Transfer Engineer, Kelvin Lee, Innovation Engineer and Chino Atako, Senior Asset Engineer, UK Power Networks
16:30

LV Engine: the journey of developing the detailed design of a smart transformer

LV Engine is deploying a novel smart transformer onto UK distribution networks. This presentation will share the journey of the detailed design of the smart transformer. This will cover topics such as protection, cooling and size considerations.

Dr Ali Kazerooni, LV Engine Technical Lead
and Michael Eves, Senior Innovation Engineer, SP Energy Networks
16:45

End of session

Special sessions

Keynotes
10:15

Welcome back to ENIC 2020

David Smith, Chief Executive, Energy Networks Association
10:20

European keynote

The future energy system: a European vision for 2050
10:35

Outside the box speaker

Our view of the future of energy and how innovation will make it happen
Duncan Clark,Head of Region UK, Ørsted
10:50

Panel

Which international net zero projects can we learn from?
  • Germany’s lessons learnt from the SINTEG innovation projects and plans for its energy transition
  • European smart grid initiatives: progress, challenges and future direction
  • The USA’s net zero projects and focus for 2030 and 2050
  • What new projects we do need to fully decarbonise energy systems by 2050?
Moderator:
Dr Peter Couch, CEO, Joint Radio Company
Speakers include:
Heiko Staubitz, Senior Manager Smart Grids and Energy Storage, Germany Trade and Invest (GTAI)
Mark McGranaghan, Vice President of Innovation, Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)
Antonella Battaglini, CEO, Renewables Grid Initiative (RGI)
11:30

End of session

Live exhibition stand session
11:30 - 12:30

Visit our Exhibition and Innovation Halls for:

  • New technologies on display
  • Q&A with projects leaders on their companies’ stands
  • Extra NIC and NIA project presentation videos available for download
12:30

Lunch

Gas Goes Green
Chair: Dr Thomas Koller, Programme Lead, Gas Goes Green, Energy Networks Association

13:00
Gas Goes Green: purpose and progress
Chris Train, Green Gas Champion, Energy Networks Association
13:10
The Hydrogen Transformation Plan

The Hydrogen Plan report: overview and key recommendations.

Dr Thomas Koller, Programme Lead, Gas Goes Green, Energy Networks Association
13:20

Panel

How do networks deliver the hydrogen transition?

What else do we need to do on the issues raised in the Hydrogen Transformation Plan?

Moderator:
Laura Sandys CBE, Non-Executive Director, SGN and Energy System Catapult
Panellists:
Greg Dodd, Head of Strategic Planning, Northern Gas Networks
Antony Green, Project Director – Hydrogen, National Grid Gas Transmission
Angus McIntosh, Director of Energy Futures, SGN
Dr Angela Needle, Director of Strategy, Cadent
Antony Green, Project Director – Hydrogen, National Grid Gas Transmission
Chris Clarke, Energy Strategy Director, Wales & West Utilities
Dr Douglas Parr, Policy Director, Greenpeace UK
14:00
Gas Goes Green in 2021
  • ENA programme for 2021: have your say on the plans for our programme of work
  • How to get involved: opportunities for service and technology providers
Dr Thomas Koller, Programme Lead, Gas Goes Green, Energy Networks Association
Live exhibition stand session
14:30 - 15:30

Visit our Exhibition and Innovation Halls for:

  • New technologies on display
  • Q&A with projects leaders on their companies’ stands
  • Extra NIC and NIA project presentation videos available for download
15:00

Visit the Networking Lounge to join group chats on:

a. Power electronics: how they are being applied
Ian Cooper, Innovation Lead, UK Power Networks
Luca Grella, Innovation Project Lead, UK Power Networks
b. Flexibility and stability for islands and other remote communities
Alex Howison, Flexible Solutions Manager, Scottish and Southern Energy Networks
Decarbonisation of heat
Chair: Paul Clark, Vice Chair, Decarbonisation of Heat Working Group

15:30
Heat: electrification and zero carbon

Learn more about UK Power Networks’ industry-first decarbonisation of Heat Strategy and a portfolio of new projects aimed facilitating this integral part of the Net Zero carbon emissions transition. Engineers at the Distribution Network Operator will take you through their targeted, local approach to a forecasting and monitoring heat-readiness through collaboration with local authorities, community groups and other key stakeholders. The team will also discuss early insights from the company’s work to actively facilitate the transition to low carbon heating by create zones analysing the best pathways in specific areas.

Zain Habib, Innovation Programme Manager,
Ashita Anand, Innovation Project Lead,
Rona Mitchell, Innovation Project Lead and
Jack McKellar, Innovation Project Lead, UK Power Networks
15:45
4D Heat: can flexible domestic electric heating help reduce wind curtailment?

By analysing an off-gas grid area in Skye and extrapolating to off-gas grid Scotland, 4D Heat explores the ability of heat flexibility to absorb wind power that would otherwise have been curtailed due to England-Scotland transmission constraints. 4D Heat takes a whole system view and all optimisation and analyses were subject to the constraint of not increasing costs to the Electricity System Operator, Distribution Grid Operator or end consumer. The project identified that up to 540GWh (9%) of otherwise curtailed wind could be used by domestic heating across off-gas grid Scotland in 2030, saving £24m per year in wind constraint payments and delivering a further £2m per year in environmental and social benefits.

Matthew Myers, Senior Analyst, Delta-EE
16:00

Panel

The decarbonisation of heat: cross-vector solutions
  • The hydrogen transition: progress update
  • Views on the state of heat in 2050: What percentages do we expect to be covered by hydrogen, biomethane, electrification and heat networks?
  • Ensuring a coordinated approach to the decarbonisation of heat across the UK
  • Policy and regulatory frameworks needed to support 2050 goals
Moderator:
Paul Clark, Vice Chair, Decarbonisation of Heat Working Group
Panellists:
Maxine Frerk, Founder and Director, Grid Edge Policy
Jonathan Collins, External Affairs Manager North West, Cadent
Tim Harwood, Head of Programme Management and H21 Project Director, Northern Gas Networks
Whole energy system decarbonisation
16:30
Zero 2050

We will talk you through the South Wales Zero 2050 project and the approach taken to developing plausible decarbonisation pathways for the whole energy system in South Wales. You will hear about the emerging findings from the analysis, highlighting uncertainties that we need to consider as we move to a zero carbon future. We will also explore how we can learn from South Wales for elsewhere in Great Britain.

Ann Cousins, Associate, Arup and Linwei Chen, Innovation Engineer, National Grid Electricity Transmission
16:45
Multi Energy Vector Modelling: investigating the impact of decarbonisation

In response to the pressing environmental concerns, a wide range of net zero carbon emissions pathways are being proposed and periodically updated. Catering for these uncertain pathways in a cost-effective manner is a grand challenge, which will require a whole system perspective to plan for investments in critical infrastructures to support coupling between multiple energy vectors and sectors. This project aims to develop a multi-energy methodology and tool capable to quantify the energy infrastructure impacts and requirements of various future multi-energy decarbonisation pathways. A high level overview of the methodology will be presented, including key demand models for electricity, heating, gas, biogas, hydrogen and transport. The results, based on the context of Greater Manchester, will shed light on how different energy futures can have diverse effects on peak energy use and the associated requirements for network capacity and other investments in infrastructures across the area.

Linwei Chen, Innovation Engineer, National Grid Electricity Transmission
Dr Asad Asfaq, Research Associate, and Dr Eduardo Alejandro Martínez Ceseña, Academic Fellow, University of Manchester
17:00

End of session