Bright Spark

Hosted by Innovate UK

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May 2026

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Why energy system innovation matters, for both consumers and the drive to net zero. We meet the brilliant teams pushing to transform UK energy networks, and showcase opportunities for entrepreneurs, investors and others to get involved, via Ofgem's Strategic Innovation Fund, delivered by Innovate UK. Series hosted by Innovate UK's Jodie Giles and team.

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26 recent

May 13, 202639 min

Networks Reimagined: Driving innovation for a future energy system

In this episode Jodie talks to Marzia Zafar, Deputy Director for Digitalisation and Innovation at Ofgem, and Laura Sandys CBE, Chair of the Energy Network Innovation Taskforce, about the SIF’s new programmatic approach to delivering transformational Innovation in the next five year price control.The programmatic approach has two aspects: Firstly, the Energy Network Innovation Taskforce brought together industry innovation teams and leaders from the energy network sector and beyond. Their role: to identify ambitious, long-term and outcome driven challenges to bring strategic focus to the SIF for the five-year RIIO-3 price control period.Secondly, the introduction of Innovation Delivery Groups to provide a collaboration framework across networks for addressing these Innovation Challenges and ensure accountability to deliver outcomes that reflect customer needs alongside economic growth.Listen to the conversation to find out more.· The identified challenges have been published in the ‘Networks Reimagined: Driving innovation for a future energy system’ report - read here· Find out more about the SIF on the Innovate UK Business Connect webpage· Sign up to Innovate UK’s regular SIF newsletter

March 26, 202633 min

Power Under Pressure: Predicting Climate Risk in Energy

Climate change means that more extreme weather is going to hit Great Britain. It is vital that we do our best to understand and predict the risks to build resilience in the energy sector.Nicolas Wallet, energy systems innovation lead at SIF, caught up with James Daniel, Alanna Gluck, and Amit Bhave, to find out more about the work of their Climate Resilience Demonstrator (CReDo+), beta project.CReDO+, led by UK Power Networks, is developing a tool that will bring data and expert knowledge together to help networks and regulators see where resilience spending will make the biggest difference for energy customers.Find out more about the SIF on the Innovate UK Business Connect WebsiteSign up to Innovate UK’s regular SIF newsletter

January 5, 202639 min

Celebrating successes and setting sights on 2026

In this episode of Bright Spark we look back at the Strategic Innovation Fund's successes across 2025 and give a preview of what’s in store for 2026.Across 2025 the SIF continued to fund transformational innovation projects. We received 391 applications, 70% of these were funded, with £25.7 million pounds of funding approved for 40 innovation projects.In 2026 we are looking forward to the start of the RIIO 3 price control for NESO, gas networks and electricity transmission. Find out how the SIF team has been working with our Ofgem colleagues to influence change, and what’s in store from the SIF as we move into this new phase.SIF programme director Jodie Giles is joined for this one by Head of Delivery Kate Jones, Head of Innovation Laura Glover and Head of Commercial Paul Padaruth.Find out more about the SIF on our SIF programme page on the Business Connect websiteYou can also find our new 2025 Annual Report and the latest version of our Project Directory on the SIF programme pageSign up to the SIF newsletter for regular updates SIF news and eventsSIF Round 5 EoI form - share your ideas and expertise with the SIF teamPredict for resilience podcastBright Spark is a Bespoken Media production

December 11, 202525 min

Turning Innovation into Impact: The SIF Approach

In this first episode of a two-part series, we explore what commercialisation and deployment mean within the Strategic Innovation Fund, and how the SIF team is working to drive impact at scale across the energy system through funded innovation. We explore the SIF team's internal framework for assessing projects, along with the support the team provides to networks and third-party innovators to help embed new solutions. The conversation also covers network culture, the price control mechanism, and why pace and delivering value for billpayers are crucial. Stay tuned for Part Two, which will focus on what it takes to deploy proven innovation at scale across the energy system.https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/energy-regulation/technology-and-innovation/innovation/strategic-innovation-fund-sif

October 30, 202530 min

Keeping the lights on - supporting a resilient energy system

What is the future of network resilience and preparedness? Ellen Webb-Moore, energy systems innovation lead at SIF, visits the headquarters of SP Energy Networks to learn about two projects that both address resilience and preparedness, from different angles. First, Fraser Lynch joins Ellen to talk about Predict 4 Resilience (P4R) - a SIF beta-funded tool that will predict outages and faults on the network using weather and other data, to mobilise personnel and proactively prepare resources ahead of severe and disruptive weather events. In the second half of the episode, Daniel Barlow and Agusti Alvarez SIF Blade share how a second SIF-support project - SIF BLADE - can harness offshore wind to restart the grid in the event of a national transmission electricity system outage.   Sign up to the SIF newsletter for regular updates on SIF news and eventshttps://www.ofgem.gov.uk/

October 6, 202544 min

Crowdflex part two: Building customer trust in consumer-led flexibility

Join Jim and Laura for the second instalment of this two-part series on consumer-led flexibility, explored through the SIF funded Crowdflex project. The project examines how households can actively support grid balancing—whether by shifting their energy use to different times or enabling smart, automated control of their electric vehicles.In this episode, SIF Policy Lead Jim Wrigley is joined by OVO’s Elizabeth Allkins and Ohme’s Rosie Knight, both project partners in Crowdflex acting as Demand Side Response Service Providers (DSRSPs). Together, they discuss what flexibility looks like from a customer’s perspective and consider the vital roles of trust and diversity in making consumer-led flexibility a reality.For more details, check out NESO’s press release on the Winter trial results, and explore the full set of reports on the Crowdflex webpage.If you haven’t listened already, make sure you check out part one first (the episode before this one in your podcast feed) where Jim talks to NESO’s Cathy Fraser on building confidence in the use of consumer-led flexibility.Ohme: Smarter, Greener & Cheaper EV Charging At Home | OhmeOVO: https://www.ovoenergy.com/ Sign up to the SIF newsletter for regular updates on SIF news and eventshttps://www.ofgem.gov.uk/

August 28, 202542 min

Crowdflex part one: Building confidence in consumer-led flexibility

Join Jim and Laura for a two-part series diving into the future of consumer-led energy flexibility, through the lens of the SIF-funded Crowdflex project. The project explores how households can play an active role in balancing the electricity grid—whether by shifting when they use power or by making their electric vehicles available for smart, automated control.In part one, SIF Policy Lead Jim Wrigley sits down with Cathy Fraser, Head of Market Requirements at the National Energy System Operator (NESO). Together, they unpack why domestic flexibility matters, and how projects like Crowdflex are helping to build confidence in it as a reliable way to keep the grid in balance.For more details, check out NESO’s press release on the Winter trial results, and explore the full set of reports on the Crowdflex webpage. In part two, Jim will be joined by project partners OVO and Ohme to discuss their roles within Crowdflex and to provide further insights into the customer perspective. For more on the Strategic Innovation Fund: www.ofgem.gov.uk/sif See the SIF programme page on Innovate UK's Business Connect website  Sign up to the SIF newsletter for regular updates on SIF news and events

June 23, 202523 min

SIF Round 5 Challenges and Opportunities: Supporting transformational energy network innovation

Join Jodie, Laura and Joe as they discuss the SIF’s Round 5 strategic challenges, which reflect the most urgent opportunities for energy network innovation. Find out about our ideation webinars and workshops, bringing innovators together with networks and other third parties to explore potential solutions and project ideas. Learn about how you can engage with the SIF team throughout the year via our SIF Round 5 Expression of Interest form.There are so many opportunities to get involved, find out more about SIF, and drive development of new SIF project ideas. Come and join us on the journey of transforming our energy system!Round 5 strategic innovation challenges on the Ofgem websiteRound 5 ideation webinar recordings on YouTube Ofgem SIF webinar series: Round 5 IdeationOfgem SIF programme page on Innovate UK’s Business Connect websiteSIF Round 5 Expression of Interest FormSign up to the SIF newsletter for regular updates on SIF news and events

April 25, 202552 min

INCENTIVE: SIF innovation from idea to impact

INCENTIVE is the first SIF Beta project to reach completion. In this episode, members of the INCENTIVE team share their learnings and future plans with us. As the first project to complete, dissemination of their outcomes - including collaboration, continuity of the work and deployment of the technology after the SIF funding stops - provides valuable insights, especially for other Beta projects. In this episode, SIF programme director Jodie Giles speaks with energy systems innovation lead Suraj Paneru.We also welcome INCENTIVE partners Robert Keast from the Carbon Trust, Callum Henderson from SSE, and Adnan Mahmood of SSEN.For more on the Strategic Innovation Fund: www.ofgem.gov.uk/sifSee the SIF programme page on Innovate UK's Business Connect website: Ofgem Strategic Innovation Fund

March 3, 202536 min

Digitising and repurposing the gas network: Futuregrid at DNV Spadeadam

As the UK increases deployment of net zero technologies, gas demand is anticipated to fall significantly. Some gas networks may be repurposed, with projects like Project Union developing a hydrogen transmission backbone. SIF funds hydrogen projects to assess future applications. In this Bright Spark episode, SIF's Beth Foster visits FutureGrid at DNV Spadeadam, Cumbria, where research on hydrogen transport and blending supports full-scale conversion.Links:National Gas Future Grid: www.nationalgas.com/future-energy/futuregridFor more on the Strategic Innovation Fund: www.ofgem.gov.uk/sifSee the SIF programme page on Innovate UK, Business Connect website: Ofgem Strategic Innovation Fund

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