From the invention of the world’s first light bulb to the latest advances in data, digital and clean energy, the North has always led the way in transformative innovation.
At Northern Powergrid, we’re contributing to this proud legacy by putting innovation at the heart of everything we do and supporting projects that address real-world challenges, deliver network and consumer benefits, and accelerate the drive to net zero.
This commitment took centre stage at the Energy Innovation Summit in Liverpool, the UK’s leading energy innovation event. The theme of this year’s summit was ‘Rising to the Challenge of Decarbonisation’ and we showcased some pioneering projects that align with this ambitious vision.
The summit was an opportunity to shine a light on our industry leading portfolio of innovation projects and for delegates to experience them in a unique way – through virtual and augmented reality. This immersive approach offered an insider look at how we’re tackling critical challenges facing the energy industry, including climate change.
Our Storm Triage virtual reality experience allowed visitors to (quite literally) step into the shoes of our frontline responders. The simulation places users in the aftermath of a severe storm as a front runner, team members who in a major incident take on the vital job of locating and reporting damage to our assets, helping us to prioritise support for the worst hit areas.
The other projects featured focused on network resilience and how we’re using AI and big data to forecast for future energy demand and support our most vulnerable customers.
Northern Powergrid’s participation follows a £1.3 million award from the Strategic Innovation Fund, an Ofgem programme managed in partnership with Innovate UK to progress three ground-breaking projects from discovery to proof of concept.
We’re always looking for bright ideas and to work with industry partners and innovators to advance projects that deliver real benefits to the customers and communities we serve. If you’d like to find out more, email [email protected].
Have you checked out our Help & Advice directory, it may just have the answers that you're looking for.
