We are supporting our partners Northern Gas Networks as part of the 2026 Energy Innovation Basecamp.
Innovative people and businesses are invited by the Energy Networks Association (ENA) to propose ideas and solutions to solve problems suggested by Britain’s electricity and gas networks.
If you would like our support in submitting your application, please contact us.
Please note the deadline for this opportunity is 13 March 2026.
What’s the Problem?
Achieving net zero requires coordinated transition across the whole energy system. It requires giving customers viable, affordable and resilient choices for decarbonising heat. Whether households adopt green gas, electrification, hybrid systems or an alternative gas supply each pathway has a distinct implication for electricity and gas networks that must be understood and mapped. Understanding how hydrogen switchover reshapes electricity demand is critical to ensuring resilient, affordable, and equitable decarbonisation.
The transition to hydrogen in industrial and commercial (I&C) sectors will reshape energy demand profiles. The problem is that network operators currently lack clear visibility of where and how hydrogen switch‑over will occur, and what the net impact on electricity networks will be. Identifying and mapping where this switchover (some or all gas pipelines supplying domestic customers) may occur will impact future planning grid reinforcement, flexibility services, and investment pathways
The key questions:
- How will hydrogen adoption in I&C sectors reshape electricity demand profiles, and where will these impacts be most concentrated?
- How will a change in gas supply effect current domestic gas users? What are their options? Are these geographically limited? Considering just transition requirements.
What’s Required?
- Analytical tool and modelling single integrated approaches to quantify and map electricity demand impacts and reinforcement needs under different hydrogen adoption scenarios
- Customer and stakeholder insights including studies, reviews, reports that capture customer pathway preference and behaviours or that show possibilities in different regions or scenarios that are specific to that area
- Business models and operational strategies including innovative tariffs, incentive, or operation playbooks to manage transitional demand shifts and coordinate conversion schedules
- This list is not exhaustive, and the scope is deliberately open to attract novel technical, social, regulatory or market-based approaches.
Solution expectations:
- TRL: 3–4 considered if novel insights are offered
- Scalability: Must be operable at regional or national scale
- Testing: Solutions should have been validated to some extent, either through pilots, modelling, or case studies.
What are the Constraints?
- Uncertainty management: The solution must quantify ranges, scenarios, and confidence levels, not single-point forecasts (UK heat decarbonization is unsettled at local levels; hydrogen for domestic heating remains uncertain, while electrification is advancing. Some zones may trial or adopt hydrogen; others will not. Solutions must handle multiple policy pathways and reversibility)
- Regulatory Compliance: The solution must comply with UK energy regulations, and align with Ofgem reporting, privacy laws, cybersecurity standards, funding and relevant safety frameworks
- Technology: Be compatible with existing electricity network planning methodologies. Technology-agnostic that can reflect hydrogen, electrification, and hybrid scenarios; no single-path bias
- Timeline: Provide pilot-ready capability within 6–12 months; scalable deployment plan within 12–24 months
- Budgetary discipline: Modular delivery with clear milestones, enabling staged approvals.
Who are the Key Players?
- Electricity networks (adopters): UK Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) and transmission planners—asset managers, network strategy, system planning, flexibility procurement teams
- Gas networks: Regional GDNs coordinating conversion plans and customer transitions
- Government and regulators: DESNZ, Ofgem, HSE—policy oversight, funding alignment, safety
- Local stakeholders: Local authorities, combined authorities, housing associations—execution partners and community engagement.
Does the Problem Build on Existing or Previous Projects?
Build on:
- Smart meter data, EPC ratings, building archetype libraries and LV visibility project led by DNOs
- Gas network hydrogen conversion planning and neighbourhood pilots (e.g., H100 Fife, East Coast Hydrogen)
- Local authority heat decarbonisation strategies and community energy planning.
Relevant trials and insights:
- H100 Fife and Gateshead hydrogen homes pilots (appliance conversion, customer engagement)
- Hydrogen Technical & Safety Case projects (Cadent/SGN) providing evidence for domestic use
- Customer engagement studies on heating preferences, willingness to adopt hydrogen, and barriers to uptake.
Future dependencies:
- Certification and rollout of hydrogen‑ready appliances
- Policy decisions on domestic hydrogen and customer choice frameworks
- Improved smart meter granularity and LV monitoring for real‑time impact measurement
- Community engagement processes to support vulnerable customers.