What is the Problem?
With the UK’s ambition to achieve net zero by 2050 there has been and will be a significant rise in low carbon technologies:
• By 2035, all new cars are expected to be electric, necessitating over a million chargers
• Government forecasts predict 1.5 million heat pump installations annually
• The electricity network, at the housing estate level is expected to require double the capacity.
This increased demand necessitates substantial upgrades to the electricity network, including the installation of new cables and additional substations to support the grid’s capacity requirements to achieve net zero.
Housing estates built between 1970 and 2000 were designed for gas-heated homes with low electricity consumption, allowing for a substation capacity of around 1kW per home. The introduction of electric vehicles (EVs) and heat pumps (HPs) could increase this demand to approximately 6kW per home. It will therefore be necessary to integrate new distribution substations into already congested street layouts.
Conventional substations require a footprint of 3m x 4m with street access. However, finding available land on these congested estates is unlikely, forcing network operators to negotiate land purchases from homeowners. This process could prove to be costly and may even lead to operators purchasing properties to access garden areas. This approach could result in reputational damage and opposition from the public, especially when they have witnessed broadband being rolled out as a fully pavement-placed asset.
Preferred Solution
A new substation design for installation within the constraints of existing congested housing estates. The solution will need to be compatible with existing urban layouts and spaces, adhering to all safety requirements for distribution substations located near public areas.
Using a larger broadband cabinet as a size constraint that is typically 1.7m tall x 1.8m wide x 0.65m deep, and which people are now familiar with seeing as a standard piece of street furniture.
Submissions will need to provide options for substations that can connect to the 11kV system, transform 11kV to 415V and provide connections to the local 415V network. Transformation capacities of 150kVA to 300kVA are ideal for supporting existing legacy networks.
Process information
To make a submission for this opportunity please sign in/register to the Energy Innovation Centre (EIC) hub. Complete the submission process on the hub and we will be in-touch with feedback and any potential next steps. If you have any queries, then please email us at [email protected].
The following can be expected following submission:
• Submissions will be reviewed by the EIC within one week of the closing date
• The EIC will share appropriate submissions with industry partners
• Industry partners will review the submissions within two weeks of receipt
• Successful innovators will be contacted by the EIC to discuss next steps.
The closing date for submissions to this challenge is 23:59 on 23rd July 2025.