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Keeping innovative ideas flowing: New one-stop-shop for network innovation launched

19 May 2021

Energy Networks Association (ENA) has launched a new Smarter Networks Portal for network innovation, making innovation more accessible and transparent, while also providing innovators a simple way to submit their own ideas directly to networks.

 

 

The Smarter Networks Portal combines the previous Network Innovation Collaboration Portal and Smarter Network Portal into a new one-stop-shop for network innovation and providing more information on the opportunities for energy networks to collaborate on innovation. It will help to drive the type of innovation we need to get to a Net Zero future and help the network operators drive efficiencies and improvements to the ways they manage the networks.

With an enhanced look and feel, the experience for innovators has been significantly improved. For those interested in finding out more about past and current network innovation, the Portal is a repository of all completed and live projects. The new search function is also quicker than ever, allowing users to search for projects by network, innovation topics and many other features.

The Smarter Networks Portal is also a hub that enables the sharing of learning and outputs from innovation. Innovators can find out more about the many webinars and dissemination events that take place as well as sign up for weekly email updates on new projects, tailored to their specific interests.

Dan Clarke, Head of Innovation at Energy Networks Association which represents the UK and Ireland’s energy networks businesses, said:

“The UK’s energy networks are already viewed as some of the most innovative in the world; tools like the Smarter Networks Portal will keep it that way. The Portal will improve accessibility and transparency, make it easier for innovators to propose or pitch new and innovative ideas, and I encourage everyone with an interest in network innovation to get involved.”

Notes to editor

Visit the Smarter Networks Portal: https://smarter.energynetworks.org

About us

Energy Networks Association (ENA) is the industry body representing the energy networks. Our members include every major electricity network operator in the UK. The electricity networks are at the heart of the energy transition. They directly employ more than 26,000 people in the UK, including 1,500 apprentices. They are spending and investing £33bn in our electricity grids over the coming years, to ensure safe, reliable and secure energy supplies for the millions of homes and businesses reliant on power every day.

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