A partnership between Energy Systems Catapult and Digital Catapult is set to lay the groundwork for a UK-wide innovation initiative aimed at accelerating the rollout of a digitalised, flexible, Net Zero energy system. This 12-month seed project seeks to address critical challenges in the deployment of flexibility by developing innovative resources and establishing the next phase of innovator support to drive long-term change.

The challenge

Flexibility in the energy system is key to achieving tens of billions in annual savings by 2050. However, the current digital infrastructure is fragmented, siloed, and opaque, creating barriers to innovation. Policymakers and innovators alike face challenges stemming from rapid technological advancements, unclear governance pathways, and limited accessibility of integrated tools and frameworks.

The solution

This project will explore how innovative tooling and programme design can enable multi-vector energy flexibility while addressing barriers to entry for digital innovators. By developing a ‘digital toolkit’ and complementary acceleration support, the initiative will reduce uncertainty, foster collaboration, and build a thriving community, all essential for achieving the UK’s Clean Energy 2030 and Net Zero 2050 goals.

The project seeks to address how innovators can de-risk their entry into the UK energy sector and build on the ongoing investments in digital infrastructure, in addition to understanding how to attract more UK digital innovators to help solve flexibility challenges.

Key activities include:

• Stakeholder interviews and workshops to identify challenges and opportunities.
• Utilisation of ‘serious gaming’ methodologies to explore motivations and inform programme design principles.
• A conceptual ‘system of systems’ model to explore data flows, integration challenges, and market dynamics.

The Digitalising Energy Flexibility programme will tackle the technical and social challenges faced by innovators in navigating a heavily regulated industry, this approach will enable innovators to identify critical touchpoints and forge the collaborations necessary for success.

The project leverages the complementary strengths of the Digital Catapult and Energy Systems Catapult. While Energy Systems Catapult brings deep expertise in energy sector challenges and flexibility systems, Digital Catapult contributes advanced digital technology insights to attract and support innovators entering the energy market.

Impact

This programme aims to:

• Attract and support digital innovators in the energy sector.
• Enable cost savings and efficiencies that contribute to the UK’s Net Zero targets.
• Create a framework for ongoing innovation, collaboration, and market growth.

By addressing the challenges and opportunities of energy flexibility through a coordinated, innovative approach, this project positions the UK as a global leader in the transition to a Net Zero energy future.