Energy data and software company Advanced Infrastructure has announced their successful bid in phase 9 of The Energy Entrepreneurs Fund (EEF) provided by the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero.

The Energy Entrepreneurs Fund (EEF) is a competitive funding scheme supporting the development of technologies, products and processes in the areas of energy efficiency, power generation, heat generation, energy storage, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and security of supply.

As part of phase 9 of the scheme, Advanced Infrastructure alongside 36 other next generation energy innovators will receive part of a £19 million cash boost to develop new technologies that will decarbonise UK industry, build home-grown energy supplies and help prepare the country for a net zero future. 

Phase 9 of the EEF has awarded £19 million to British entrepreneurs to develop greener technologies with a further £5 million competition launching this summer to help industrial businesses work together to develop decarbonisation plans.

The funding will drive forward the SMEs and start-up’s innovations to reduce carbon emissions, develop clean energy and improve energy efficiency in people’s homes.

The objective of the scheme will allow industry to play its part in helping the country meet its 2050 net zero target by delivering decarbonisation solutions, as well as potentially creating hundreds of green jobs and triggering private sector investment worth millions. 

Advanced Infrastructure’s winning bid in the EEF fund has proposed a solution towards accurately monitoring electricity demand and ultimately reducing fuel poverty. 

Currently in the UK, Distribution Network Operators own and operate the cables and wires of the electricity system. Energy Suppliers are responsible for balancing generation and demand of electricity consumptions. These two customer groups need to know the electricity demand of consumers but are underserved by existing solutions.

At present only 10% of Distribution Network Operators assets are monitored which prevents optimised capacity and flexibility management and increases the cost of network reinforcement to maintain security of supply. 

Advanced Infrastructure’s solution will use building-level smart meter data and machine learning techniques to predict the load on the 90% of unmonitored transformers. This allows the power networks to actively optimise capacity and flexibility management. 

The 18 month industrial research project will see Advanced Infrastructure partnering with Sheffield University which has developed the open source PV_Live service used by NationalGridESO to balance the UK renewable energy portfolio. Sheffield University will play a pivotal part in the project, enabling vital data processing and expertise. 

Secretary of State for the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero, Grant Shapps said:

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“The UK is a nation of innovators, and this funding will help the next generation of energy pioneers develop cheap and green technologies of the future.

This will not only deliver more green jobs and cheaper energy but also create world-leading solutions to help us reach net zero and economic growth.”

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