Projects

Completed

Applied Research and Development

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Electrical and Electronic Engineering)

Not Cross-cutting

Project Contact
UK Power Networks

Network Innovation Allowance

Ofgem

17 October 2025

17 January 2026

ENA months

£171,000

Power

London

Network Innovation Allowance

Project Contact, UK Power Networks

This project will identify, quantify, and validate use cases for distribution-level flexibility, generating credible evidence and a roadmap to extend the value stack for flexibility providers, support fair and efficient investment decisions, and accelerate low-carbon technology (LCT) connections. Delivered through a sprint approach, the project will define and prioritise use cases, develop benefits logic, and undertake high-level quantitative assessments validated through structured stakeholder engagement. The scope covers the identification of use cases, validation of their benefits, assessment of feasibility and attractiveness to flexibility service providers, and recommendations for pilots. Final outputs will provide robust evidence to enable fair investment decisions, accelerate LCT connections, and prepare UK Power Networks for future flexibility trials.Sprint 1 PrioritisationDefine and refine the use cases through workshops and stakeholder engagement. Develop a qualitative evaluation framework based on scoring criteria (e.g. materiality, timing, alignment with incentives, capability, flexible connections replacement) and shortlist priority use cases for detailed assessment.Sprint 2 Use Case Evaluations IDevelop benefits logic and conduct high-level quantitative assessment of shortlisted use cases supported by data held by the DSO team. Assess value, feasibility, and attractiveness to flexibility service providers (e.g., revenue predictability, notice periods, activation frequency). Validate findings through stakeholder review.Sprint 3 Use Case Evaluations IIContinue detailed evaluation of priority use cases, consolidating outputs into a draft report. Stakeholders review early quantifications and provide feedback. Note: product design is excluded, but findings will include commentary on operational considerations relevant to design.Sprint 4 Final Reporting & RecommendationsFinalise a report with conclusions. Recommend priority use cases for progression to pilots, including enabling actions and an outline trial plan.Project change: The project end date was extended to 31 March, 2026. This change was made to ensure that the project results were validated in detail by key stakeholders, with suggested future trials considered and assessed for suitability as subsequent pilots.Extending the project by two months enables successful delivery of the benefit assessment for the prioritised flexibility use cases. There was no impact on budget. The project will quantify, validate, and prioritise new high-impact use cases for distribution-level flexibility. It will generate an evidence base to:Extend the value stack for flexibility providers: quantify system/customer benefits (, MW, risk avoided, CO?reduced) for a shortlist of prioritised and validated use cases.Support efficient and fair investment decisions between traditional approaches and flexibility.

Flex Forward will identify, prioritise, and validate high-impact flexibility use cases beyond traditional congestion management. The project will provide robust evidence to accelerate low carbon connections, and guide fair investment decisions, ensuring UK Power Networks flexibility services remain future proof and deliver maximum value for customers, stakeholders, and the wider energy system.

24/04/26