Net Zero Engagement Award
This newly created category was designed to highlight the important role utilities play in helping to decarbonise the homes of millions and encouraging behaviours that ultimately result in lower consumption of energy and water.
The judges were pleased to see evidence of utilities understanding the painpoints of customers on the net zero journey and seeking to find solutions. However, they also wanted to see more direct engagement with end users themselves.
Collaboration was a key trend within the entries but the judges said they were keen to see evidence of utilities stepping outside of their comfort zone in seeking new kinds of partners.
Net Zero Engagement Award
This newly created category was designed to highlight the important role utilities play in helping to decarbonise the homes of millions and encouraging behaviours that ultimately result in lower consumption of energy and water.
The judges were pleased to see evidence of utilities understanding the painpoints of customers on the net zero journey and seeking to find solutions. However, they also wanted to see more direct engagement with end users themselves.
Collaboration was a key trend within the entries but the judges said they were keen to see evidence of utilities stepping outside of their comfort zone in seeking new kinds of partners.
Energy Networks Association - Open Networks
ENA’s Open Networks is an industry-leading programme that brings together nearly 400 industry practitioners from energy network operators, Ofgem, government and wider industry, to create a smarter, more flexible grid.
In 2023, the programme has successfully pivoted towards delivering real-world impact to consumers by removing barriers to participating in the flexibility markets and bringing wider industry stakeholders into the decision-making process.
With 4.6 GW of flexibility tendered this year, we’ve built the world’s largest local flexibility market, which could save consumers £10 billion/year in energy costs by 2050 and reduce total costs of the net zero transition by up to £70 billion.
National Grid ESO, Capgemini & Wipro - Demand Flexibility Service
Amidst a challenging winter for energy supply throughout Europe, National Grid Electricity System Operator (ESO) united industry in a collaborative effort to scale and launch a nationwide Demand Flexibility Service in just four short months.
The scheme was a huge success. A simple-to-use service that helped Great Britain get through tight supply and demand periods, rewarded participants for flexing demand, and accelerated the achievement of net zero targets.
Between November 2022 and March 2023, 1.6million households and businesses voluntarily switched their electricity usage to off-peak periods – reducing demand by 3.3GWh overall. That’s enough to power 200,000 households for a year.
National Grid - Equitable Novel Flexibility Exchange (EQUINOX)
National Grid Electricity Distribution’s Equitable Novel Flexibility Exchange (EQUINOX) is the first Network Innovation Competition project to address the challenges Distribution Network Operator’s face due to the predicted sharp rise in heat pump installations.
EQUINOX is developing a way to unlock additional capacity from residential low carbon heating to avoid the need for significant network investment, while maintaining network reliability, consumer choice, and comfort within homes.
The project has been extremely successful during its first trial period, engaging almost 400 highly satisfied customers from multiple suppliers, and will build on this over the next two trials.
OVO Energy - Plan Zero
OVO is on a mission through its sustainability strategy, Plan Zero, to tackle the most important issue of our time; the climate crisis.
OVO aims to be a net zero carbon business and achieve bold science-based carbon reduction targets by 2035, while helping customers reduce their carbon footprint at the same time.
OVO uses emerging innovative technologies to focus on decarbonising its customers’ homes via the electrification of heat and transport.
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks, Flex Assure and the Centre for Sustainable Energy - HOMEFlex
Just as flexibility is considered the key to achieving net zero; great engagement is critical when delivering customer centric outcomes.
With the domestic flexibility market taking shape the team behind HOMEflex engaged with cross industry stakeholders to develop a Code of Conduct for domestic flexibility, helping to ensure this fledgling market supports net zero in an inclusive, fair, and transparent way.
The need for the project was identified by the Open Networks Project and then taken forward by SSEN Distribution and its partners. The Code of Conduct is planned for use in live trials of domestic flexibility during winter 2023/24.
Utilita and Iceland - Shop Smart, Cook Savvy
Supermarket packaging has seen the biggest revolution in three decades as a result of Utilita and Iceland’s Shop Smart, Cook Savvy campaign.
In the interest of cutting C02 emissions, and keeping cash in consumers’ pockets, the duo’s pioneering campaign has pressured the big six supermarkets and major food brands to introduce cooking instructions on their packaging for more economical appliances, including air fryers and slow cookers. An investigation led by The Sun newspaper revealed that supermarkets have rolled out the instructions on about 30% of their own-brand items in the year since the campaign's launch.
Water Plus - Engaging businesses with the carbon emissions linked to water us
Setting out to go further than others in our industry, we’ve significantly stepped-up collaboration across the industry and with sites in the UK, to drive a significant increase in water efficiency and reductions in carbon emissions. In a new approach, action to limit impacts on the environment at our business combined with encouraging additional actions amongst customers and colleagues, while increasing awareness and learning resources for employees around carbon emissions throughout 2022. Our unique approach has seen new partnerships in the UK, work with suppliers and partnering with national awareness weeks, while supporting projects helping reduce and prevent carbon emissions.