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INNOVATION STAGE

Take a look at the FREE-to-attend Innovation programme!

Innovation is at the heart of UWL25, with a dedicated stage for emerging innovators and growing areas of change for gas, water and power companies.
Get first-hand insights from industry giants leading the change in UK utilities by saving your seat now.

Stage sponsor:
National Grid

REGISTER FREE        MEET THE SPEAKERS

All this FREE content is CPD accredited CPD Certification Service.

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20 May 2025
  1. Innovation Stage

    Leakage continues to be a priority for gas, power and water networks as utilities seek to maximise supply and meet demand. Join this session to discover the latest innovation projects exploring new ways to prevent, detect and fix leaks across utilities networks.    


    Chair
    Ben Hargreaves, Head of Content - Utility Week

    Case study: Dark Fibre
    Darius Bristow, Project Manager - Severn Trent Water

    Tech enabled leakage reduction for gas networks
    Chris Rison, Head of Smart Network - Cadent

    Case study: Managing Background Leakage Project
    Anna Taliana, Project Manager - Dwr Cymru/Welsh Water
  2. Innovation Stage

    ​Sponsored by: 

    Kyndryl

    As we move towards Net Zero and Clean Power 2030, the pace of connection of distributed generation is rapidly increasing. This requires innovative thinking, industry partnerships and deep collaboration, while meeting high standards of affordability and resilience in order to effectively serve communities.  

    Join this session to explore practical innovations and approaches to accelerate the transition and avoid the innovation doom loop. 


    Chair and scene setting
    Ellen Bennett, Managing Director - Utility Week

    Product-based & data driven approach in delivering customer value at pace
    Tim Manandhar, DSO Solutions Manager - UK Power Networks

    Leveraging digitalisation and cloud to unlock network capacity
    Ben Scowen, Vice President - UK & Ireland Cloud & Core Leader - Kyndryl

    Connections 360: Providing data transparency and helping customers to self-serve
    Sangeeta Agrawal, Head of Technology Delivery - NESO
     
  3. Innovation Stage

    ​In partnership with: 

    Latest jobs at Springwise | Escape the City

    Identifying novel innovations in the water sector is critical to ensuring water companies deliver on net zero targets, clean rivers and build infrastructure at pace. Join this session hosted by UW sister brand Springwise to unearth impact-driven innovations you never knew you needed. Stay ahead of the companies and technologies leading the change and disrupting the utilities industry. 

    ​​

    Chair introduction
    Matthew Hempstead, Commissioning Editor - Springwise

    Onunda offers energy self-sufficient and closed-loop treatment of biosolids via hydrothermal carbonisation and rotary kiln technologies
    James Meyer, CTO & Co-founder - Onunda

    Wizso is a small pellet that you drop into the toilet after you pee to avoid the need to flush, saving water, carbon and money
    Arthur O'Brien, Founder & Director - Wizso

    Tova is supporting utilities with its proprietary machine learning hydrologic model that forecasts water availability anywhere
    Alexa Bruce, Chief Executive - Tova

     

  4. Innovation Stage

    ​Sponsored by: 

    National Grid

    Innovation and investment will be key to building the energy future. The benefits of transforming the energy system are huge, resulting in increased economic growth, more jobs, lower bills in the long-term, and increased security of supply.    

    Discover how National Grid is utilising innovative approaches and technology to maximise the potential of current assets, whilst driving the development and evolution of new solutions to enable the energy transition.  


    Chair and scene setting
    Ruth Williams, Chief Correspondent - Utility Week

    Panel
    Gary Stockdale, Net Zero Innovation Manager - National Grid
    Steve Smith, Chief Strategy and Regulation Officer - National Grid
    Amjad Karim, Founder and CEO - Keen AI

  5. Innovation Stage

    To achieve Clean Power 2030 and ambitious AMP8 targets water, gas and power need to do things differently. Utilities must innovate and change their way of working to drive the UK’s net zero ambition, improve operational resilience and champion sustainability and clean waterways. Discover how Ofwat and Ofgem are supporting and championing innovation in the industry.  
     

    Chair
    Eric Brown, Director - Energy Geeks thinktank and Grid Scientific

    The Secret to unlocking innovation across Utilities… Is being open about the need to change!
    Jodie Giles, Programme Director - Strategic Innovation Fund - Ofgem
    Sam Walker, Senior Policy Manager – Innovation Hub - Ofgem

    Change through innovation – the time is now!!
    Marc Hannis, Principal, Innovation Fund - Ofwat

  6. Innovation Stage

    In partnership with: 

    IGEM to develop digital Hydrogen Knowledge Centre - Registered Gas Engineer

    With a view towards the 2030s, gas networks provide an opportunity to drive down emissions through the scaling of biomethane. Come and find out about the action being taken, some complimentary solutions, the size of the prize and the rapid progress in France.

    Chair and scene setting
    Oliver Lancaster, Chief Executive - IGEM

    The Green Gas Task Force: Maximising biomethane
    Nic Crowe, Co Chair - Green Gas Task Force

    Vision to reality: Creating more capacity for the green gas
    Matt Hindle, Head of Net Zero and Sustainability - Wales and West Utilities

    Experiences from the continent and the French biomethane journey
    Annette Kroll, Head of Regulation and Advocacy Renewable Gas - ENGIE
     

  7. Innovation Stage
    National Grid, SSEN and SPEN are working together on an innovation-funded project to develop a consistent approach and methodology for assessing the biodiversity impacts, risks and dependencies of their global supply chains. Join this session to learn more about Project Nature, and what it means for the UK transmission and distribution sectors.

    Chair
    Jane Gray, Content Director - Utility Week

    Panel
    Chris Plester, Net Gain Technical Lead - National Grid Electricity Transmission
21 May 2025
  1. Innovation Stage

    ​In partnership with: 

    Energy Innovation Centre (EIC)

    This session will explore how UK energy networks and innovators are collaborating to accelerate the deployment of innovation. Through real-world case studies and expert insights, attendees will gain practical advice on progressing solutions to business-as-usual deployment.

    ​​​
    Chair Introduction
    Stewart Reid, Head of Future Networks - SSEN Distribution

    Panel
    Ruth Babbington, Principal Policy Expert – Innovation - Ofgem
    Kat Lennox, Managing Director - Rawwater Applied Technology
    Chris Carter, Head of Innovation - SP Energy Networks
    Paul Cuttill, Director - TSAFET Ltd
    Alan Greig, Innovation Lead - APK Industries

  2. Innovation Stage
    Ambitious delivery targets in AMP8 and to achieve Clean Power 2030 combined with a national competition for resource, requires the industry to embrace novel technologies and ways of working to unlock efficiencies and maximise productivity. Join this session to discover the latest learnings from innovation projects exploring new ways to drive deliverability, improve network resilience and increase asset management efficiency.  

    Chair
    Ellen Bennett, Managing Director - Utility Week

    Case study: Sub-Seasonal Forecasting
    Michael Angus, Industry Consultancy Scientist - Met Office

    Case study: Safe Smart Systems
    Reece Cook, Principal Data Scientist - Anglian Water

    Case study: Phase Switch System Project
    Stuart Fowler - National Grid
  3. Innovation Stage

    ​In partnership with: 

    Latest jobs at Springwise | Escape the City

    Identifying novel energy innovations is critical if we are to meet net-zero targets, enable UK decarbonisation, and build infrastructure at pace. Join this session hosted by UW sister brand Springwise to unearth impact-driven innovations you never knew you needed. Stay ahead of the companies and technologies leading the change and disrupting the utilities industry. 

    ​​​Chair introduction
    Matt Hempstead, Commissioning Editor - Springwise

    AssetCool automates grid uprating and maintenance with power line robotics and materials science
    Niall Coogan, CEO - AssetCool

    Rendesco is pioneering and scaling heat as a utility and asset in the UK
    Tim Delport, Head of Energy Innovation - Rendesco Ltd

    Gridraven delivers dynamic line ratings with precision weather forecasting
    Tuuli Jevstignejev, Chief Communication Officer - Gridraven

  4. Innovation Stage
    Looking at decarbonisation at a local level is critical to planning and achieving net zero in different regions. Collaboration between distribution networks and local government has never been more critical to achieve net zero targets. Join this session to discover the work being done to engage with all stakeholders when planning for Clean Power 2030. 

    Chair introduction
    Christopher Hammond, Chief Executive - UK100

    Net zero by 2030 – what can a London government do (and not do)?
    Tim Pryce, Head of Clean Energy - London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham

    Where energy and communities meet - lessons from two years of collaboration between DSO and Local Authorities
    Lynne McDonald, head of local net zero - UKPN

    DSO for good
    Paul Auckland, Head of Economic Regulation and DSO - Electricity North West
  5. Innovation Stage
    With approximately 34 million smart meters connected to the smart meter network and 2.3 billion messages transmitted monthly, smart meter data plays a pivotal role in supporting the transition to Net Zero. It can help build a more flexible and sustainable energy system. For utilities, like other sectors, meeting the Net Zero challenge is going to require a shift in thinking than has been the norm in the past, and moving towards innovative solutions and strategies. Join us for a session exploring how utilities can securely and safely unlock access to smart meter data and foster innovation that drives the transition to Net Zero, while delivering tangible benefits to consumers 


    Chair opening remarks
    Paul Clark, Partnerships & Projects Director - Smart DCC

    Panel
    Jo Lomax, Consumer Vulnerability Manager - UKPN
    Dimitrios Stefanoglou, Sustainable Innovation Analyst - Utilita
    Simon Tricker, Co-founder & CDO - Urban Tide
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"There were many interesting things to discover at the event. The talks gave a fascinating insight into issues facing the industry, how they are dealt with and what the future looks like. For someone looking to expand their horizons, it's definitely worth a visit. Utility Week Live is also a very good place to network and meet new people from an array of different companies"

- UWL visitor

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All this FREE content is CPD accredited
CPD accredited