Working together to make innovation happen
Wednesday 11th March 2026
Within Alpha, we demonstrated that NbS (Nature based Solutions) can deliver material financial benefits to networks – and therefore consumers – through lower costs, increased network resilience, and environmental benefits such as carbon sequestration and biodiversity improvements that can be ‘captured’ through nature markets.
However, conventional CBA (Cost Benefit Analysis) frameworks can fall short of capturing the full spectrum of value – particularly when it comes to solutions like NbS that deliver broad, long-term, and systemic benefits.
The Nature4Networks project will therefore also demonstrate where current valuation frameworks fall short, and how they can be realigned to measure (and ultimately deliver) what truly matters.
Nature4Networks is expected to develop methodologies which will apply not just to the electricity network industry, but with relevant adjustment, could be applied at a Whole Systems level. Nature4Networks will deliver financial efficiencies and wider ecosystem benefits, including flood resilience, carbon removal, biodiversity enhancement, social benefits, and asset regulation, such as noise abatement and temperature control. Additional value includes increased resilience and reduced disruption risk for consumers who face fewer and shorter interruptions as a result of NbS solutions.
The Nature4Networks project has demonstrated that Nature-based Solutions (NbS) can meet engineering requirements while delivering significant additional benefits, including biodiversity support, climate resilience, improved network reliability, reduced reliance on non-renewable resources, greater public acceptance, and societal gains such as flood mitigation and visual amenity.
The Discovery and Alpha phases revealed strong interest among utilities, local authorities, and other sectors in adopting coordinated NbS approaches to address shared challenges holistically. However, current regulatory frameworks remain a barrier: prescriptive standards often exclude NbS, and long-term operational, environmental, and societal benefits are undervalued in decision-making.
During Alpha, four NbS case studies were explored:
Stakeholder engagement validated these approaches, with strong support from environmental agencies, water companies, rail networks, local authorities, and landowners – highlighting the potential for NbS to become mainstream in infrastructure planning.
Key outputs include the Nature4Networks Catalogue detailing 15 NbS applicable to electricity networks, foundational tools such as NbS-specific engineering standards, site assessment methodologies, performance metrics, and an updated cost-benefit analysis model, along with detailed trial site designs and specifications.
Despite these successes, barriers remain, including narrow financial metrics and immature nature markets (e.g., Biodiversity Net Gain and carbon credits), which limit monetisation and broader adoption. The upcoming Beta Phase will address these gaps through field trials and commercial model development, aiming to unlock regulatory and market opportunities and accelerate the integration of NbS into infrastructure planning.
Nature4Networks successfully secured SIF BETA funding, with the project set to kick off in February 2026.
Total project cost: £8,992,754
Contribution: £1,100,366
Funding: £7,892,388
This project is a 5-year demonstrator
Dot Revill - SSEN Innovation Project Manager
Not yet available
• Discovery Video (YouTube): https://youtu.be/ftHpSIbiijE
• Show and Tell Video (Vimeo): 15052025_Nature4Networks – Alpha Phase Show & Tell
• GHD Video: Nature4Networks_video_v5
