By HM Government Updated: An update on a £13m funding programme for collaborative R&D and feasibility study projects, to stimulate innovation and strengthen the UK's civil nuclear supply chain.
Overview
This guide explains how to apply for competitions and schemes that form part of this drive for innovation. It also includes briefing documents and timetables.
We have committed over £200 million of funding for low-carbon technologies for 2011 to 2015. Details of how the funding has been allocated are shown at the end of the guide.
NER300 - EU Funding Mechanism for Renewables Demonstration Projects: Second call for proposals now open
On 3 April 2013, the European Commission published its Call for Proposals for the second round of New Entrant Reserve (NER) funding. The NER300 is a common fund of 300 million EU ETS allowances set aside for supporting about 8 CCS and 34 renewable energy projects. DECC has put together new guidance for potential UK applicants for renewable demonstration projects.
- Further details are available from the European Commission website
- For information on how to apply, read DECC's NER guidance
Application forms must be submitted to DECC electronically by 5pm on 20 June 2013, to innovation@decc.gsi.gov.uk
Bioenergy: funding schemes
Bioenergy demonstrator funding opportunity
The Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC), BBSRC and the Technology Strategy Board are part of a European consortium that, supported by the European Commission, aims to encourage generation of bioenergy through a single collaborative funding call. The objective of the call is to fund several collaborative bioenergy demonstration projects.
A consortium of 8 EU member states and associated countries, including the UK, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland, is implementing BESTF, an Eranet-Plus activity. This activity will provide funding and support to collaborative bioenergy projects that demonstrate one or more innovative steps resulting in demonstration at a pre-commercial stage.
The competition is expected to launch in January 2013. Full details can be found on the Technology strategy Board website
Second EU Bioenergy Demonstrator funding opportunity
Following the successful implementation of the first EU ERANET plus bioenergy demonstrator joint call that closed in March 2013, The Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC), Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) have joined forces again to lead a second initiative.
Bioenergy Sustaining the Future 2 (BESTF2), like its predecessor, aims to encourage the commercialisation of innovative bioenergy projects by providing financial support to high quality collaborative bioenergy demonstration projects.
Participating countries this time include the UK, Germany, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Denmark and The Netherlands. Projects will need to demonstrate active participation from at least two of these countries.
The BESTF2 joint call launched on 11 December 2013, and full details, including application forms, can be found on the BESTF website.
Video footage of the UK launch event can be found on the on the Environmental Sustainability Knowledge Transfer Network You Tube channel.
A Linked In group is available to facilitate communication between prospective partners.
Bioenergy Sustaining the Future 2: early market engagement document
PDF, 251KB, 5 pages
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Energy efficiency and storage: funding schemes
Heat storage competition for SBRI contracts
DECC launched a competition to assess the performance of advanced thermal storage, which can be integrated with heat technologies to help balance peak loads to the grid.
The competition aims to assess the viability of compact heat storage materials as an effective means to mitigate potential strain on the electricity grid in scenarios of increasing loads from low-carbon heat technologies (such as heat pumps).
The competition closed to applicants in August 2012. Successful studies are to be invited to participate in a prototype demonstration (Phase 2) in spring 2013, with monitoring to take place over a 12-month period.
Competition timeline for 2013 to 2014
Milestone
Date
Successful Phase 1 reports invited to tender
Jan 2013
Deadline for Phase 2 applications
Feb/Mar 2013
Phase 2 delivery commences
March 2013
Phase 2 monitoring stage
1 April 2013 to 28 Mar 2014
Competition documents
DECC advanced heat storage project brief
Advanced heat storage competition guidance notes
DECC Pre-Commercial Procurement contract template
(PDF, 105KB, 21 pages)
Further information
For information about the competition scope and applications please email heatstorage@decc.gsi.gov.uk
Training and skills: funding schemes
Funding of energy efficiency training (non-domestic) competition
DECC organised a competition to boost training to enhance energy efficiency skills among individuals with responsibility for energy usage in non-domestic premises.
Training providers were able to apply for a share of the £100,000 available. The deadline for proposals was 5pm on 4 January 2013.
Bids will be judged separately against a range of criteria including value for money, deliverability and the overall fit with DECC's strategic priorities. Successful bidders will be informed as soon as possible after the deadline for applications has passed.
Competition documents
The guidance pack provides further detail of the criteria upon which bids will be judged as well as the process for submitting applications.
Read the Competition for funding of energy efficiency training (non-domestic) guidance pack (2012-2013) and [guidance pack update
Energy efficiency training (non-domestic) competition - guidance pack update
(PDF, 30.7KB, 1 page)
Nuclear innovation: funding schemes
Our white paper, Meeting the energy challenge and government programme names nuclear power in the future energy mix, alongside other low-carbon sources, renewables and carbon capture and storage (CCS).
Industry has set out plans to develop up to 16GW of new nuclear power by 2025. However, a significant expansion in nuclear power generation, beyond the immediate target of 16GW may be required if CO2 emission targets are to be met.
A cross-government review, undertaken in response to the House of Lords' Science and Technology Committee's report on UK nuclear research and development (R&D) capabilities, has resulted in the publication of a suite of documents available on the Government website. These include the Nuclear Industry Strategy, a Nuclear Energy Research and Development Roadmap, a Nuclear Industrial Vision Statement, a Long Term Nuclear Energy Strategy, and a Civil Nuclear Research and Development Landscape Review.
Investment in innovation will help to decrease costs, increase capacity, decrease delays to construction and demonstrate efficient waste and decommissioning processes. It has been estimated that investment in nuclear innovation could provide benefits valued between £5 billion and 40 billion by 2050 and £5 billion and 90 billion by 2100. It would also help create UK based business opportunities that could contribute between £1.5 billion and 13 billion to GDP by 2050.
DECC's Energy Innovation Delivery Team has a remit to invest in technologies that will provide significant benefits to the UK in terms of renewable and low-carbon energy supply.
£13m Funding available for Nuclear R&D
The Technology Strategy Board (TSB), the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) and the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) are investing up to £13m in collaborative R&D and feasibility study projects, to stimulate innovation and strengthen the UK's civil nuclear supply chain. The competition is open to all sizes of businesses and research organisations who may already be engaged in the nuclear sector or who are considering entering this growing market for the first time.
The competition has 2 strands:
Up to £10m is available for Collaborative R&D projects Up to £3m is available for Feasibility Study projectsThere are 5 technology themes which are applicable to both Strands of the competition and apply to both new build and existing nuclear power plant.
Construction, installation and commissioning Operation and maintenance High Value Manufacturing Waste, decommissioning and storage Open theme (eg includes Small Modular Reactors)It is envisaged that the competition will attract numerous cross-cutting and innovative technologies that could be developed or adapted for the above themes from areas such as; materials, processing & joining, NDE, condition monitoring, robotics, remote handling, sensors, electronics, chemistry and many others. We welcome and encourage technology transfer proposals from other sectors.
At these two links, on the right hand side of the pages you will find details of:
The full competition brief , key dates and guidance for applicants documents; Registration for Brokering events at Manchester (21 January) and Penrith (12 February) where you can look for and meet potential partners from large and small businesses and academia and briefly present your project ideas. You will also hear from the nuclear sector about their R&D needs and SMEs who will share their experience of working with the TSB and showcase their innovation from previous projects. Registration for a Competition briefing event in London (or live by webinar) on 19 March where you will hear full details of the scope of the competition, the application process and how to maximise your chances of success
We recommend all potential applicants to attend these events wherever possible. It is particularly important that people attend the Competition Briefing event as funding rules have recently changed and are more attractive for businesses, particularly those working with research organisations.Registration places for all events are limited and will be allocated on a first come basis
Developing the civil nuclear power supply chain
about the competition.
Invitation to tender for nuclear innovation investment analysis
Investment decisions need to be evidence-based to ensure public money is used in the most cost-effective manner and will deliver maximal benefit. To prioritise investment DECC wants to analyse where, how, and to what extent investment across the nuclear life cycle will deliver benefit to the UK.
This work will help to define specific R&D programmes and/or capital investment that will unlock significant benefits for the UK.
DECC has issued an Invitation to tender for this work on the Contracts Finder website.
Advanced reactors and fuel cycle reports
DECC's work includes considering how the UK energy system might evolve in the future and the roles that different types of energy generation may play in it. This may include new designs of nuclear reactors and new types of fuel.
Most of the world's nuclear power reactors tend to run on uranium fuel, be cooled by water and, in order to sustain the heat-giving nuclear reaction in the reactor core, they must slow down the neutrons that the fuel emits. However, there are a range of reactor designs in various stages of development that differ from these and that may offer advantages over currently available reactor systems. Some of these also offer the possibility of using thorium, rather than uranium as a fuel, which also may offer desirable characteristics.
These reports aim to consider a range of advanced reactor systems and fuel cycles, to offer insight into their potential advantages and disadvantages and to highlight some of the challenges to developing them.
The findings should be seen as a preliminary analysis of technological potential and are not intended as an exhaustive review. Additionally, they do not aim to include the influence of market and policy drivers in the future, which would determine whether the technological characteristics might deliver real-world advantages. These influences would include changes in demand for energy, the level of worldwide uptake of nuclear power, developments in nuclear waste disposal technology and the growth of other energy generation sources.
- Review of metrics relevant to reactor systems - the definition and selection of the characteristics being considered in these reports
- Assessment of advanced reactor systems against UK performance metrics - an assessment of the reactor types against aggregated ‘scorecards', offering a combined view of these characteristics. Advanced technologies are compared against the typical current reactor types
Comparison of thorium and uranium fuel cycles - an assessment of how the use of uranium and thorium fuels compare within these reactors
Offshore Wind Component Technologies Development and Demonstration scheme
Fourth call for offshore wind innovation – NOW CLOSED
The fourth round of DECC's offshore wind innovation funding competition is now closed to further applications – ie. any application submitted after the 15 June 2013 deadline can not be considered.
The decision to close the scheme slightly early has been taken in the light of the current budget position for the Scheme which reflects both the funding already committed to offshore wind innovation projects and the applications received to date in the fourth round.
Innovators who may have considered applying to the Offshore Wind Component Technologies Scheme may find it useful to look at DECC's Energy Entrepreneur's Fund (EEF) which launched its second phase on 13 June 2013.
The Energy Entrepreneurs Fund scheme
This is a competitive funding scheme to support the development and demonstration of innovative, new technologies, products and processes in the areas of:
- energy efficiency and building technologies
- power generation and storage
The scheme seeks the best ideas, irrespective of source, in these areas from the public and private sector. However, the scheme particularly aims to assist small- and medium-sized enterprises, including start-ups, and those companies that are selected can receive additional funding for incubation support.
1st Phase
The first phase of the Energy Entrepreneurs Fund scheme was open from 23 August to 31 October 2012.
2nd Phase
The Department of Energy and Climate Change announced the launch of the second phase of its Energy Entrepreneurs Fund on 13th June 2013 . Of the total £35m allocated over the Spending Review period to support the development and demonstration of innovative technologies or processes in energy efficiency, storage and low carbon generation, £16million has been awarded to entrepreneurs since the first phase in Autumn 2012 to help bring a range of new and innovative low carbon products to market.
£19m is now available on a competitive, rolling basis to support projects up to a maximum value of £1m for work completed by 31st March 2015. The Deadline for the first call for applications within this second phase is 12th July. Applicants will first need to register their contact details by 5 July 2013.
The scheme seeks the best ideas, irrespective of source from the public and private sector. However, the scheme particularly aims to assist small and medium sized enterprises, including start-ups, and those companies that are selected will receive additional funding for incubation support.
Subject to the demand and quality of applications, DECC expects to open Calls for projects every four to six months from June 2013, until the full funding has been allocated. During the application process, applicants will be expected to demonstrate a robust evidence based case for funding, that will include but not be limited to:
- the potential impact of the innovation on 2020 and/or 2050 low carbon targets or security of supply
- the technical viability of their innovation and coherent development plan that will commercially progress the innovation
- value for money
- the size and nature of the business opportunity.
Find out how to apply, including eligibility criteria and guidance
Closed schemes (still current)
These schemes have completed their first round and are now in an invitation stage where successful bidders will be contacted.
DECC energy storage innovation competition
12 organisations have been awarded nearly £0.5million to carry out phase 1 feasibility studies into innovative and diverse energy storage ideas under the under Energy Storage Technology Demonstration Competition. The Energy Storage Technology Demonstration Competition is part of the Small Business Research Initiative, a pre commercial procurement scheme run by the Technology Strategy Board. The competition is being funded and run by DECC and it aims to encourage the development of innovative, pre-commercial energy storage technologies that can address grid-scale storage and balancing needs in the UK electricity network.
DECC will invite some of the innovators who won funding under the Energy Storage Technology Demonstration Competition to take part in the second, demonstration phase of this competition later in 2013, with up to £17 million available in total to test designs on the ground by the end of March 2015.
Details of the Phase 1 winners are summarised in the following document:
Energy Storage Technology Demonstration Competitions – Summary of Phase 1 Winners
PDF, 299KB, 6 pages
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Component research and feasibility study scheme
Four organisations have won a share of £1.5million under the first round of the energy storage systems component research and feasibility studies competition. The winning companies will use the funding to improve components or materials used for energy storage systems or to develop feasibility studies to explore how storage systems work and how they can be used in the UK electricity network.
The bids were assessed against a range of criteria including the technical specification, value for money and potential for commercialisation. DECC will announce the winners from the second round of this scheme, which closed on 27 March 2013, later in 2013.
Details of these first round winners are summarised in the following document:
Energy Storage Component Research and Feasibility Study Competition – Summary of 1st Call Winners
PDF, 276KB, 1 page
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Further information
An online group for the storage competitions, organised by the Energy Generation and Supply Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN), can be accessed from the Connect: Energy Storage Group web page.
Invest in Innovative Refurb programme
In September 2011, the Secretary of State for Energy & Climate Change announced that up to £35 million innovation funding would be earmarked to support the development and demonstration of innovative technologies and systems that can reduce carbon emissions from buildings. Of this £35 million, £10 million was allocated to a competition to reduce the risk and cost of innovative technologies or processes that can demonstrate significant energy and carbon savings in non-domestic buildings (which currently comprise 18% of the UK's carbon emissions).
The Invest in Innovative Refurb programme was launched on 30 April 2012 and is being run in 2 tranches by the Technology Strategy Board. Each tranche includes a Phase 1 design and Phase 2 demonstration phase. It will introduce new energy efficient technologies and processes for the low-carbon refurbishment of existing non-domestic buildings.
Generation technologies are not in the scope of this competition but will be supported in other innovation schemes such as the Energy Entrepreneur's Fund Scheme. Funded activities must support the installation and demonstration of innovative equipment, systems or processes that directly impact technology performance.
The scheme seeks to address a lack of product and systems innovation in the energy efficient refurbishment of these buildings and aims to demonstrate a greater range of options and their value proposition. The competition will support the assessment of innovative products that could potentially be certified under regulated assessment frameworks for inclusion under the Green Deal.
For competition timings and details, visit the Technology Strategy Board: Invest in Innovative Refurb web page.
Background analysis to the programme's context is available in the Non-domestic buildings TINA from the Low Carbon Innovation Co-ordination Group.
The Marine Energy Array Demonstrator (MEAD) scheme
In June 2011 DECC announced it is investing up to £20 million in the MEAD scheme to support the development of marine energy technologies, subject to value for money assessments.
MEAD closed to applications in June 2012, with final awards being made early in 2013 for project commencement in 2013.
Aims of the MEAD scheme
The MEAD scheme will support up to 2 pre-commercial projects to demonstrate the operation of wave and/or tidal devices in array formation for an extended period of time. By supporting the sector as it moves from single device prototypes to first arrays of full-scale devices, the MEAD will build confidence in the technology as a viable option to produce bulk electricity and in its potential contribution to the long-term deployment of renewable energy.
Award of MEAD funds will be subject to prior State Aid approval. DECC is applying for State Aid clearance for the scheme and will seek clearance to cumulate the grant funding with the relevant government revenue support.
Eligibility for the MEAD scheme
To encourage technology acceleration in marine energy this call focused on those projects that meet the following eligibility criteria:
- the array must expect to generate at least 7 gigawatts (GWh) per year when complete and must include at least 3 generating devices. We expect this to equate to a capacity factor of at least 3MW
- larger arrays at or in excess of 10GWh annual energy production will be assessed more favourably and we expect to support arrays of between 5MW and 10MW nameplate capacity
- the technology used must have been previously demonstrated at full-scale in real-sea conditions with comparable resource to the project site and using devices of equivalent design and scale to those to be installed in the MEAD project
- the technology used in the MEAD project must be manifestly similar in scale and concept to devices that will be installed in future commercial arrays
- project planning must be underway such that the complete project can be energised by 31 March 2016 at the latest. At the time of application:
- the project site must have an in-principle grid-connection lined up, with connection to have been completed before 31 March 2016
- the project must hold an agreement for lease for a wave and/or tidal array at the site from the relevant leasing body (probably The Crown Estate)
- application for planning consents must be well underway, with at least a formal scoping letter from the relevant consenting body or bodies available at the application date - to achieve this we expect that baseline environmental monitoring will have already commenced.
- the project site must be entirely within UK territorial waters and must supply electricity to the UK grid
- arrays awarded MEAD funding are expected to operate for a minimum of 2 years. (Although we expect arrays to operate for up to 20 years, and to provide a commercial return based on sale of electricity and revenue support)
Pre-submission briefing
A pre-submission briefing was held in London on 2 May 2012 to provide applicants with further information on the purpose of the scheme, project scope, eligibility criteria and to answer any questions in relation to this call. You can download the following material presented at the briefing:
MEAD Pre Submission Briefing Q&A
(PDF, 28KB, 3 pages)
MEAD Pre Submission Briefing presentation
(PDF, 309KB, 21 pages)
Offshore wind: Component Technologies Development and Demonstration scheme
5 November 2012: third call for offshore wind innovation
A briefing event for these new offshore energy competitions was held in London on Tuesday, 13 November. You can download the presentation slides:
Briefing
(PDF, 7.89MB, 118 pages)
This scheme has closed to applications. For reference, documents relevant to the application process are available for download as follows:
- Third call for proposals: guidance notes
- Third call for proposals: Application form
- Simple levelised cost of energy model
Related competitions
In parallel with the third call of the Component Technologies Scheme, 2 related competitions have been launched to stimulate innovation in the UK offshore wind sector and to strengthen the supply chain.
Wetland biomass to bio-energy competition
DECC has launched a SBRI competition to develop and demonstrate a bioenergy process that optimises wetland management activities and utilises the biomass arisings.
This scheme aims to increase the availability of renewable, sustainable bioenergy whilst addressing the challenges of wetland management and avoiding conflicts with alternative uses of land such as food or housing. Specific objectives include:
- optimisation of wetland management processes across challenging UK sites
- demonstration of an efficient feedstock conversion technology that utilises wetland biomass arisings
- integration of harvesting and conversion processes into an efficient cost effective system that can be used by regional land owners across the UK and that will provide energy either locally or nationally
The three-phase scheme initially enabled contractors to develop their ideas into detailed project plans with projected life cycle assessments. Three contractors have now been awarded funding to go into Phase 2 to progress their innovative ideas into technology demonstrators.
You can download:
Wetland Biomass to Bioenergy Competition Guidance notes
(PDF, 129KB, 24 pages)
Wetland Biomass to Bioenergy Competition application form
(MS Word Document, 255KB)
Wetland Biomass to Bioenergy Competition Q&A
(PDF, 112KB, 2 pages)
Key dates for the Wetlands scheme
Phase 1 (system design and life cycle analysis)
Date
Competition opens/briefing
8 October 2012
Deadline for applications
14 November 2012
Notification of Phase 1 assessment results
December 2012
Phase 1 begins
January 2013
Deadline for design and analysis report
March 2013
Phase 2 (preliminary demonstration and trials)
Date
Notification of phase 2 project selection
May/June 2013
Phase 2 development commences
May/June 2013
Phase 2 delivery and monitoring
June 2013 to March 2014
Phase 2 development report
March 2014
Phase 3 (final development, demonstration and trials)
Date
Phase 3 development commences
April 2014 - Feb 2015
Phase 3 delivery and monitoring
April 2014 - Feb 2015
Final report
February 2015
Closed schemes (scheme has ended)
These schemes have closed and the resulting innovations are referenced where applicable.
Hydrogen and fuel cell innovation
Hydrogen and fuel cells are related, but distinct, technologies that offer the potential for low - and ultimately zero - CO2 emissions, and increased energy security.
Fuel cell technology has potential applications in:
- Transport (replacing the internal combustion engine)
- Stationary power generation and combined heat and power (CHP)
- Microgeneration - domestic scale power or CHP
- Portable and remote power
These technologies are currently being demonstrated, at a pre-commercial stage, but will have to overcome significant techno-economic barriers in order to displace the incumbent technologies. DECC-funded programmes are helping address fuel cell costs and uncertainty about performance in real operating environments - which are some of the potential barriers to hydrogen deployment.
Hydrogen is an energy carrier, like electricity, which requires a source of primary energy to make it, and its carbon footprint depends on its production pathway. It can be produced from a number of different sources, including fossil fuels, such as coal or natural gas; renewable energy sources, such as wind, hydro and biomass; or from nuclear power. The most widely used and economic method uses reformation of natural gas, which results in carbon emissions. However, there are a number of low or zero carbon routes for the production of hydrogen; for example, the use of water electrolysis using electricity generated from wind power. This option could also have useful energy storage and electricity system balancing benefits.
Hydrogen can be converted to electricity and heat using modified combustion engines, gas turbines or fuel cells. It is one of a number of low carbon energy technologies which may have the potential to make a significant contribution to reducing our carbon emissions from 2020 to 2050 and beyond.
The Low Carbon Innovation Coordination Group (LCICG) is currently undertaking a Technology Innovation Needs Assessment (TINA) for Hydrogen, a process which involves an in depth analysis of the economic and low carbon benefits of a particular technology. When this analysis is complete, it will be published on the Technology Innovation Needs Assessment (TINA) pages of the LCICG website.
DECC is also involved - with the Department for Transport and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills - in an industry-led project which is evaluating the potential for hydrogen as an ultra low carbon fuel for transport in the UK - UKH2Mobility.
Low Carbon Funding Navigator tool
The Low Carbon Funding Navigator web tool helps connect potential applicants with low-carbon funding providers. Users can search for the latest funding opportunities in the low-carbon area as well as opportunities to build collaborations for specific calls. Both public or private funders can add and manage their own funding opportunities. The navigator is a resource for the entire low-carbon energy research, development and demonstration (RD&D) community, increasing transparency and knowledge sharing throughout the sector. It will be particularly valuable to smaller technology companies who struggle to keep up to speed with the myriad of support mechanisms in the UK. By placing this information at the users' fingertips the navigator will reduce time wasted and opportunities missed.
The Energy Generation and Supply Knowledge Transfer Network developed the Low Carbon Funding Navigator with support from DECC.
Technology reports
In 2011 and 2012 DECC commissioned 2 ‘deep dive' research reports to assess the potential for innovation in solid wall insulation and heat storage technologies:
- In-depth technology innovation assessment: heat storage
- In-depth technology innovation assessment: Solid Wall Insulation
These reports, produced by GHK and AEA respectively, are designed to complement the TINAs project by looking at specific technology areas in more detail. The reports provide overviews of each sector and identify a opportunities and the potential for innovation.
Other public innovation funding
Innovation support is needed from early stage research and development through to demonstration and pre-commercial deployment. DECC is mainly involved with the later stages, with other players supporting earlier stage interventions.
The UK submits a return to the International Energy Agency (IEA), setting out how much the UK Government (excluding the devolved administrations) has spent on energy innovation, which the IEA publishes on its website alongside the data submitted from other IEA member countries. The spreadsheets include various data, including showing that in Financial Year 2010/11 the UK spent £522.12m on Research, Development and Demonstration.
Energy innovation: spend data
(MS Excel Spreadsheet, 64.5KB)
Main providers of support
The Energy Generation and Supply Knowledge Transfer Network should be the first port of call for questions about funding and other opportunities.
Some of the other organisations that support innovation at its different stages are:
- the Research Councils UK Energy Programme, which provides funding for basic strategic and applied research into a wide range of technology areas
- the Technology Strategy Board, which supports medium-size research and development projects using technology-specific research calls
- the Energy Technologies Institute - a public-private partnership that invests in developing full-system solutions to long-term energy challenges
Carbon Trust, which offers a wide range of support for low-carbon innovation mainly in the pre-market arena
DECC, which supports and demonstrates key later-stage innovative technologies relating to energy supply and efficiency
- the EU, which coordinates a Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET Plan) that supports the development of energy technologies necessary for meeting the EU's 2020 targets and 2050 vision (email steve.martin@decc.gsi.gov.uk to receive regular updates by newsletter on the SET Plan and other European initiatives
EU Energy Focus - a free UK government-funded service that helps UK companies and research institutions access EU energy technology research, development and demonstration funding programmes (advice available covers the EU's Framework Programme 7 Energy theme, Intelligent energy Europe 2 and the SET Plan
How DECC funding has been allocated
The investment was announced in the Spending Review of November 2010 and has been allocated as follows:
- up to £20 million for the development of innovative carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies
- up to £15 million to support power generation technologies through the Energy Entrepreneurs Fund, which with £20 million from the Buildings Programme allocation brings the total budget for the Energy Entrepreneurs Fund to £35 million
- up to £20 million for the Marine Energy Array Demonstrator (MEAD) Capital Grant scheme, which will support the deployment of the first arrays of wave and/or tidal stream energy devices
- up to £35 million for the Buildings Innovation programme, which is designed to drive down the costs of saving energy and reducing carbon emissions in homes and businesses, including:
- up to £20 million for buildings technologies supported through the Energy Entrepreneurs Fund
- up to £10 million for the non-domestic building improvements scheme, ‘Invest in Innovative refurb'
- up to £3 million for a Small Business Research Initiative (SRBI) competition on advanced heat storage and £2.8 million to trial thermal (hot-water) storage integrated with heat pumps in domestic buildings
- up to £30 million for the Offshore Wind Component Technologies Development and Demonstration scheme
- up to £2 million for the development and demonstration of a bioenergy process that optimises wetland management activities and utilises the biomass arisings
- part of an up to 8 million euro collaboration with the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) to form a European consortium aiming to encourage bioenergy generation through a call entitled ‘Bioenergy Sustaining the Future' (BESTF)
- part of an up to £15 million collaboration with TSB, Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) on the civil nuclear supply chain
- up to £60 million for the development of offshore wind manufacturing at port sites
The spending focus has been on those technologies and programmes where there are clear market failures and where intervention will have greatest impact on meeting our climate change and energy objectives.
The Technology Innovation Needs Assessments (TINAs) have helped us with this.
European Collaboration: funding schemes
EUROGIA-UK
Eurogia-UK is a new programme looking to co-fund UK companies in international, collaborative energy development and demonstration projects. DECC will consider funding UK partners in projects receiving the Eurogia+ quality label on a rolling basis as of September 2013. Consortium partners from other EUREKA countries will be eligible for funding in their own countries within the usual EUREKA/Eurogia+ framework.
Applications for funding will be considered for all technologies covered by the European Strategic Energy Technologies (SET) Plan.
The consortium must comprise at least two industrial companies - large, small or medium sized enterprises - from two different EUREKA member countries (41 countries, including all EU member states). Research organisations can participate, however UK research organisations are not eligible for funding from Eurogia-UK.
Eurogia+ projects must clearly show technical innovation in the future product/process or service (either through using new devices or in the utilization of existing devices in a new application). The grant is only available until 31 March 2016, although the collaborative project may be longer if participants self-fund or secure funds elsewhere.
Funding
The grant limit is between £250,000 and £1,000,000 for UK partners in any single project. Maximum funding levels depend on the nature of the company and the project. The range of maximum grant funding levels are:
- Large Companies (250+ employees) – 40-65% eligible costs
- Medium sized companies (50-250 employees) – 50-75% eligible costs
- Small sized companies (
