Energy Catalyst, (Round 3) : Late Stage: Pre-commercial technology validation 

The ENERGY CATALYST, is a grant competition supported by  Innovate UK; the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC)   It supports both businesses and research organisations, including academia, that are UK based or are moving there to respond to challenges across the energy sector. It will fund projects delivering innovative solutions that address   all the elements of the energy trilemma namely:

Reducing Emissions

Improving Security of supply

Reducing Costs

Key Objective: The Catalyst will support projects that contribute to all elements of the energy trilemma and funding will be available for three stages of technology development:

 Early-stage award: Technical feasibility

 Mid-stage awards: Technology development

 Late-stage awards: Pre-commercial technology validation (this document)

Organisations can apply for any stage of funding depending on where in the development cycle their technology sits.

The EC will help stimulate and support innovation at all stages through to commercial readiness. Thus The Energy Catalyst (EC) can fund projects from early concept stage through to pre-commercial technology validation, based upon innovation that incorporates, for example:

• new technologies 
• enhancement or alternative applications of existing technologies
• development of components, sub-systems or systems
• integrated whole-system approaches

• enabling technologies for the energy system.

Proposals which bring new and innovative solutions and applications into the energy sector and its supply chain are favoured. In addition the EC favours the adoption and integration of cross-cutting, enabling technologies which are applicable across a range of sectors, for example, high-value manufacturing, advanced materials, sensors and information and communication technologies (ICT).

Eligibility:  This document describes terms and conditions for Late Stage: Pre-commercial technology validation awards. Late stage projects must be business-led and collaborative.  Research organisations may take part but cannot lead a proposal.

Funding available:  Total project costs may be up to £10 million. SMEs may receive 45% funding if small or micro companies, medium companies 35% and large companies 25% of eligible costs. Research partners may receive up to 100% funding but total research partner costs must not exceed 30% of total project costs.

Duration: Projects may last up to 36 months

Application: This round opened on 30 April 2015. These awards follow a two-stage competitive application process.

Stage 1 - Applicants submit an expression of interest (EoI) which is assessed. 

Stage 2   selected applicants invited to submit a full application. 

Applicants must first register via the Innovate UK website

Timeline: The deadline for registration is noon 2 September 2015 and the deadline for expressions of interest is noon 9 September 2015.

Applicants will be informed of EoI results on 2^nd October and those successful will be invited to apply with a full application by noon 25^th November 2015

Applicants will be notified by email if successful on the 29^th January 2016 and conditional

offer letters sent out by 26^th Febuary2016

Scope: Late-stage projects will demonstrate and evaluate the capability and performance of innovative technologies through pre-commercial technology validation including, for example, prototype and pilot testing and field trials at the component and system levels in realistic operating environments.

Indicative examples of technology areas that are within the scope of the Energy Catalyst include, but are not limited to, those listed below: 

• carbon abatement: minimising environmental impact of fossil fuels and their associated applications to improve efficiency and reduce emissions. Includes carbon capture, transport, utilisation and storage for large-scale power and industrial CO₂ emitters
• renewable energy: wind, wave, tidal, solar (pv), thermal and concentrated), biomass, geothermal, heat pumps, energy from waste
• nuclear fission: front-end fuel cycle, plant construction, commissioning, operation and maintenance. Waste management and decommissioning
• hydrogen and fuel cells: hydrogen production, transport and storage. Fuel cells for stationary and other applications (e.g., portable power) NB excludes technology development focused solely or predominantly on transport propulsion applications
• energy networks and system integration: electricity and heat networks. Technologies for energy transmission, distribution and storage and the integration of systems to deploy low carbon energy. Includes smart grids, power electronics, storage technologies and waste heat
• demand-side technologies: technology development to reduce and/or manage energy demand at scale. Includes energy efficiency measures for the end user including industrial energy efficiency 
• enabling technologies and processes: includes ICT, high value manufacturing, robotics, advanced materials, sensors, control systems, virtual technologies, modelling and simulation 
• open theme: technologies where applicants are confident they meet the scope but which are not specifically covered by the above categories (e.g. energy harvesting).

Conditions: There are a limited number of areas where the Energy Catalyst will not fund projects currently, we are happy to advise on scope and general eligibility.

ACTION To discuss this grant and how we can help maximise your chances of success, save you time and get the biggest possible grant please contact Jeremy Boardman at www.grantaid.com