INSIGHTS / News

The Energy Innovation Centre (EIC) has revealed it will be able to help innovators access over £36 million of funding for bright ideas for the electricity and gas market in 2013.

Available now, a variety of funding sources can be accessed via the Energy Innovation Centre and investments will continue to be selected by the UK’s leading gas and electricity networks.

The energy networks are searching for new technologies to enhance the way power is transported, monitored and stored. EIC matches innovators with the energy networks for innovative projects and helps with potential submissions for funding through mechanisms such as Ofgem’s Innovation Funding Incentive scheme, the Low Carbon Networks Fund and the Network Innovation Stimulus Programme starting this year.

Back in February 2012, the centre announced access to £29.2 million of funding for projects involving new services and technologies.

Over the course of the last 12 months, the funding successfully helped a number of companies including Gnosys Global, a spin out company from Surrey university, which received funding for a project to improve the damage resistance of underground and subsea cables for SP Energy Networks and SSE. It will do this by developing smart chemistry solutions that enable the outer cable layers to self-repair if damaged.

Another company aided by the funding includes Bellrock Technology which secured funding from SSE to begin implementing an innovative technology to help engineers better manage their assets. The Lumen platform intelligently adapts to each end-user, delivering the exact data and analytics they need.

Denise Massey, managing director of the Energy Innovation Centre, said: “Last year we increased the number of investments significantly and we have helped accelerate a number of innovative ideas to market. We’re delighted that this year we can open up this wonderful opportunity to innovators and pioneers with ideas for the gas industry as well.

“We’ve just moved into bigger and better premises and have seen the gas industry join us as stakeholders. We are now the single point of contact for innovative SMEs to engage with major companies in the energy industry as we work towards more sustainable technologies and a low carbon future.”

Since its launch in 2008, the centre has provided business support to over 400 SMEs, start-ups and inventors from the UK and internationally. The centre is currently working with more than 100 innovators and organisations with an exciting investment pipeline in place for 2013.

The centre offers a complete range of services for the innovator including technology validation, access to funding, access to the major energy networks and commercialisation advice.

It works with electricity companies Electricity North West, Northern Powergrid, SP Energy Networks, SSE and UK Power Networks.

Gas networks working with the centre include National Grid, Scotia Gas Networks, Northern Gas Networks and Wales and West Utilities.

For more information about the funding available and to see a list of industry technology gaps call 0151 348 8040 or visit www.energyinnovationcentre.com

The announcement comes ahead of the centre’s annual UK Energy Innovation Awards which take place in Manchester on April 25^th. For more information see www.energyinnovationcentre.com