Energy

Innovate UK Business Connect’s Energy Team is at the centre of our work contributing to delivering the UK’s ambitious Net Zero targets. With specialists in Nuclear, Offshore Wind, Thermal Energy Systems, Batteries, Water, Hydrogen, Sustainable Energy, Grid and Distributed Systems, Electrical Energy Systems and Solar, the team has deep expertise, powerful connections and a track record of successful projects delivering environmental and societal impact.

The Energy Team aims to simplify the energy innovation landscape by providing rapid transfer of high-quality information on technologies, markets, funding and partnership opportunities. It supports businesses to decarbonise and increase energy efficiency, building on Innovate UK Business Connect’s longstanding record for work in environmental sustainability.

From a seat on the government’s Carbon Connect programme to working with Sellafield to find decontamination solutions, the team’s sector expertise is fundamental in the delivery of a variety of projects and in supporting government departments, large organisations and SMEs.

Innovate UK Business Connect has also supported three overseas missions to Canada, China, South Korea and Japan to establish the potential for UK companies to work in collaboration: from this we have a Memorandum of Understanding from a Japanese research centre and joint projects with the US.

Click here for a complete list of our open energy and sustainability funding opportunities.

Our current focus in this area

The Cross-Sector Battery Systems Innovation Network, co-founded by Innovate UK and the Faraday Battery Challenge, is a cross-sectoral and collaborative community of technology developers and end-users.

The Decarbonising Ports & Harbours Innovation Network’s overarching objective is to raise the profile of the critical part ports and harbours need to play in Maritime transport’s transition to net zero by 2050 and accelerate this transition by giving clear direction.

Innovate UK Business Connect is working with ENGIE through the Innovation Exchange programme to support the Clean Growth Innovation Fund on a number of themes around electrical energy systems.

Global energy poverty is real. Over 1 billion people do not have access to electricity. Over 3 billion people rely on solid fuels and kerosene for cooking and heating. It is estimated that approximately 80% of people gaining access to electricity worldwide are in urban areas.

Innovate UK Hydrogen Innovation Network is a non-competitive advisory group to pool knowledge from existing Hydrogen communities and validate views on the current challenges to enabling low-carbon Hydrogen production at scale and cost.

Innovate UK KTN’s Innovation Exchange is a cross-sector programme supporting innovation transfer by matching industry challenges to innovative companies from other sectors. It does this by putting large businesses with technical needs in contact with companies who have the right innovative solutions, for faster development of novel solutions.

Innovate UK Business Connect supports activities across the nuclear landscape including existing generation, new build and decommissioning and waste management. There are also strong links with the fusion energy community.

Innovate UK Business Connect supports the offshore wind industry as a major contributor to the ORE Catapult innovation hub funded by BEIS, as well as supporting the companies who are making applications for funding for offshore renewables.

Innovate UK Business Connect supports the SuperSolar Network Plus with the Head of Infrastructure acting as Chair to the Network Industrial Advisory Group. Through this group, and programmes such as Energy Catalyst as described above, we are actively brokering B2B and B2A linkages.

Innovate UK Business Connect supports the heating and cooling industries in the UK including the electrification of heat (heat pumps, storage heaters, dry heating systems), heat networks (infrastructure, heat exchangers, heat network optimisation) and low carbon gases (hydrogen, biogas and other green gases).

Related Opportunities

Industrial Energy Transformation Fund (IETF) Phase 3: Spring 2024

Opens: 29/01/2024 Closes: 19/04/2024

Grant funding for feasibility and engineering studies, and for the deployment of industrial energy efficiency and deep decarbonisation projects.

More Information

Global Business Innovation Programme: Ocean Technology, Canada

Opens: 21/02/2024 Closes: 24/03/2024

Innovate UK invites ambitious Ocean Technology sector companies to join our programme in Canada with two workshops and a market visit.

More Information

Global Business Innovation Programme in Australia - Critical Minerals for Electrification

Opens: 21/02/2024 Closes: 05/04/2024

Innovate UK is inviting companies with expertise in mid-stream processing of Australian raw materials to participate in the Global Business Innovation Programme with a market visit to Australia.

More Information

Related Events and Recordings

Tue
19
Mar
2024

Industrial Energy Transformation Fund Phase 3 Spring 2024 Competition Clinics

10.00 - 11.00 | Online

Register for this event
Mon
15
May
2023

Technology Showcase: Industrial Energy Transformation Fund, Phase 2

10.00 - 12.00 | Online

Watch now
See all events

Our Experts

Related News

DESNZ launches new Phase 3 Industrial Energy Transformation Fund

22/01/2024

DESNZ launches new Phase 3 Industrial Energy Transformation Fund

On 22 January 2024, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) launched Phase 3 of the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund (IETF), providing an additional £185 million capital investment support to industry.

Read more
Industrial Energy Transformation Fund 2024 update

08/01/2024

Industrial Energy Transformation Fund 2024 update

Find out more about the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund’s activities in 2024.

Read more
More News

Related programmes

Hydrogen Supply Chain Directory

Hydrogen Supply Chain Directory

This directory shares the details of those who are currently producing, storing, transporting, and using hydrogen. It also showcases solutions-providers who may be able to help these end users meet their hydrogen targets. Innovate UK KTN can facilitate knowledge transfer and introductions for users of the directory.

Enabling smart local energy systems

Enabling smart local energy systems

We live, work and travel in regions, cites, towns and communities, but energy systems are still very centralised. UKRI’s Prospering from the Energy Revolution programme explored the potential of smart local energy systems and place-based approaches. Discover learnings and insights from the £104m, five-year programme.

For general enquiries regarding our Energy sector contact us now

Close

Connect with Innovate UK Business Connect

Join Innovate UK Business Connect's mailing list to receive updates on funding opportunities, events and to access Innovate UK Business Connect's deep expertise. Please check your email to confirm your subscription and select your area(s) of interest.