The BEIS Industrial Energy Efficiency Accelerator (IEEA) - phase 3

The BEIS IEEA is a funding programme designed to support partnerships between developers of energy/resource efficient technologies and industrial companies willing to demonstrate the technologies on-site. The programme is managed by the Carbon Trust with support from Jacobs and KTN. It represents a unique opportunity for UK technology developers to bring their innovations to market, and to prove their technology works at scale in a production environment.

The programme is open to projects from all UK industry sectors that can demonstrate either a novel technology (targeting Technology Readiness Level 5-8), or the use of an established technology in a novel way.

Being part of the IEEA will allow promising innovators to:

• Demonstrate their technology in an operational environment
• Increase confidence from potential users
• Access incubation and marketing support

And it will provide forward-looking industrial companies with an opportunity to implement pioneering technologies with decreased risk and cost.

There is no requirement to have participated in phase 1 or phase 2 before applying to phase 3.

Who can apply to the IEEA?

Projects should comprise an industrial partner that will demonstrate the technology at their site, and (usually) a technology developer that has developed the new technology. Other project partners can be included in a consortium such as research organisations, universities, specialist technology suppliers and consultants.

Projects which are eligible

• Demonstration of a novel technology, or a commercial technology in a novel way
• Project will lead to a reduction of carbon emissions through reduced energy use and/or resource efficiency
• Energy/resource efficiency is achieved in the production stage (i.e. not distribution, use or disposal)
• Project must have good scale-up and commercial replication potential in the UK industrial sector

Sector eligibility

• The industrial processes that the IEEA targets are typically found in the following in-scope sectors: manufacturing (SIC 10-33), aggregates (SIC 08), water, waste (SIC 36-39) and data centres (SIC 63110).

Technology eligibility

• Efficient industrial process technologies with Technology Readiness Level currently 5 – 8. Progress to TRL8 or 9 during the project.
• Novel technology – or commercial technology not currently demonstrated in the UK, or in the planned demonstration sector.
• Eligible technologies include: – Energy saving projects; reduced waste use; reduced waste production; re-use of water or waste OR – Reduced use of raw materials; use of demonstrably lower carbon materials; material recycling or re-use INCLUDING – Advanced digital technology, including enhanced sensors & controls and process learning for process optimisation leading to superior energy and resource efficiencies within the demonstration project.

Organisation eligibility

• Commercial technology developers
• Industrial companies with a demonstration site in the UK
• Research Organisations – including universities, research and technology organisations, trade associations, charities etc
• Other private sector companies – including consultancies, specialist equipment or material suppliers etc

Out of scope – the following project types are not eligible for IEEA funding:

• Buildings, building fabric, building services (e.g. space heating, cooling and ventilation)
• On-grid electricity generation or electricity storage technology
• On-site renewables technology (e.g. wind, biomass, PV, solar thermal etc)
• Carbon capture and storage
• Fuel switching (unless there is also an energy reduction)
• Vehicles and reductions in transportation
• Fuel production

Click here for a recording of the launch event for phase 3 (recorded 14th October 2021).

If you have a preliminary idea, please fill in the form at the Carbon Trust’s page below, and their team will provide you with a preliminary assessment of the potential eligibility of the technology/project before you proceed to a full application.