Small businesses with innovative ideas that could be adapted to the energy sector are being invited to apply for a share of £1.5 million to support feasibility studies – in a process that could usefully be extended to the water sector.
Innovate UK is seeking businesses operating primarily outside the energy sector to lead projects that tackle challenges in the oil and gas, nuclear or energy systems.
The Government innovation agency is expecting businesses working in inspection, ICT, digital, sensors, virtual reality, gaming, robotics, autonomous systems, advanced materials and manufacturing will have ideas of interest to the energy industry.
Existing defence, aerospace, automotive, telecommunications, forensics, medical, space and creative industries technologies could also be relevant.
The challenges are in 3 key areas:
- inspecting buildings, vessels and components, including identifying defects without human entry and repairing corrosion
- dealing with and analysing the large volumes of data delivered by the energy industry
- finding innovative new ways to get users involved in reducing their energy bills
The competition opens on 28 March 2016, and the deadline for registration is at noon on 4 May 2016.
Projects must be led by a small or medium-sized business mainly operating outside the energy sector the lead business can work alone or with partners of any size from any sector
InnovateUK expects total project costs to range between £25,000 and £100,000 and for projects to last 6 to 12 months. Small businesses could receive up to 70% of their project costs, medium-sized businesses up to 60% and large businesses up to 50.
Consortium-building workshops will be held in early 2016, followed by a briefing event for potential applicants in London on 6 April 2016.
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