The Energy Catalyst will support those early-stage innovations with the potential to meet the challenge of providing affordable, secure and low carbon energy
- Iain Gray, Chief Executive, Technology Strategy Board
The prize is a greater share of huge emerging global markets for energy technology.
The Energy Catalyst is funded by the Technology Strategy Board, along with the Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC). It is the latest in a series of sector-specific Catalysts.
Iain Gray, chief executive of the Technology Strategy Board, said: "The Energy Catalyst will support those early-stage innovations with the potential to meet the challenge of providing affordable, secure and low carbon energy.
"We're particularly pleased to be building upon the successful catalyst model we and our partners have implemented with such success through the Biomedical and Agri-Tech Catalyst programmes, and look forward to continuing our work to support innovative UK companies working in the energy sector."
Business and Energy Minister, Michael Fallon, commented: "Britain has historically been home to some of the world's greatest innovations, and this fund will help to continue that trend in the energy sector which has real potential to create growth and jobs.
"Catalysts such as this form an important delivery tool under our industrial strategy, which is giving business the confidence to invest - securing high skilled jobs and a stronger economy."
Although most projects will be business-led, the Catalyst is open to any UK company, academic or research organisation. It will fund projects from early concept through to pre-commercial technology validation, and will be taking applications from 19 May 2014.
Projects can be based on innovation that incorporates:
• new technologies
• enhancement of existing technologies
• components, sub-systems or systems
• integrated whole system approaches
• enabling technologies for the energy system.
Find out more about the Energy Catalyst, including the application process for the various funding awards.