In March, Innovate UK published its materials and manufacturing vision for 2050. This document “explores the manufacturing and materials related challenges and opportunities likely to face key sectors of the economy by 2050 and the steps we may need to take together to ensure the UK prospers from these changes.”
The non-departmental public body awards project grants to numerous clean energy and decarbonisation projects seeking to scale up their businesses in the UK, and Current± spoke to some of Innovate UK’s Fast Start projects at the Glasgow All Energy conference on May 10.
These relatively new, small scale startup projects included Kinetic Hydro, Myriad Wind Energy Systems, Veritherm, and Isometric Outcomes.
Kinetic Hydro produces a small hydro-electric turbine. Myriad Wind “aims to maximise the positive benefits of wind turbines by reducing their manufacturing costs, increasing their efficiency and making them fully recyclable.” Veritherm produces “smart thermal imaging technology” to “accurately measure and verify energy loss”, and Isometric Outcomes builds shower systems which recycle steam into energy.
Kara Cartwright, Innovate UK’s innovation lead for clean growth told Current±: “Innovate UK was really excited to showcase 20 of our recent Fast Start projects at All Energy in Glasgow. Fast Start is here to support new start-up companies who are new to Innovate UK and haven’t received any previous funding.
“We have invested almost £18 million in 375 companies with net zero solutions to address challenges in lowering emissions associated with heat, power, mobility and manufacturing. We have seen an amazing range of solutions from detecting faults in wind turbines, to managing heating needs at home and monitoring emissions from water reservoirs.”
“These projects complement and align to our £150 million net zero programme which aims to accelerate the UK’s transition to net zero through Inspiring, involving and Investing in businesses, local authorities and stakeholders by developing innovative solutions and approaches”.
Innovate UK’s Fast Start scheme is currently closed to funding, but other funding opportunities remain for innovation in battery technology, digital living applications, net zero building heat upgrades, low carbon hydrogen and the ongoing Energy Catalyst grant fund to provide renewable energy solutions to sub-Saharan Africa.
Kinetic Hydro was awarded grant funding in a previous round of the Energy Catalyst, and it will be exciting to see how these projects all progress.