The Energy Innovation Challenge

SMEs in the North East could receive up to £40,000 of funding to help develop new ways of using materials within the energy sector.

The Energy Innovation Challenge, organised by the North East Energy Catalyst, invites businesses to put forward new ways of using materials to reduce costs, improve efficiency, or bring other benefits to energy infrastructure.

The North East Energy Catalyst is a partnership of leading energy sector organisations which aims to develop solutions to global energy challenges here in the North East.

Join us for an informal briefing session where you can find out more about the Energy Innovation Challenge, including the support available for the successful applicants, and more details about the solutions we are looking for.

What are the challenges we’re looking to solve?

In this challenge round we are focusing on materials used in any aspect of our electricity, gas and water infrastructure.

This may include pipes, valves, cables and any other component part of our energy system.

Whilst entries in line with the overarching theme (energy materials) are acceptable, we are particularly interested in the following areas:

Innovative materials used in generation and storage of energy. This may include composites, substrates, metals, polymers and coatings.
Application of materials to improve performance, resilience and/or security of energy infrastructure. This may include corrosion resistance, density, fracture toughness, hardness and theft deterrents.
Materials, techniques and solutions which lead to a reduction in cost and/or raw materials required to package, transport, install, maintain and recycle existing energy infrastructure.

The Energy Innovation Challenge briefing session will be led by David Lynch, Innovation Partnership Manager at the North East Local Enterprise Partnership.

Any SMEs within the North East LEP area, and who are interested in finding out more about the challenge, are invited to attend.