The Carbon Trust has been appointed to run the UK Government’s £9.2 million Industrial Energy Efficiency Accelerator, which was announced back in January as a way to help UK industry find specific ways to begin working towards the transition to a low-carbon economy.
In January, the UK Government’s Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) announced that it was planning to invest £28 million into energy innovation projects that “will help to bring down energy costs.” Included in this investment was a £9 million investment in a competition for an “industrial energy efficiency accelerator.”
According to the BEIS, this competition, “would help to find new ways of improving the energy efficiency of UK industry, helping to develop industry-specific options for a low carbon future.” Considering that UK industry accounts for 17% of the UK’s total end energy use, and over 20% of total carbon emissions, increasing industry energy efficiency is vital if the UK is to meet its energy and emissions targets.
It was announced this week that the Carbon Trust — an independent institution aimed at helping companies reduce their carbon emissions and become more resource efficient — was chosen to run the £9.2 million Industrial Energy Efficiency Accelerator (IEEA).
Over the next four years, the IEEA will work to lower costs and increase the number of available energy efficient technologies available across a range of UK’s industrial sectors, through demonstration of near to market innovations. The IEEA will also work to address technical and commercial barriers by providing, “tailored incubation support and co-funding to technology developers and startups to drive UK expertise, exports, and jobs.”
The IEEA will receive its funding from the Energy Innovation Programme, which is led by the BEIS, and will be administered by Carbon Trust with support from engineering firm Jacobs, and infrastructure specialist AMEC Foster Wheeler. It is hoped that the Accelerator will be able to unlock a further £11 million worth of investment from the private sector.
“The Government is investing millions of pounds in new technologies that can help increase energy efficiency, cut energy bills and meet our climate change targets in the most-cost effective way,” explained Claire Perry, Minister of State for Climate Change and Industry. “This latest programme is a great example of how reducing emissions and growing our economy go hand-in-hand. It’s part of our Industrial Strategy which provides an ambitious long-term vision for the UK, building on our strengths as a country and supporting the competitiveness of businesses.”
“The global competitiveness of UK industry has never been higher on the agenda,” added Al-Karim Govindji, Senior Manager Innovation at the Carbon Trust. “We face a once in a lifetime opportunity to support the industrial strategy to safeguard and create jobs, develop innovative businesses and attract inward investment. For any technology developer, industrial process or plant, owners and operators want to ensure that investments are making a positive impact and driving profitability. Through the IEEA we will work collaboratively with trade associations, industry and technology providers to identify and demonstrate the best innovative opportunities for energy reduction.”
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