Clean energy solutions from Africa may apply for $50 M UK innovation fund portion

Clean energy access for communities in Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and the Indo-Pacific will be supported with up to GBP40 million (US $50 million) in innovation financing.

The investment, which is part of Innovate UK’s Energy Catalyst Round 9 and 10 funding rounds, will be used to develop and showcase new technologies and business models that will help ensure a fair and inclusive, sustainable energy transition.

The Ayton Fund for clean energy innovation, which includes the scale-up of the FCDO’s Transforming Energy Access platform, launched at COP 26 in Glasgow, is providing funding for the two rounds.

“The UK is stepping up our partnership with emerging economies to help them access the clean and affordable energy they need. We’re delivering on the Glasgow Breakthroughs, the commitments made at COP26 to ensure clean technologies are the cheapest and best choice for all globally,” Vicky Ford, the UK’s Minister for Africa at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, said.

“Since 2016 our Transforming Energy Access Programme has already helped innovative businesses deliver clean energy access to more than 16 million people, and leverage over GBP890 million in further investment. These two new funding rounds will support many more companies working in this area, grow our partnerships with other countries, and help combat climate change.”

Energy Catalyst, a grant financing effort run by Innovate UK, is one of the UK’s largest energy access grant funding programmes. This current round of financing intends to encourage ideas that increase energy access in these areas in a sustainable way, lowering dependency on fossil fuels.

The initiative also helps innovators form strategic collaborations, leverage knowledge and insights, and develop business models to commercialize ideas that will enhance people’s lives by providing financial and advising support.

The financing competition is accessible to organizations aiming to develop new or enhanced clean energy solutions for target locations, and each joint project can apply for up to GBP5 million in project expenditures (US $6.25 million).

Applicants can come from anywhere in the world as long as the project admin lead is situated in the UK and the projects focus on inexpensive, dependable, and low-carbon technologies or business models. Round 9 applications will conclude on August 10, and Round 10 will be released in early 2023. The UK Government’s website has further information as well as funding applications.