Supporting BEIS in Quest to Accelerate Energy Efficient Technologies

The U.K. Government's Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy’s (BEIS) $12 million (£9.2 million) Industrial Energy Efficiency Accelerator (IEEA) is a competition to help identify new energy efficient technologies and accelerate their deployment in sectors like manufacturing, waste processing and data centers. The BEIS IEEA offers promising innovators the opportunity to demonstrate their technology in an operational environment and increase confidence from potential users. It also provides forward-looking industrial companies with an opportunity to implement pioneering technologies with reduced risk and capital cost.

Energy represents a significant cost for U.K. industry, accounting for 17% of final energy consumption and is responsible for around one-fifth of total U.K. carbon emissions. Over time, the IEEA is designed to unlock more than $400 million (£300 million) of private sector investment into sustainable technologies, delivering lifetime savings of more than $1.3 billion (£1 billion).

Jacobs is supporting BEIS’ delivery partner, the Carbon Trust, as technical lead supporting applications, reviewing competition entries and ongoing evaluation and monitoring of selected projects that receive funding. The key focus is on innovations with large cross-sector energy and carbon reduction impact, either from novel technologies or known technologies in new sectors. All industrial and manufacturing sectors in the U.K., including data centers, water utilities and the waste sector, are target locations to potentially demonstrate deployment of the new technology.

“We want to make sure businesses take advantage of clean growth by making the most of the assets that they have,” said Energy and Clean Growth Minister Claire Perry. “That is why we are investing in innovative technologies that can help British industry use less energy, reduce their costs and cut emissions as part of our modern Industrial Strategy.”

“We are pleased to bring our technical depth and sector knowledge to support industry partners and technology providers in advancing a range of innovative, sustainable technologies to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions,” said Jacobs Buildings and Infrastructure Europe Senior Vice President and General Manager Donald Morrison.

Paul Huggins, director of innovation at the Carbon Trust, added: “Throughout the first phase of the BEIS IEEA we have been really impressed by the high level of response from technology developers and industrial companies who want to actively engage in accelerating energy efficiency across a range of sectors.”

The funding program is open to projects from all U.K. industry sectors that can demonstrate either a novel technology or the use of an established technology in a novel way. Consortiums with a demonstration site in the U.K. can apply on a competitive basis, with awards up to $1.3 million (£1 million) for 10-15 projects (40-60% capital support of eligible costs).

Phase One

Following an extensive engagement process with industry and technology developers, where more than 100 technology ideas were screened, seven successful phase one applications have been announced so far. Projects were selected on their energy saving potential and scalability, with focus on technologies that can be deployed across multiple industrial sectors.

Projects include the development of low carbon multi-component cement for concrete applications (led by the Mineral Products Association), generation of electricity from low grade waste heat streams and optimization of compressed air systems using liquid air storage at industrial sites.

Viridor and LAT Water are running a pilot project to demonstrate how to provide leachate treatment harnessing waste heat  at a Devon landfill site.

Ozo Innovations is piloting a novel hygiene solution in the food industry to substantiate the significant savings that could be achieved by implementing Ozo’s eloclear® hygiene process.

Phase Two

The second phase is currently open for entries until 30 April 2019. Technology developers and industrial companies looking to demonstrate near-commercial innovations and access incubation support can submit project or technology ideas here.

Interested in learning more about the competition? Visit the Carbon Trust.