With Phase 2 of the Carbon Trust’s Industrial Energy Efficiency Accelerator (IEEA) now under way, Manchester’s leading supplier of energy management systems and lighting, Vickers, is strongly encouraging the partnership between developers of energy-efficient technologies and companies across industrial and manufacturing sectors in order to test their technologies on-site.
First launched in July last year, the competition’s aim is to target innovations that will have the largest cross-sector impact on energy and carbon reduction. Spread over four years, this latest phase is open to applicants until 30th April 2019.
Chris Pearson, Managing Director at Vickers explains: “The IEEA provides a wonderful opportunity for innovators to demonstrate their technologies in an operational environment. It also encourages forward-looking industrial companies to receive support to pilot innovations that will have the greatest impact on their operations.”
“We know the difference that Vickers’s Energy Management System (EMS) can make to commercial and industrial premises; saving up to 40% on heating expenditure and reducing CO2 emissions too. For developers who have a new technology to be tested, it makes sense to apply now to run a demonstration with an industrial or manufacturing company.”
More than 100 technology ideas were screened in the Phase 1 of the programme last year, and £2.7m has already been committed to seven successful projects that were able to demonstrate their energy saving potential and scalability. A total of £9.2m was made available at the start of the programme.
“The industrial sector accounts for around 17% of the UK’s total energy use, equivalent to more than 20% of carbon emissions, and according to the Carbon Trust, up to 40% of this energy can be lost through the manufacturing process due to inefficiency in equipment, mechanical limitations and heat loss. By piloting new energy saving technologies, I am confident that the IEEA programme will make a real difference,” said Pearson.
First trialled in January 2017 by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), the four-year Industrial Energy Efficiency Accelerator (IEEA) also aims to address both technical and commercial challenges by providing tailored incubation support and co-funding to technology developers and start-ups to drive UK expertise, exports and jobs. The Carbon Trust is offering a support service to all applicants and interested parties who are encouraged to apply early to receive the full benefits.