Carbon reducing projects from the Energy Entrepreneurs Fund revealed

The government has announced details of carbon reducing technology currently in development through funding from the Energy Entrepreneurs Fund.

Thirty-seven British companies, including small and medium sized enterprises and start-ups, will share £19 million to drive forward solutions which reduce carbon emissions, develop clean energy and improve energy efficiency in people’s homes.

The UK-wide projects will potentially create green jobs and triggering private sector investment. These include:

Offshore wind robotic inspectors: Inductive Power Projection Ltd, based in Cornwall, will develop a high-frequency wireless charging demonstrator to power floating off-shore wind autonomous ‘robotic’ drones, to inspect and maintain offshore wind farms.

Solar architecture: Build Solar Ltd (a spin out from Exeter University) is developing a low-cost glass brick called Solar Squared for buildings, collecting solar energy via the walls themselves, allowing buildings to generate their own power.

Offshore wind communications: Jet Engineering System Solutions, based in the south-east, is developing a 5G floating network enabling high-speed, dependable long-range communications at sea to aid wind farm installation.

Decommissioning oil wells: Clearwell Technology Ltd, based in Scotland, will design a thermal pipe milling tool for well plugging which could transform how oil and gas wells are sustainably decommissioned.

Also announced by the department is a £5 million Local Industrial Decarbonation Plans competition this summer.

The competition will support industrial businesses such as glass, cement and ceramics manufacturers, to join together in ‘clusters’ along with other key stakeholders including local authorities and Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs), to develop coordinated decarbonisation plans. Further details about the competition will follow in the spring.

Secretary of State for the brand new Department for Energy Security & Net Zero, Grant Shapps said:

"The UK is a nation of innovators, and this funding will help the next generation of energy pioneers develop cheap and green technologies of the future.

"This will not only deliver more green jobs and cheaper energy but also create world-leading solutions to help us reach net zero and economic growth."