Driving the electric revolution: apply for funding

26 Jul 2019 04:08 PM

Businesses can apply for a share of £19 million to develop supply chain processes that will help deliver electrification in 7 sectors.

The UK will need to switch to electrification across many sectors from automotive to energy distribution in order to meet its carbon reduction targets.

This change also represents a significant global opportunity for UK businesses making the power electronics, machines and drivers that will be required.

The UK government has launched the £80 million Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund Driving the Electric Revolution Challenge to help businesses to meet this need.

Its aim is to accelerate the UK’s ability to deliver the supply chains required to enable electrification in the automotive, aerospace, energy, industrial, marine, off highway and rail sectors.

There is up to £19 million from the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund to invest in projects that support the creation, development and scale-up of supply chains in power electronics, machines and drives.

Projects must address opportunities in one or more sectors

The competition aims to develop a UK supply chain in power electronics, machines and drives by supporting innovative ways of filling in gaps in the supply chain or of scaling up existing supply chains.

Projects should address commercial opportunities in one or more of these sectors:

• aerospace
• automotive
• energy generation and distribution
• industrial (production equipment)
• marine
• off highway (construction, agricultural equipment)
• rail

Examples that projects might include:

• power electronics: passive components production, productivity improvements and supply chain efficiency such as solutions that address solving supply chain bottle necks or automation
• electric machines, generators and motors: automated stator winding, materials recovery from end of life, raw materials refining, stamping and lamination stack productivity improvements, advanced testing
• drive systems: systems integration and testing
• projects that consider supply chain gaps, from raw materials to recycling

The competition has 2 strands:

• one for larger projects with total costs between £1 million and £3 million
• another for smaller projects with total costs between £250,000 and £1 million

Competition information

• the competition opens on 29 July 2019, and the deadline for applications is at midday on 25 September 2019
• businesses of any size may apply
• we expect projects to range in size between £250,000 and £3 million
• briefing events will be held in Newport, Belfast, Glasgow and Newcastleduring July and August