Welcome to ESC: Unleashing Innovation – Energy Systems Catapult

Sixteen innovators offering a range of exciting smart energy system products and services have been selected for an Energy Launchpad International virtual mission to India and Thailand.

This Innovator Challenge is supported by the Prosperity Fund at the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, in partnership with the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and the Department for International Trade.

A new independent report produced for the Climate Change Committee suggests the right Government policy can minimise the impact of Net Zero on the competitiveness of UK industry and reduce the offshoring of carbon emissions. There is no silver bullet and a wide package of policy measures will be needed, including a market for negative emissions and transitioning from initial subsidies to a set of standards – including at the border – that tighten over time in line with carbon budgets.

Energy Systems Catapult has been appointed to lead a Local Energy Systems Scottish Industry Network and bring together manufacturers, project developers, technology companies and investors to cultivate the low carbon ecosystem in Scotland.

The £334,000 initiative will be delivered in partnership with the Energy Technology Partnership and is supported by the Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise, and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

Today in Parliament, MPs debate a motion on the final report of Climate Assembly UK: “The path to Net Zero“. Yet the journey to this point began back in June 2019, against a backdrop of school strikes and Extinction Rebellion protests, when the UK Government made a world-leading commitment to reach Net Zero by 2050. And while debate is a start, positive experiences will drive change.

An innovative low carbon retrofit solution for the social housing sector, that uses a modular approach to keep costs low, is to be trialled in Energy Systems Catapult’s Living Lab.

Social enterprise Matilda’s Planet has developed a retrofit solution that comprises state-of-the-art insulation combined with renewable heating and generation technologies.

Energy Systems Catapult stepped up efforts in 2019-2020 to tackle some of the most difficult decarbonisation challenges on the way to Net Zero. We helped accelerate to market some truly innovative businesses though our platforms and capabilities, developed some ground-breaking thought leadership through a range of programmes and drove forward key government taskforces working with hundreds of stakeholders.

Eighteen of the UK’s most innovative SMEs have been selected for a business accelerator programme aimed at helping the West Midlands become a leader in developing Net Zero energy systems for buildings, commercial estates and industry.

This ‘Innovator Challenge’ will be run by Energy Systems Catapult’s new Energy Launchpad in collaboration with EIT Climate-KIC and supported by Energy Capital – part of the West Midlands Combined Authority.

Innovator Support Platform has become Energy Launchpad with a range of new offerings to boost UK innovators. Energy Launchpad will continue to provide three main levels of support – Universal, Incubation and Acceleration. However, in the coming weeks we will be launching new offerings across the Supply Chain, International, Networking and Collaboration, and Investment.

Last week the Prime Minister spoke of “a green industrial revolution that in the next ten years will create hundreds of thousands if not millions of jobs”. Low carbon energy innovation can be the key engine for our post-Covid economic recovery.

But to mobilise the investment needed at the pace required, it is imperative we put the right economic signals in place. Right now, in too many sectors, we are subsidising pollution. In effect, we are trying to meet our targets with one hand tied behind our back.

The Living Lab has relaunched for innovation trials after undergoing significant upgrades over the six-months of lockdown – including a new digital integration platform. The Living Lab of connected homes is now truly open, interoperable and scalable, enabling innovative products, services and business models to be tested and integrated with mainstream smart heating controls, smart meters, IoT devices, and electric vehicle chargers.