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
next generation of electric vehicles, hybrid aircraft,
energy generation, smart grids, industrial drives, consumer
products, agricultural vehicles, ships and rail.
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 7 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 7
sectors:
- aerospace
- automotive
- energy generation and distribution
- industrial (production equipment)
- marine
- off highway (construction, agricultural equipment)
- rail
Projects can work on one of the following:
- 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
- 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
