Technology Programmes (Energy Technologies Institute)
The Energy Technologies Institute is a unique public-private partnership seeking to accelerate the deployment response to the UK’s renewable energy and CO₂ reduction targets.  It provides funding for programmes at all stages of technology development. The ETI has agreed a unique flexible funding framework with the European Commission that allows a variable mix of public and private funding. Projects may be co-funded with project participants, giving flexibility in access to Arising Intellectual Property to reflect contributions in cash and in kind. The ETI may also fund 100 per cent of project costs, or directly procure services at market rates, varying the mix of ETI public and private funds to allow for profit.

Environmental Transformation Fund (Defra/BERR)
The Environmental Transformation Fund (ETF) is a new initiative to bring forward the development of new low carbon energy and energy efficiency technologies in the UK. The fund formally began operation on 1 April 2008, and is jointly administered by Defra and BERR. The ETF has UK and international elements. Funds within the UK element of the Fund will total £400 million during the period 2008/09 to 2010/11 and will aim to accelerate the commercialisation of low carbon energy and energy efficiency technologies in the UK, focussing on the demonstration and deployment phases of these technologies. The Environmental Transformation Fund itself will not be open for funding requests. Instead, schemes funded by the ETF, such as those operated by the Carbon Trust and BERR, will be publicised via their websites. The UK ETF brings together Defra’s and BERR’s existing low carbon technology funding programmes together with a number of new investments to begin in 2008/09. Among the schemes covered by the ETF are Hydrogen, Fuel Cells and Carbon Abatement Technologies Demonstration Programme, the Marine Renewables Deployment Fund (details for both of them are below) and a number of Carbon Trust programmes.

Hydrogen, Fuel Cells and Carbon Abatement Technologies Demonstration Programme (DECC/Defra)
The Hydrogen, Fuel Cell and Carbon Abatement Technologies Demonstration Programme is part of the UK Environmental Transformation Fund (ETF).  It is a joint DECC/Defra fund to bring forward the demonstration and deployment of low carbon energy and energy efficiency technologies. Grant funding (which excludes R&D projects) has been released over the 4 year period commencing April 2007 and amounts to a total of £50m. The first call for applications closed in 2006, but according to the website there will be two more calls for applications.

Marine Renewables Deployment Fund (BIS)
The Marine Renewables Deployment Fund (MRDF) has four components, i.e. the Wave and Tidal-stream Energy Demonstration Scheme, environmental research, related research and infrastructure support.  The first of the four components covers the Wave and Tidal-stream Energy Demonstration Scheme which provides capital grants and revenue support to multi-device early stage commercial generation facilities using technologies that have completed their R&D and are ready to move into a commercial environment. Another MRDF component, i.e. environmental research provides funding for generic research on the environmental impacts of wave and tidal stream. According to the guidance notes, the scheme has been able to receive applications at any time since March 2007.

Offshore Wind Demonstration Call (Solutions for Business)
Being delivered through Solutions for Business -the Government’s simplified portfolio of support products- this £10m scheme’s objective is to stimulate and encourage the development and demonstration of offshore wind technologies/components for larger multi-MW turbines to enable their deployment within 2020 timescales. Applications for the current round closed on 3 July 2009.

WRAP Capital Grant Funding (WRAP)
WRAP, the Waste & Resources Action Programme offers a number of capital grants programmes providing support in waste processing and reprocessing opportunities in the UK. These could be of interest for the development of waste to energy technologies, such as anaerobic digestion. There are currently five programmes open with application deadlines ranging from June 2009 to March 2011.

Energy Crops Scheme (Natural England)
Established under the Rural Development Programme for England 2007 - 2013, this scheme is now operated by Natural England and provides grants for holdings in England (minimum size of 3 hectares) where energy crops are grown that have an energy end-use for the crops (heat, power or combined heat and power). Funding will be 40% of actual costs of all plantings supported (i.e. miscanthus and short rotation coppice). Applications are possible throughout the year, but only applications received until 30 September can be approved in time for the next planting season.

Low Carbon Buildings Programme (DECC)
Administered by the Energy Saving Trust on behalf of DECC, the Low Carbon Buildings Programme provides grants for the installation of microgeneration technologies in a range of buildings to include households, community organisations, public, private and the non-profit sectors.

Venture Capital (Carbon Trust)
Carbon Trust Investments acts as a co-investor in early-stage low carbon technologies and provides venture capital finance for UK-based investments.  Typical investments range between £250k-£3m per deal as a minority stakeholder alongside private sector investors on the same terms. If you have a technology that has commercial potential, have a completed business plan and have potential co-investors in place then you may be interested. No application deadline is mentioned on the website.

Housing Associations and Local Authorities (Energy Saving Trust)
The EST provides funding and support for local authorities and housing associations, along with their project partners, to promote and implement innovative approaches to reducing carbon emissions from domestic housing in their local areas.

Intelligent Energy - Europe (European Commission)
The Intelligent Energy – Europe programme is run by the Executive Agency for Competitiveness and Innovation (EACI) on behalf of the European Commission, and seeks to bridge the gap between EU policies and how they impact on the ground. IEE programme measures include the promotion of energy efficiency and new and renewable energy sources (e.g. in transport, including biofuels). The IEE will fund projects in various areas such as capacity building, spreading of know-how, exchanges of experience, policy input, awareness raising, education and training; however, the IEE programme will not fund "hardware" type investments, demonstration projects, and technical research & development projects.  The next call proposal round will be in early 2010.

Clean Capital Network (Clean Capital)
The Clean Capital Network connects growth companies with investors in the clean-tech and clean energy industries. It runs a monthly networking event in London where fund-seeking companies are given an opportunity to pitch their business case informally to the networking event attendees. The network is open to investors and fund managers across the clean-tech sector, as well as to companies and entrepreneurs looking for funding.

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