Applied Research Grants (Carbon Trust)
Applied Research Grant funding is available to businesses, research institutions and other organisations and aims to support the development and commercialisation of technologies which have the potential to reduce UK carbon emissions. As such the programme is endeavouring to encourage and support the progress of low carbon technologies towards large-scale deployment. Grant funding is offered up to £500,000 for applied research leading to low carbon products or services. The next call for proposals closes on 17th September 2009 with following calls ending in February and June 2010.

Collaborative research and development (TSB)
The Technology Strategy Board (TSB) -an executive non-departmental public body established by the Government in 2007- is all about driving innovation and promotes, supports and invests in technology research, development and commercialisation. Supported areas include energy generation and supply, transport, environmental sustainability and the built environment. In order to get involved in TSB activities, there are three main routes, i.e. Knowledge Transfer Networks, Collaborative Research and Development and Small Business Research and Initiative. For example, collaborative research and development (for almost fully developed products or services and elements of a supply chain) is designed to assist the industrial and research communities to work together on R&D projects in strategically important areas of science, engineering and technology. R&D competitions are regularly run; see the TSB website for more information on current calls.

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 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.

Practical guide to EU funding opportunities for Research & Innovation (European Commission)
The aim of this guide is to help potential applicants for EU funding for research and innovation to find their way to relevant information on funding opportunities in order to identify the most suitable choices among the relevant EU programmes.

7th Framework Programme – Research for the benefit of SMEs (European Commission)
The aim is to strengthen the 'innovation capacity' of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Europe and their contribution to the development of new technology based products and markets. The programme will help them outsource research, increase their research efforts, extend their networks, better exploit research results and acquire technological know how, bridging the gap between research and innovation. Among the actions that will be supported are ‘Supporting SMEs outsourcing research activities’ and ‘Developing and coordinating support to SMEs at national level’.

ERC Starting Independent Researcher Grant (European Research Council)
ERC Starting Independent Researcher Grants (ERC Starting Grants) aim to support up-and-coming research leaders from legally recognised public or private research organisation situated in an EU Member State who are about to establish or consolidate a proper research team and to start conducting independent research in any field of science, engineering and scholarship in Europe. Funding is up to €2.0m per grant (duration of up to 5 years). Calls for proposals are published annually in summer with deadlines in autumn.

ERC Advanced Investigator Grant (European Research Council)
The ERC Advanced Investigator Grant (ERC Advanced Grant) funding scheme complements the ERC Starting Grant funding scheme by targeting researchers who have already established themselves as independent research leaders in their own right. ERC Advanced Grants allow exceptional established research leaders in any field of science, engineering and scholarship to pursue frontier research of their choice. Candidates must be legally recognised public or private research organisation situated in an EU Member State and must be scientifically independent and have a recent research track-record and profile which identifies them as leaders in their respective field(s) of research. Funding is up to €3.5m per grant (duration of up to 5 years). Calls for proposals are published annually with deadlines in spring.

Low carbon research and development grant (EST)
The scheme is supporting - through grant funding - the development of new low carbon vehicle technologies that are typically 3-4 years from launch (pre-competitive stage) or 5-7 years from market launch (industrial research stage). Grants fund all sizes of businesses - from small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) to large firms - operating in the motor vehicle sector. Currently applications are closed, but the scheme might accept more applications in the future.

Pilkington Energy Efficiency Trust (EST)
Pilkington Energy Efficiency Trust (PEET) will consider funding, or co-funding, research projects whose successful completion is likely to result in the more efficient use of energy in new or existing buildings. Applications need to be submitted by 30 September or 31 March respectively.

Energy & Environment Research Programme (BIS)
This Department for Business Innovation & Skills (BIS) programme has been running since 1990 and is designed to supplement scientific and economic analysis carried out by Government departments to support and inform energy policy, environmental research and the maintenance and development of BERR's Energy Model.

Fuel Cells & Hydrogen (FCH) Joint Technology Initiative (JTI) (European Commission)
The main objective of this programme (duration: 2008-2017, budget: minimum €940 million), is to speed up the development of hydrogen supply and fuel cell technologies with up to 5 years to the point of commercial take off for early market applications (e.g. handheld devices, portable generators); for stationary applications (domestic and commercial Combined Heat and Power); and for mass market roll out of transport applications.  The overall programme of the implementing body FCH JU (FCH Joint Undertaking) is divided into five major areas: i) Transportation & Refuelling Infrastructure; ii) Hydrogen Production, Storage & Distribution; iii) Stationary Power Generation & CHP; iv) Early Markets and v) Cross-Cutting Activities.  The project activities shall be financed through a financial contribution from the FCH JU and through in-kind contributions from the legal entities participating in the activities.  The industry contribution shall at least match the financial contribution from the FCH JU. More information (including guide for applicants) is available at http://cordis.europa.eu/fp7/dc/index.cfm.

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