BEIS NZIP TTPS - Industrial Fuel Switch: Launch Event

The Industrial Fuel Switching (IFS) Competition forms part of BEIS’ £1 billion Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP), which aims to accelerate the commercialisation of innovative clean energy technologies and processes through the 2020s and 2030s. Switching industry to lower carbon fuels will be critical for meeting the UK’s legally binding commitment to achieve Net Zero by 2050.

The total budget allocated to this competition will be up to £49.4 million and it is aimed at projects valued between £1m and £6m that will demonstrate an industrial process switching from high carbon fuels to low or zero carbon fuels.

The competition aims to support the development of fuel switching and fuel switch enabling technologies for UK industry. It will be open to all industrial sectors and fuel switching technology developers.

The funding for this competition is divided into three Lots to ensure development of a wide portfolio of solutions:

1. Fuel switch and fuel switch enabling technologies for hydrogen,
2. Fuel switch and fuel switch enabling technologies for electrification,
3. Fuel switch and fuel switch enabling technologies for biomass, and/or wastes, and/or other net zero compatible fuels.

The competition will fund solutions which are at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4 to 7 at the start of the project and are seeking to reaching at least TRL 7 at the end of the demonstration project.

The projects will be funded through a Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) pre-commercial procurement process. 100% of project costs must be funded by this competition; match-funding and in-kind contributions should not form part of an application or project. The competition has been run in two consecutive phases. Phase 1: Feasibility is now complete. This competition is for Phase 2: Demonstration.

The purpose of Phase 2 is to support the physical demonstration of fuel switch or fuel switch enabling solutions for an industrial process on an industrial site, including engineering design, build, trial, decommissioning, market assessment, and knowledge dissemination. Phase 2 is open to all applicants, regardless of if they have taken part in Phase 1.

Demonstrations can take place onsite or at suitable test facilities that simulate industry conditions. Demonstration projects should either demonstrate an entire fuel switching solution, key components of a system, a prototype in a relevant environment, or further develop and demonstrate the physical design of new solutions to enable an industrial process to be switched from using high to low carbon fuels.

It is expected that demonstrations should take place in the UK, unless it can be proven that this is not possible. In all cases, by financial value, over 50% of the project should be conducted in the UK.

The IFS competition has the following objectives:

1. Demonstrate potential for industrial greenhouse gas emissions reduction via industrial fuel switching technologies.
2. Demonstrate the potential commercial viability of industrial fuel switching solutions.
3. Gather evidence to inform industrial decarbonisation policy making.
4. Collect and disseminate findings across UK industry and investors.
5. Strengthen supply chains and skills for industrial decarbonisation around the UK.

A strategic level public report detailing the key findings and outcomes will be published on the gov.uk website upon project completion. Projects’ final reports must complete by 28th February 2025. Final payments and all other programme activities must then be completed by 31st March 2025.

For more information on registration, Q&A and application, please click here.

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