Energy Game Changer competition Derek Allen November 2015

Background

• Energy sector historically driven by large corporate organisations (generation, T&D, and energy intensive users)

• UK now with an ageing generation and network infrastructure

• Energy mix is changing and grid needs to adapt

• Barriers to innovation

– highly regulated & conservative sector

– averse to change

– nervous of adopting innovation (cost of getting it wrong)

– results in a ‘race to be second’ and slow adoption of innovation

None of the above inspires SME engagement

(slick, nimble, make money quickly)

Looking for a different solution

We need to:

• Engage innovators from outside the energy sector

• Remove constrained thinking around legislation and regulation

• Facilitate step-changes in the way things are done

• Improve productivity and profitability of the sector

• Disrupt the supply chain

How?

• Trial on 3 specific highly regulated technology areas of the energy sector

– Oil & Gas

– Nuclear

– Energy systems

• Let each of these identify their ‘top 3’ challenges

• Exclude the energy sector in leading projects, but can be partners

• Only SMEs from outside energy sector can lead (drive new ideas)

Oil & Gas

Nuclear

Energy Systems

The Process

• Let industry set the challenges

• Publicise widely

• Brokering events

• Make sector members available to meet new communities at the workshops and afterwards to discuss/formulate ideas

• Targeting businesses engaged in technologies such as

– Inspection, HVM, Materials, Digital, ICT, Robotics, Sensors, Autonomous systems, communications, virtual reality

and sectors including

– Space, defence, medical, forensics, automotive, aerospace, telecoms, creative industries (eg gaming, films)

• Energy sector are offering to mentor projects (will be subject to NDAs)

The challenges (1) 1. Taking inspection to the limit

Inspection, characterisation and clean up of buildings, vessels and components operating in aggressive (eg explosive, radioactive, subsea, high temperature and pressure) environments • Accurately locate, identify and characterise defects, debris, objects

and layout without human entry • Remove debris, decontaminate and transfer waste without direct

human intervention • Accurately locate, characterise and monitor areas of corrosion under

insulation on pipelines and vessels without breaching the insulation. Technologies that also include a repair solution are preferred.

The challenges (2)

2. Dealing with data

‘Big data’ and its analysis and visualisation could become a game changing technology for the energy sector.

• Methods for integrating and analysing diverse sets of data and information from many sources to provide decision-making tools and virtual environments to help plan and test inspection, installation or decommissioning campaigns prior to deployment

• Development and deployment of a high speed data communications

system that can transmit and analyse real time high speed data from beneath the sea-bed during oil and gas drilling operations from depths of up to 6000 metres

• Collecting, processing and visualizing energy data from energy

producers and consumers in a secure way that can be used to predict and optimize the management of energy supply and demand at local community levels

The challenges (3)

3. Engaging in energy

The supply of energy is often taken for granted, yet whilst costs are a major concern to the energy user, getting their active engagement in efficient use of energy and reducing bills is difficult. • Change people’s perception and behaviour towards energy and make

the importance of saving energy easy to understand, visible, tangible and compulsive to all energy users

• Optimise the users energy system in order to minimize bills without

impacting comfort or reliability • Encourage roll out of local energy systems (heat and power) in a non-

invasive way (eg no-dig), with minimal disruption to homes, businesses, communities and existing energy networks

Application process

• Stage 1 Two minute video pitch- assessed independently by chosen experts

• Stage 2 Top x% invited to submit standard feasibility study application-assessed independently by chosen experts

• Stage 3 Top y% invited to expert panel pitches for final selection

• Panel will score will be used to moderate final ranking and winners in each theme

• Winners will have access to industrial experts/mentoring during their projects (subject to NDA’s)

Budget and Timing

Budget

• Up to £1.5m

Timing

• Consult with sectors re challenges Sept-Oct, -completed

• Challenges defined and widely publicised Nov-Dec

• Information event- Cardiff, 3th December

• Webinar 11th December https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/game-changing-

technologies-for-the-energy-sector-information-webinar-tickets-

19255037335?dm_i=2VFU%2C35JJ%2C1J3MV0%2C9CTQ%2C1

• Brokering/briefing meetings February 23th Glasgow & 25th Birmingham

• Competition opens March 28, 2016

Projects

• SME (non-energy) led -alone or collaborative (from any sector)

• £50-100k total

• 15-20 projects, spread across 3 technology areas

• 6-12 months duration

• Start Oct-Nov 2016

Further information, contact Derek.allen@innovateuk.gov.uk