New agency aims to spearhead energy innovation

The aptly named Energy Innovation Agency is a Greater Manchester-based public-private partnership geared towards supporting entrepreneurs in creating energy efficiency solutions.

The agency was created by Manchester Metropolitan University, The University of Manchester, University of Salford, Bruntwood, Greater Manchester Combined Authority, The Growth Company, Hitachi Europe and SSE.

Officially launching on 28 April at Circle Square, Energy Innovation Agency will focus on four key areas: decarbonisation of heat, energy generation and storage, low-carbon transport, and energy diversity and flexibility.

Each of these focus areas will be the subject of a challenge event, which will be geared towards gathering great minds to create solutions to the problem. These solutions will require technology, processes, partnerships, business models and financial structures – areas where the agency will be able to provide thought leadership, advice and support.

Energy Innovation Agency will work with the innovators to develop a roadmap to the commercialisation of their ideas.

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“12% of the UK’s carbon emissions are produced from heating non-domestic buildings, of which 60% still generate their heat by gas,” said Energy Innovation Agency director David Schiele.

“Reducing these emissions will be essential for the UK and, indeed, the rest of the world to speed up the progress of creating carbon-neutral cities and towns.

“As the home of The Energy Innovation Agency, Greater Manchester will be our testbed for this challenge, as well as the three challenges to follow,” Schiele continued.

“The potential prize extends far beyond the confines of our city region and, as such, we’re looking globally as well as locally to find solutions that can help to bolster this transition. We need innovators, entrepreneurs, and rainmakers to come forward with their brightest responses to this challenge – the world literally depends on it.”