Green energy innovators invited to win share of £29million fund

The initiative is being led by Cheshire's Energy Innovation Centre (EIC), with help from Electricity North West, Northern Power Grid, ScottishPower Energy Networks, Scottish and Southern Energy and UK Power Networks. "This is an opportunity for the UK to further develop the way energy is distributed, whether this is a new or early stage idea or an existing technology from another industry," said Denise Massey, director of the EIC. "We are looking for products that will help manage demand and encourage more efficient use of energy in the home and workplace." It is estimated that the UK power industries operate networks with a replacement value of £150billion. The low carbon agenda is expected to change the way energy is bought and procured in the future, which is why the EIC is looking to invest in SMEs, start ups and inventors with new solutions and ideas. Mark Mathieson, managing director of networks at Scottish and Southern Energy, said: "Not a lot has changed since the 1930s but as we move towards the likes of wind generation, electric cars and PV systems, we're looking at a more intermittent and complex mix of energy generation and use. The flows of energy will be completely different to what we're used to and we need to manage the new constraints. "Energy companies want to avoid digging up the UK's footpaths to lay bigger cables to accommodate the increased demand so we're turning to innovation to help us look at new ways of tackling this. The Energy Innovation Centre plays a vital role in allowing people and businesses with good ideas to quickly interact with the industry." For more information, visit www.energyinnovationcentre.co.uk.