Open
Summary:
Strand 1 of the Net Zero Hydrogen Fund will provide development expenditure (DEVEX) support for front end engineering design (FEED) and post-FEED studies for new low carbon hydrogen production facilities.
Open date: 25/04/2022
Close date: 22/06/2022
Max Funding: £15,000,000
Match Funding: 50%
Collaboration: Collaboration or single
Funding Type: Grant
Fund Provider(s): Innovate UK
Industries: Hydrogen Technology
Description:
The aim of the Net Zero Hydrogen Fund (NZHF) is to provide capital expenditure (CAPEX) and development expenditure (DEVEX). This will support the commercial deployment of new low carbon hydrogen production projects during the 2020s. This is to ensure the UK has a diverse and secure decarbonised energy system fit for meeting our ambition of up to 10GW low carbon hydrogen production by 2030, and commitment to reach net zero by 2050. The NZHF will deliver up to £240 million via four strands as follows: Strand 1: Development Expenditure (DEVEX) support for front end engineering design (FEED) and post-FEED studies, to grow the future pipeline of hydrogen projects in the UK. (This strand) Strand 2: Capital expenditure (CAPEX) for projects that do not require a hydrogen specific business model. These are low carbon hydrogen projects that can deploy on the basis of capital expenditure support and are able to start construction rapidly. Strand 3: CAPEX for projects that require a hydrogen business model (HBM) and sit outside of the Phase 2 cluster sequencing process. Strand 4: CAPEX for carbon capture usage and storage (CCUS) enabled projects that require a hydrogen specific business model and are part of the Phase 2 cluster sequencing process. This competition relates to Strand 1 only. Strand 2 is being delivered through a separate competition. Strands 3 and 4 will be delivered by BEIS. Your proposal for strand 1 must demonstrate how you will develop a credible project that will contribute to the at-scale production of low carbon hydrogen by 2025. Funded projects must support the delivery towards the 10GW production target by 2030 set out in the Energy Security Strategy. Hydrogen production projects will be able to apply for co-funding through Strand 1 if they require DEVEX support for the cost of front end engineering design (FEED) or post-FEED expenditures, or both. Where appropriate, support will also be available for FEED and post-FEED costs for associated on-site transport and storage infrastructure. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that they are entering the appropriate challenge competition for their project. You will not be able to transfer your application and it will not be sent for assessment if it is out of scope. In applying to this competition, you are entering into a competitive process. This competition closes at 11am UK time on the deadline stated. We reserve the right to cancel, amend or vary the competition processes, including any envisaged stage and any document issued relating to it, at any point and for any reason.
Project size Your project’s total grant request must be between £80,000 and £15 million. Your project must also:
have a total grant request of between £80,000 and £15 million
start by 1 January 2023
end by 31 March 2024
last between 6 and 15 months
carry out all of its project work in the UK
intend to exploit the results from or in the UK
meet the Draft Low Carbon Hydrogen Standard
be using core technology that has been tested in a commercial environment, Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 7 or more
If your total grant funding request or duration falls outside of our eligibility criteria, you must provide justification by email to support@iuk.ukri.org at least 20 working days before the competition closes. We will decide whether to approve your request. If you have not requested approval or your application has not been approved by us, you will be made ineligible. Your application will then not be sent for assessment. Lead organisation To lead a project or work alone your organisation must be a UK registered business of any size Academic institutions, research and technology organisations (RTOs), public sector organisations or charities cannot lead or work alone. Project team To collaborate with the lead, your organisation must be one of the following UK registered:
business of any size
academic institution
charity
not for profit
public sector organisation
research and technology organisation (RTO)
Each partner organisation must be invited into the Innovation Funding Service by the lead to collaborate on a project. Once accepted, partners will be asked to login or to create an account and enter their own project costs into the Innovation Funding Service.
Your project can include partners that do not receive any of this competition’s funding, for example non-UK businesses. Their costs will count towards the total project costs.
Subcontractors
Subcontractors are allowed in this competition.
Subcontractors can be from anywhere in the UK or overseas.
All subcontractor costs must be justified and appropriate to the total project costs.
Number of applications
A business can lead on up to 2 applications, which must be materially different, and can be included as a collaborator in a further 2 applications.
An academic institution or a research and technology organisation (RTO), charity, not for profit or public sector organisation can collaborate on any number of applications.
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