Carbon Trust increases applied research funding

London - The Carbon Trust is doubling the size of grants on offer under its Applied Research scheme to £500,000 in an effort to better support low carbon businesses, entrepreneurs and academics seeking to develop carbon saving technologies.

Carbon Trust Applied Research grant funding supports the development of technologies with the potential to reduce UK carbon emissions. The decision to increase the maximum grant size will enable the development of more ambitious projects with the potential for even greater carbon savings, the Carbon Trust stated.

“It is vital to turn viable low carbon technologies into commercial reality, said Robert Trezona, head of R&D at the Carbon Trust. "By increasing our grants to half a million pounds and matching this with private investment, we can build on the UK’s strong technological and engineering expertise.”

Since 2001, the Carbon Trust’s Applied Research scheme has invested a total of £18.5 million in 145 projects that have demonstrated potential to develop into viable commercial technologies that could reduce UK carbon emissions. The scheme has provided grant funding to a wide range of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies including fuel cells, combined heat and power, bioenergy, solar power, low carbon building technology, wave energy convertors and more efficient industrial processes.

Of the 95 projects completed to date, 70% have filed patents, secured follow-on funding or generated commercial sales, or are expecting to do so shortly, according to the Carbon Trust. A new call for proposals to the Applied Research scheme will open on 13th October. Applications can be made online at www.carbontrust.co.uk/appliedresearch <www.carbontrust.co.uk/appliedresearch> .