Highlights from the Global Alliance Africa South Africa Energy Catalyst Competition Information Event

Africa Energy Indaba is an in-person annual conference and exhibition event with the potential to network with energy professionals to discuss pertinent issues and insights into Africa’s energy challenges. Innovate UK KTN held a side event at the conference raising awareness of the Innovate UK Energy Catalyst Fund. The side event enabled delegates to hear from Alex Densmore, from start-up company Zonke Energy, who provide power to townships and informal settlements in Cape Town.

Zonke Energy are previous winners of the Energy Catalyst programme and were able to share their experience and knowledge on the funding competition including hints and tips.

The Energy Catalyst fund enabled us to enter the market with a good, sustainable product. We applied for the early-stage funding, and we will be applying again for the late-stage funding as we gear up to implement our solution in different areas. We would not be where we are today without the guidance and support from the programme.

– Alex Densmore, Consultant, Zonke Energy

Enabling a just energy transition

South Africa’s Integrated Resource Plan envisages adding high amounts of green energy into the grid by 2030, including 14,400MW of wind, 6,400 MW of solar PV, alongside storage and embedded generation goals. In 2021, the mining sector contributed R219,5 billion to the GDP, and employed 458,964 people. This reliance on coal makes the move to green energy incredibly difficult for the country to balance job creation and prioritising clean energy, and so there is still a way to go for South Africa however as its power is still predominantly from coal.

Funding programmes such as Energy Catalyst can assist in South Africa’s just energy transition by enabling the design, production, and implementation of greener technologies in the market. It gives entrepreneurs the power to make a difference in their communities and simultaneously creates sustainable jobs.

– Alana Kruger, Knowledge Transfer Manager, Global Alliance Africa

About Innovate UK’s Energy Catalyst Fund

The Innovate UK Energy Catalyst Round 10 Funding Competition is a funding opportunity for UK-based companies and research organisations that are working on innovative energy projects. The competition is run by the UK government’s innovation agency, Innovate UK, and is designed to support the development of new technologies and business models that can help to address the world’s energy challenges.

The competition is open to projects that are focused on the following themes:

1. Energy access
2. Energy storage and distribution
3. Clean growth

Applications are judged on several criteria, such as the potential impact of the project, the technical and commercial viability of the proposed solution, and the capability of the team. Successful applicants receive funding to develop their projects, with the amount of funding depending on the stage of development and the size of the project.

The goal of the Energy Catalyst Round 10 is to support the development of innovative energy technologies and solutions that can help to address global energy challenges and create new business opportunities for UK-based companies.

Energy Catalyst Round 10 funding is now open with a deadline of 28th June 2023. To be in scope for Energy Catalyst round 10, your project must address both energy access and clean energy. Click here for full information about the funding opportunity.

You can also register for B2B Match virtual brokerage to find partners for your Innovate UK Energy Catalyst Round 10 application here.

About Global Alliance Africa

The Global Alliance Africa project is a six-year project funded by UK Aid through Innovate UK (GCRF) and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

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Webpage ktn-uk.org/programme/africa