£100k funding supports North East energy firms with launch of new products

Five North East energy specialists have secured a share of six-figure funding to develop energy solutions that can be used worldwide.

The five SMEs all entered the Energy Innovation Challenge, which was launched by the North East Energy Catalyst in a bid to support businesses in the region to develop solutions to global energy challenges.

DLAW Contractors, The Energy Workshop, Otaski Energy Solutions, Power Roll, and Solar Capture Technologies have all been awarded a portion of £100k to help develop global energy solutions.

Sunderland-based DLAW Contractors is planning to manufacture photovoltaic-powered water filtration systems for use in rural communities.

The Energy Workshop is a renewable energy consultancy which will use its funding to carry out a study to assess the potential of using hydrogen to fuel fleet vehicles and community energy projects in the North East.

Otaski Energy Solutions, which is based in Gateshead, put forward a proposal to develop a product which uses artificial intelligence to dim street lighting when it’s not in use.

Sunderland SME Power Roll was awarded funding to work towards manufacturing a new type of solar panel which can be used on building and vehicles.

The fifth business awarded funding is Blyth’s Solar Capture Technologies, which will be boosting production of its lightweight SolarFace modules, which can generate energy in low light levels.

The North East Energy Catalyst is supported by ERDF and the Energy Innovation Challenge received grant funding from the government’s Local Growth Fund via the North East LEP.

David Lynch, energy innovation partnership manager at the North East Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), explained: “The Energy Innovation Challenge is a rolling programme of challenges based around different themes.

“So in the first phase, we wanted to hear from people who could develop a product or service that can help to decarbonise the energy that we use in our homes and businesses.”