Technology Strategy Board offer UK companies up to €600,000 to support biogas research

ERA-NET Bioenergy, a network of organisations from several countries, is to provide funding to support applied European research projects relating to bioenergy or biogas production.

Public funding will be provided by national funding organisations from Germany, Ireland, Poland, Sweden and the UK.  The Technology Strategy Board (www.innovateuk.org) is offering total grant funding of up to €600,000 to UK companies, with maximum funding of €300,000 per company, per project.

Funding is available for projects covering one or more of the following topics:

• Innovative biogas production.  Focal points include e.g. pre-treatment technologies, unexploited substrates, measurement/control, upgrading, management of digestate;
• Sustainable biomass for energy purposes.  Focal points include e.g. optimisation of existing and new crops by way of plant breeding or cultivation techniques, breeding and cultivation for cascading uses, harvesting/storage technologies.

Further information, and a full list of the sub-topics, can be found at www.eranetbioenergy.net.

The competition is now open and pre-proposals must be submitted by 11 May 2012.  Full proposals must then be submitted by 20 August 2012.  Proposals must include partners from at least three of the countries involved in the call.