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£10m up for grabs in DTI power systems competition

01 November, 2005

£10m up for grabs in DTI`s power systems competition

The Government has launched a competition offering £10m of funding for collaborative research projects in the area of electrical and electronic control and power systems. The competition is part of the DTI`s £370m Technology Programme designed to boost r&d spending in the UK to 2.5% of GDP by around 2014.

The judges will be looking for projects that achieve significant improvements in energy efficiency, reliability or lifetime environmental impact, by using advanced power electronics, motors or drive technologies to control electrical machines and systems. Projects that involve only mechanical aspects of motors and drivetrains are excluded.

Eligible projects may include advances in power electronics technologies and the integration of intelligence and controls into products and systems. Emphasis will be placed on projects with clearly identified applications and commercial potential. The consortia should thus contain at least one member with end-user needs.

Most of the funding is likely to go on applied research and experimental projects likely to result in demonstrations. However, basic research projects, aimed at establishing technical feasibility, will also be considered. Projects will typically last 2-3 years and be seeking up to £2m of DTI funding.

Power systems is one of six areas of technology earmarked for funding in the current round of the DTI`s Technology Programme. There will also be £13m available for energy projects and £10m for waste minimisation, for example.

Announcing the competition, science and innovation minister, Lord Sainsbury (above), said that "focussing on leading-edge and emerging technologies is key to ensuring that the UK maintains a strong base on which to build our future science and innovation capability. Pinpointing funding to help new ideas to flourish will strengthen the transition of exciting projects from the drawing board to the marketplace."

An information day focussing on the power systems competition will be held in London on 5 December. To enter the coimpetition you must register your intent by 31 January 2006, and submit an outline application by 8 February.




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