Innovate UK
The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has up to 44 million to invest in an advanced modular reactor feasibility and development programme.
Up to 4 million pound is available for projects that look into the feasibility of designing new reactors that maximise the amount of off-site building and can generate lower cost electricity and provide additional benefits.
A further 40 million could be available to develop the best projects from the first phase of the competition.
The funding is for contracts under the SBRI (Small Business Research Initiative).
Providing low-cost electricity
The government believes nuclear energy will be an important part of the future energy mix. However, it needs to be competitive with other sources of low-carbon energy or provide additional benefits and functionality.
BEIS is looking for projects that focus on at least one of the following areas:
- low-cost electricity generation
- increased flexibility in providing electricity to the grid
- additional functionality such as heat output for domestic or industrial use or production of hydrogen
- alternative applications that could generate revenue and economic growth such as radioisotope production
Competition information
- the competition opens on 7 December 2017, and the deadline for registration is at midday on 7 February 2018
- SBRI is open to any organisation that can demonstrate a route to market for its idea
- projects should be led by organisations with experience in nuclear reactor technologies. They are encouraged to work with innovative organisations both inside and outside the sector
- we expect contracts for feasibility projects to be up to 300,000 and for projects to last up to 8 months
- successful projects will attract 100% funded development contracts
- a briefing event will be held on 12 December 2017