The British High Commission in India, Energy Systems Catapult, and the Indian Institute of Science have launched a new challenge call to help UK innovation tackle some of India’s key decarbonisation challenges in transport.

As part of the challenge call, UK start ups and SMEs who are addressing transport system decarbonisation challenges can receive:

• Research sprints to develop analytical capability and tools
• R&D sprints to develop applied solutions
• Demonstration / pilot projects for close to market solutions
• Supported accelerator programs for focused innovator support

Through a new bi-lateral initiative, named Innovating for Transport Energy Systems (ITES), successful applicants can receive grant funding, real world testing with user feedback, and incubation support, as well as opportunities for relationship building or partner matching with Indian entities. Locations for hardware installation, engagement with local partners, stakeholders and EV users, and local on the ground resource can also be provided where necessary.

ITES, the new go-to support centre for UK clean transport and energy innovators interested in the Indian market, has been launched by Energy Systems Catapult, the Indian Institute of Science and The British High Commission in India. The initiative will address key challenges around the decarbonisation of transport by carrying out joint research and enabling the piloting, support and scale up of new solutions.

Projects taken forward in this challenge call will be individually matched with each applicant to ensure the most ideal size of opportunity.

All sustainable transport solutions will be considered in this innovation call. However, some particular areas of priority have been highlighted below.

The challenge

In India, transport contributes 10% of the country’s total fuel combustion, of which 90% comes from passenger transport. 18% of deaths are attributed to air pollution, and vehicle activity and CO2 emissions are projected to quadruple by 2050. While India is committed to Net Zero by 2070 it is currently the third-largest carbon emitter globally.

Transport is one of the fastest growing emissions sectors, Heavy-Duty Vehicles (HDVs) and cars contribute 60% of total road transport emissions. Freight and passenger volumes are expected to grow by 6% annually until 2030, triple the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) average.

Who should apply and why?

ITES has identified several immediate innovation priorities. If you’re an innovator operating in any of the areas set out below, we’d like to hear from you. Innovators with a solution outside of these focus areas but still addressing transport and energy system decarbonisation are also encouraged to apply.

• Battery Recycling
• Battery Swapping
• Charging Solutions and Propositions
• Consumer Engagement and Outreach
• EV Fleet Management
• Grid Stability
• Microgrids
• Micro-Mobility
• Shared Mobility
• Smart-Charging

This is a unique opportunity to give your innovation a safe landing at the heart of progress in India. Taking part in this project will make it quicker, cheaper, and easier to test and launch your product or service in real-world environments.

This challenge call will close when a total of 15 SMEs have been onboarded in India – early applications are encouraged to ensure your best chance of taking part, you can Apply now.