News story: Saving energy with data from smart meters: apply for contracts

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has up to £8.8 million to invest in new ideas for products and services that use smart meter data to reduce energy demand in small, non-domestic buildings. This includes shops, restaurants and schools.

Smart management solutions

Smart meters are being rolled out across the country and should be in most homes and businesses by the end of 2020. They will help consumers to manage their energy and promote more efficient use.

BEIS research suggests that data from smart meters could be used to encourage organisations to take action and reduce their energy use if they get the right prompts.

This competition is looking for projects that develop software tools from smart meter data that are then used to encourage organisations to save energy. This could be through:

• information such as estimates of financial costs or savings
• information and advice on actions that can reduce energy demand and costs such as heating controls and lighting
• tailored messages designed to encourage the uptake of advice and sustained behaviour

Funding for the competition is under SBRI (Small Business Research Initiative).

Funding available

Up to £1.8 million in contracts is available for feasibility studies in a first phase. Up to £675,000 is available in a second phase for feasibility testing. A further £4.825 million is available to develop ideas further in a third phase.

BEIS also has up to £1.5 million to fund a research and evaluation contractor to work with competition participants.

Competition information

• the competition is open, and the deadline for applications is at midday on 9 February 2018
• it is open to any organisation that can demonstrate a route to market for its idea
• we expect contracts to be worth up to £200,000 in phase 1 and £100,000 in phase 2
• successful projects will attract 100% funded development contracts