Dev Amratia

National Gas secures additional £107m funding for UK hydrogen pipeline network – News https://ift.tt/caJABvG THE UK’s gas transmission operator has secured £107m (US$141m) of public funding from energy regulator Ofgem for a major project to repurpose natural gas pipelines for hydrogen transmission. The new commitment brings total publicly funded investment in National Gas’s “Project Union” to £164m since June and advances more than half of the proposed network into the front-end engineering and design (FEED) stage. Through Project Union, National Gas is planning to repurpose over 2,400 km of the UK’s 8,000 km natural gas transmission network into pipelines suitable to carry hydrogen, with the aim of connecting planned hydrogen production sites with industrial users around the country. The project will also require the construction of new sections of pipeline. The first part of the “core” hydrogen network will connect the St Fergus gas terminal, the site of a planned hydrogen production plant, in northeast Scotland to the Grangemouth industrial cluster near Edinburgh. From Grangemouth, the network will split into two branches: one linking to the Teesside and Humber industrial clusters in northeast England and another connecting to HyNet in the northwest. Ofgem has already confirmed £57m of FEED funding for the Teesside–Humber link, while the latest commitment covers the St Fergus–Teesside and northwest routes. Ian Radley, chief commercial officer at National Gas, said the funding was a “hugely significant moment for Britain’s hydrogen journey”. Radley added: “Hydrogen will sit alongside electrification as a vital part of a cleaner, more resilient energy system – and this funding shows that future becoming a reality.” National Gas is also planning to expand the network to industrial clusters in Milford Haven in south Wales and Southampton, Bacton and Isle of Grain in southeast England. The company aims for full completion of the project in the mid-2030s. Brett Ryan, head of policy and analysis at industry group Hydrogen UK, said the latest funding was “excellent news”. He added: “The funding underscores the crucial role hydrogen will play in the UK’s energy mix and in delivering economic growth across the country. “We look forward to seeing the projects develop and showcase hydrogen’s potential for supporting UK energy infrastructure.” Source link The post National Gas secures additional £107m funding for UK hydrogen pipeline network – News appeared first on H2Invest.io. via Funding Hydrogen Archives - H2Invest.io https://ift.tt/hDzHPnT November 19, 2025 at 02:00AM

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🚀 Calling deep tech founders in Greater Manchester Applications are open for the Unit M Deep Tech Accelerator — a 3-month intensive programme helping research-driven founders turn science into investment-ready businesses. 💸 Up to £25k equity-free funding 🧠 Specialist mentoring, lab access & investor demo day 👩‍🔬 For technical founders, researchers & deep tech startups with prototypes or market testing underway 📍 Sectors include AI, biotech, climate & energy, advanced materials, robotics, space + more. 👉 Read more: https://lnkd.in/ePFWxV-h

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UK industrial renewal needs practical execution. This week: £164m confirmed for hydrogen pipeline infrastructure connecting Teesside, Humber, and Scotland. Aluminium formally recognised as a UK strategic material for the first time. Heat networks attracting £1bn+ investment pipelines. The foundations are being laid. But policy frameworks alone won't protect our environment or our industrial base. What separates deployment from aspiration? Bankable offtake agreements. Modular, co-located solutions that align with industrial demand centres. Technologies that integrate waste remediation, low-carbon energy, and circular materials recovery—not single-purpose mega-projects waiting for 2030. UK manufacturers need solutions now. Industrial heat applications represent the most immediate hydrogen market. We export aluminium scrap while importing battery-grade derivatives for EV supply chains. European policy delays create first-mover advantage for proven UK technology. Engineering-first execution will determine who captures this opportunity. UK has the industrial clusters, the policy momentum, and the technical capability. Time to build. #UKManufacturing #IndustrialStrategy #HydrogenEconomy #CircularEconomy #NetZero #UKEngineering #EnergyTransition

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Great point of view from colleagues Connor Deehan and Adam Gait, reframing nuclear’s potential as the centre of a modern connected energy ecosystem. Well worth a read! #energy #nuclear #hydrogen #ecosystem #electricity

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🤯Mind blown with CEO hire. A few months ago, I was asked to advise a UK energy start-up. Interesting founder. Interesting problem space. I thought, let’s see where this goes. So I asked the simplest question: “What does the company actually do?” He says: “We do AI for energy.” I pressed a little: “AI for energy in what way?” He replied: “Well… you know, we take data and use AI to generate interesting outcomes for customers. But you’ll have to speak to my CEO for the details.” That was the first red flag. It got stranger when he added: “You should speak to my CEO anyway — he handles most things now.” Eyebrow raise #1. Team size? 16 people. Founder already replaced himself with an external CEO. Unusual for an early-stage tech company. Still, I booked the call. A week later, I met the CEO. Nice guy. Friendly. But friendliness isn’t a qualification, so I asked a few direct questions. How long have you been CEO? Seven, eight months. How long have you been with the company? Seven, eight months. Energy experience? None. Technical/software background? None. Sales or commercial leadership experience? None. And then the knockout blow: “Do you have a sales team?” “Our only sales guy left… soon after I started.” At that point the red flags weren’t red flags — they were stadium floodlights. I went back to the founder because the picture didn’t add up. I asked how they made the sales they did have. He told me: The previous co-founder had handled that — but he’d left. And the sales team he’d hired? They left with him to another company. I didn’t need to dig into the drama. I just said it plainly: 🔥 “You don’t have a product problem. You have a leadership problem.” But here’s the constructive part: People leave. Teams change. Co-founders go separate ways. That’s not fatal. It’s a setback, not a death sentence. What matters is who you bring in next. If you’re hiring the person who will lead the company — especially in sectors like energy where domain knowledge actually matters — don’t roll the dice on someone who has no industry background, no technical depth, and no commercial experience. Hire someone who knows the space. Hire someone who understands the customer. Hire someone who can sell — because sales is oxygen. Get that right, and you’re not patching a sinking ship — you’re resetting the company with the right foundations for the next chapter.

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ENERGY CATAPULT INNOVATING TO NET ZERO 2026 REPORT   The UK Energy Systems Catapult has issued a report analysing the need for innovation and for the development of different energy assets to achieve Net Zero. It is more comprehensive and long-term than the work undertaken by the government, regulator and NESO (National Energy Systems Operator) who should all be doing such work, so is to be applauded. It is more comprehensive in that it addresses heat, gas and grid capacity needs as well as electricity and natural gas supply; and it models to 2040, which is much better than previous 7-year modelling.   However it is still not long-term enough: very short term in comparison with what is needed. It also begs many other questions, raised in this blog: https://lnkd.in/e4fka4P2   The solutions are simple. The technologies exist. The cost can be lower than today’s whole-system energy cost. It needs the right regulatory system and market designs to provide the right incentives at the right scale for the services and technologies that are needed.   We have already wasted 15 years of the energy transition on incremental changes and quick fixes, always going for the “low-hanging fruit” and rarely taking the strategic decisions. The result is widespread and increasing energy poverty due to rocketing whole-system costs, while the system becomes increasingly fragile and unreliable, and so saturated that grid connections and costs are one of the larger constraints on developing the economy and businesses. It is high time we changed this approach.   #NetZero #EnergyTransition #EnergySystemsCatapult #EnergyCatapult #Regulation #Markets #LDES #Storage #Renewables

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I’ve spent the last 12 years inside the UK’s enterprise support ecosystem: Accelerators. Incubators. Grants. Corporate programmes. Universities. Foundations. In practice, founders experience something very different. They complete one programme, gain real value, then… hit a cliff edge. No warm handover. No shared data. No sense of what comes next. They start again. New application. New metrics. New people. Energy that should be going into building a business gets spent navigating the system. After supporting 10,000+ founders through Hatch Enterprise, the pattern is hard to ignore: - This isn’t a funding problem. - It’s a coordination problem. We keep investing in programmes, but underinvest in the infrastructure between them. And the fragmentation tax is huge. For founders. For delivery organisations. For funders. That’s why I’ve teamed up with Caroline Gormley to explore a different approach. Not more pilots. Not another shiny initiative. But joined-up, place-based enterprise ecosystems where programmes, funding and pathways actually connect. We’ve just published Part 1 of a short article series unpacking: • why ecosystems routinely operate at ~50% of their potential • what fragmentation really costs • why coordination delivers non-linear returns If you’re investing into enterprise support programmes, be it at a local council, a foundation, via corporate initiatives or are deploying support at an enterprise support organisation, wrestling with these issues, I’d genuinely love to hear what you’re seeing on the ground. Because founders don’t fail in isolation. Systems fail them first. 👉 Article link in comments.

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Several powerful trends are currently converging to create the biggest technology transformation opportunity in UK energy trading in decades. What this means for tech professionals: !! Energy firms will pay 40-100% premiums for contractors who understand both Python and power markets. !! Legacy ETRM vendors can't move fast enough - bespoke solutions are becoming competitive again !! Real-time data processing, AI-driven forecasting, and grid optimisation are moving from "nice to have" to "essential" The firms that survived the energy crisis of 2022-23 are now cash-rich and technology-poor. They know their competitive advantage depends on modernising their tech stack. The opportunity window is now. While other sectors cut tech spending, energy trading firms are increasing it. For software engineers considering this space: you don't need a finance PhD. You need Python skills, systems thinking, and the willingness to learn domain fundamentals. The next 2-3 years will determine which energy trading firms thrive in the renewable-dominated grid of the 2030s. Their technology choices - and the engineers who build them - will make that difference. What's holding you back from exploring energy trading tech roles?

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The SME Funding Crisis - Part 1: A Breaking Point for Economic Growth. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of the UK economy, comprising 99.9% of all businesses, employing roughly 16.9 million people (60% of the private sector workforce), and generating approximately £2.8 trillion in turnover (52% of GDP) as of 2025. They drive regional growth, innovation, and competitiveness, with potential to add billions more in annual investment. Yet despite their critical importance, SMEs face an unprecedented funding crisis that threatens not only their survival but the UK’s economic prosperity. The numbers are stark: The British Business Bank estimates a funding gap of £65 billion. Systematic exclusion of startups from lending; grant and investment success rates below 10%; 400,000 funding rejections, annually.   The lack of funding is one of the main reasons why 70% of new businesses fail within three years the economic cost of lost growth to the UK alone being estimated at over £90 billion per year. This market failure isn't just a business problem—it's a national economic emergency that demands immediate government intervention. The entities generating over half of national GDP cannot access the funding they need to grow. The Statistics Speak: A Funding System in Failure. Next post: The Banking Betrayal - why Lenders put off Job Creators.

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This is a genuinely important role. If the UK is serious about energy security, nuclear isn’t just an engineering challenge. It’s a commercial one. The Chief Commercial Officer role at Great British Energy – Nuclear sits right at that junction: • long-term national infrastructure • complex procurement • partnership at scale • and decisions that will shape the next generation, not just the next quarter For the right person, this isn’t a job move. It’s a legacy move. Worth a look — and a conversation — for anyone who understands that commercial leadership is system design. Pete

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Happy New Year everyone! 2026 is shaping up to be a fascinating year for renewables globally, and for the UK energy system in particular. Here are 8 predictions I’m watching closely this year (look out for a bonus one at the end) curious what you think: 1.) Battery storage costs move toward $40/kWh: 🎙Redefining Energy’s view that China could push LFP battery pack prices toward ~$40/kWh by 2026 feels plausible. BloombergNEF already puts average LFP packs at ~$80/kWh in 2025. If the supply overhang persists, co-located storage economics change materially, especially behind the meter. 2.) Data Centres: 50% of announced data centres in the US will never get built. Rising capex is part of it, but grid access is the real constraint. We’re already seeing projects delayed or cancelled. Kevin O'Leary was early on this and I suspect this worsens globally (not just in the US) before it improves. 3.) Wind and solar installs soften in 2026: For the first time in over a decade, global solar installations may dip year-on-year. BloombergNEF points to ~649 GW in 2026 vs ~655 GW in 2025, driven by policy resets, financing pressure, and grid bottlenecks rather than lack of demand. 4.) Pakistan (and parts of South Asia) accelerate: As Azeem Azhar has highlighted, Pakistan’s rooftop solar boom is extraordinary. Solar imports jumped from total ~3 GW in 2023 to ~17 GW of roof-top solar in 2025. Several South-Asian markets may quietly cross the “25% solar” threshold sooner than expected. 5.) Break-out solar growth in Africa: Redefining Energy forecasts ~20 GW of new solar capacity in Africa in 2026, driven by collapsing module and battery prices as China’s solar manufacturing overcapacity spills into emerging markets. ⚡️⚡️ My take (UK-specific): ⚡️⚡️ 6.) Behind-the-meter solar grows fastest in the UK: Grid queues, planning delays, and volatile pricing continue to push UK businesses toward on-site PV + storage. Expect faster growth behind the meter than at grid-connected scale. More companies will prefer owning the asset over signing 10–20-year PPAs, and rooftop-solar margins will compress as competition intensifies. 7.) Curtailment and grid delays become political: Constraint costs and curtailment payments are moving from technical footnotes to front-page issues, strengthening the case for on-site generation, storage, and flexibility. 8.) Corporate PPAs bifurcate: Hyperscalers will still sign massive, long-dated PPAs. But SMEs are likely to resist decade-long commitments, pushing the market toward shorter PPAs or ownership-led models. ☀️ ☀️ Bonus ☀️ ☀️ 9.) Solar Installer market consolidation: Falling equipment costs benefit customers, but tighter margins are likely to drive consolidation among installers and adjacent businesses. Questions for the community: – Which of these feels most plausible or most wrong? – What’s missing? Are there trends you’re seeing that don’t show up here?

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🟠 Smart Demand Response: Unlocking Flexibility for the UK’s Net-Zero Energy Future One of the most promising innovations in the UK’s journey toward #net zero# is the adoption of #smart demand response#. This approach represents a shift away from the traditional energy system model, where #electricity supply# is constantly adjusted to meet fixed #demand#, toward a more dynamic model where #energy demand# itself can flex in response to changes in #renewable generation#. In the old framework, if the wind slowed or clouds covered the sun, fossil-fuel plants would be ramped up to fill the gap. In a #low-carbon system#, however, such backup is both expensive and environmentally costly. With #smart demand response#, the focus changes: households, businesses, and industries adjust their #energy use# to align with periods when #clean electricity# is abundant. For example, #electric vehicle charging# can be automatically scheduled during times of high #offshore wind# output, such as overnight in winter. Similarly, #heat pumps# in homes can pre-heat water or buildings when #solar generation# is peaking, storing thermal energy for later use. In manufacturing, energy-intensive processes like #aluminium smelting# or #cold storage# can be programmed to operate more during renewable-rich periods. This is enabled by a combination of #smart meters#, #real-time pricing signals#, and #automated controls#. A home with a smart energy management system could receive a signal from the #grid operator# indicating a surplus of wind power; the system would then activate appliances or charge home batteries without the homeowner lifting a finger. Businesses could receive incentives through #flexibility markets# for temporarily reducing their consumption when renewable supply dips. The benefits are twofold. First, it reduces reliance on expensive #peaking plants# or large-scale #energy storage# to balance the system. Second, it enables greater integration of #variable renewables# like wind and solar, helping the UK close the gap between current #renewable capacity# and the levels required for #net-zero-aligned scenarios#. Policy support is growing. The UK government’s #Smart Systems and Flexibility Plan# aims to unlock 30 GW of demand-side flexibility by 2030. Pilot projects, such as #vehicle-to-grid trials# and smart heating programs, are already demonstrating that such systems can be deployed at scale. Ultimately, #smart demand response# turns consumers into active participants in the energy system. By making demand as flexible as supply, it lays the foundation for a resilient, affordable, and sustainable #UK energy system#, ensuring that every extra gigawatt of renewable capacity can be used to its fullest potential.

2 Year Fhunded Snapshot: 💰£21M+ early-stage equity raised through the Fhunded VC community 🧑‍💼 Around 40 new, high-skilled jobs created across Lancashire 🌹 19 leading VC's engaged with Lancashire-based deals via Fhunded events 🪽 Launch of the Fhunded Angel network 💻 Roll-out of Lancashire's bespoke Dealroom platform Read more: https://lnkd.in/eCX353jb

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Energy companies have pumped green hydrogen into British gas stations, and are using low-carbon natural gas to generate electricity, in a major step forward for the UK’s climate ambitions. Read More: https://lnkd.in/dWt9efXm

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It was a huge pleasure to share my thoughts with Katherine Keddie and Matt Jaworski on the Scaling-Green Tech podcast. We had a great discussion both about #gridtech and ENODA Ltd and wider themes around #energytransition and #energysecurity.

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Building a startup is hard. Scaling one is harder. But Scottish founders shouldn't have to piece together support from disconnected places. That's why Techscaler and Scottish Enterprise have built something different. A joined-up ecosystem where founder-focused programmes, funding, and world-class networks work together seamlessly, so you can focus on what matters: building your business. Through this partnership, founders are accessing: ▶️ MVP R&D Grants to accelerate early-stage development ▶️ One-to-one support to access funding and widen networks ▶️ International market engagement to help Scottish startups compete globally ▶️ A dedicated "one team" approach, where Techscaler and Scottish Enterprise advisors work together around you - not in silos The results speak for themselves. 44 grants issued, £1.25M invested, and founders like Andrew Conkie of Red Star and Steven Clarke of Nuuri using that support to hire faster, build better products, and open doors to new markets. Read the full partnership spotlight to find out how to get involved, link in the comments. #Techscaler #ScottishEnterprise #ScottishStartups #TechScotland #StartupSupport

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R&D relief still extends runway for many startups but HMRC’s approach has changed. Today, the story your claim tells matters as much as the numbers. Skipping the technical narrative (or treating it as a box-tick) is now a fast route to enquiry and delay. Why this matters now • Higher enquiry rates: ~1 in 5 claims are now challenged—up sharply since 2022. Founders should expect more questions, sooner. • Mandatory detail: The Additional Information Form is required before filing; thin narratives are routinely knocked back. • Systemic scrutiny: Post-reform, HMRC is pushing error/fraud down; algorithmic triage and compliance drives mean weak claims wait longer (or fail). Who should be in the room tomorrow morning with us and Bonham & Brook? Founders in: - healthtech - deeptech - data-heavy products - teams raising or planning R&D-linked cashflow - anyone revising processes after the scheme merge. REGISTER: https://luma.com/d6cjdhot What you’ll take away (practical, not theoretical): - How HMRC reads a robust narrative: advance sought, uncertainties, methods/resources, outcomes and with examples. - The triggers that raise flags (timing around funding rounds, launches, subcontracting, and scope). - and more.... Tue 16 Sept, 10:00–12:00 | Soho Closed-door briefing and 1-1s led by Sebastian Woollard Thomas Goodier Thomas Nicolson Bonham & Brook. Seats are very limited. Bonus 🏏 - All attendees enter a draw for access to the Pavilion Hub at Lord’s Cricket Ground on 26 Sept.

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"RAF036/2425: Feasibility of Small-Scale Space Based Solar Power SBSP Systems for Early Market Adoption Final report.. by Frazer-Nash in partnership with Space Solar Engineering Ltd & Imperial College London, ...authored by Lewis Baxter, Dr Kate Ward & Sam White. London Economics Ltd have provided independent peer review of research findings, although responsibility for model parameters & outputs remains with Frazer-Nash. The project was commissioned & overseen by Government’s Department for Energy Security & Net Zero with additional reviews by UK Space Agency UKSA. ... This report presents findings of the study. It defines technical specifications of a minimum viable product MVP system, including performance, orbit & properties that separate small-scale SBSP from other low-carbon technologies. The report analyses future serviceable market & assesses extent to which small-scale SBSP is compatible with contracts for difference (CfD) mechanism, accounting for levelised cost of electricity (LCOE), energy system benefits & supplementary funding options. UK gov’s plan to reach Net Zero carbon emissions by 2050 relies on electrification of several sectors including manufacturing, housing & transport, which will rapidly increase electricity demand. Current forecasts by NESO suggest that peak electricity demand will more than double from 58GW in 2025 to 119 GW in 2050. Meeting Net Zero objectives requires maintaining affordability of transmission & distribution networks, while significantly increasing renewable power on the GB network. This brings significant challenges, both for infrastructure needed to deliver energy from generator to user, & for reliability of supply, since existing major source of renewable energy in UK—offshore wind—is weather dependent & intermittent. When intermittent renewables are unavailable, high carbon & high-cost fossil fuel generation replaces them, contributing significantly to energy system costs. Previous studies have investigated whether SBSP could provide GB with constant, predictable, zero-carbon power @GW scale. These studies identified significant potential for SBSP to deliver competitive baseload generation. Frazer-Nash’s 2021 economic feasibility study identified upfront cost of a first of a kind (FOAK) large-scale (2 GW) SBSP system as £10.2 billion, which translates to a competitive expected central LCOE of £62/MWh. However, without prior de-risking, scale of upfront investment required for the first large-scale system may deter investors, making it more difficult to unlock full benefits of SBSP. This study explores viability of a smaller-scale SBSP system that could provide MW- scale power @much lower upfront cost. This smaller system could be commercialised more quickly, unlocking the benefits of SBSP earlier & de-risking later implementation of large-scale system."... Nextspace future power energy newspace economy

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