Call for Innovative Solutions enabling Hydrogen Production from Sea Water

WHAT A SUCCESS !

THIS CALL RECEIVED 15 APPLICATIONS

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2 WINNERS :

• FloatingPowerPlant
  
• RAINMAKER
  

In collaboration with the European Innovation Council (EIC), ENGIE is seeking innovative solutions related to the European Green Deal and Energy Transition  focused on Hydrogen Production from Sea Water. 

This Call for Projects is dedicated to EIC-backed SMEs.

Through this first Energy4Planet initiative, ENGIE calls to  EIC-backed SMEs to find integrated (comprehensive) solutions where sea water is the main input for the green hydrogen production process.

Applicants can therefore explore different pathways, such as : 

• How can Hydrogen production avoid compromising local freshwater needs. Do you have a solution that reconciles the local need for fresh water with the large quantities of water required for electrolysis? 
• Technology issue & Operations & Maintenance challenge. Corrosivity of seawater and isolated sites. Does your solution solve the problems of corrosiveness as well as operation in conditions where human presence is limited?
• The negative impact of desalination - excessive level of brine discharges. Do you have a solution that answers this ecological problem for seas and oceans?

• The chance to pitch your innovation to ENGIE experts;
• Opportunity to be selected to co-develop a pilot project or Proof of Concept with ENGIE and presenting your solution at a dedicated event in autumn 2021 (tbd);
• Personalised online training on pitching techniques and ENGIE’s specifications before the Pitch event;
• Personalized support - offered by EIC business acceleration services - before, during and after the Pitch event

ENGIE actively collaborates with the European Innovation Council (EIC) and sponsors a brand-new Energy4Planet-iniatitive.

This new challenge is a great opportunity for EIC-backed SMEs to enhance the cooperation with ENGIE and co-create innovative solutions related to the European Green Deal and Energy Transition. For its first “Energy4Planet Challenge”, ENGIE focuses on the topic of Hydrogen Production from Sea Water. 

What is Energy4Planet?

The major energy transition challenges of the Green Deal and the associated ambitious goals will need close collaboration across value chains. It will also require concrete pilots between startups, corporates and technology institutes within the European ecosystem. On that account, the EIC is opening applications for the Energy4Planet, a brand-new initiative part of the EIC Corporate Programme. It builds upon the success of last year’s EIC Planettech, where more than a dozen EIC-innovators got together with four large corporates to co-create solutions and start pilots together. After a few months seven different pilots and partnerships were initiated and presented during the R&I Days in September 2020 (more info here).

With the Energy4Planet-initiative, the EIC Business Acceleration Services once again offers the opportunity to enhance EIC-backed SMEs’ cooperation with large corporates (here, ENGIE) and co-create innovative solutions to a number of pre-determined challenges in the field of energy transition (see the EIC Energy4Planet page).

For its first Energy4Planet Challenge, ENGIE focuses on the rising topic of the Production of Hydrogen from Sea Water. The objective of the challenge is to develop an integrated (comprehensive) solution where sea water is the main input for the green hydrogen production process (see the ENGIE Energy4Planet Challenge).

Applicants can therefore explore different pathways, such as : 

• How can Hydrogen production avoid compromising local freshwater needs. Do you have a solution that reconciles the local need for fresh water with the large quantities of water required for electrolysis? 
• Technology issue & Operations & Maintenance challenge. Corrosivity of seawater and isolated sites. Does your solution solve the problems of corrosiveness as well as operation in conditions where human presence is limited?
• The negative impact of desalination - excessive level of brine discharges. Do you have a solution that answers this ecological problem for seas and oceans?

The Energy4Planet-initiative is divided into three different phases:

• Phase I: ENGIE will dedicate a team of experts to select the SME’s with the highest possibilities to develop a joint Proof of Concept (PoC) around the challenges proposed (more info below). Those selected will be invited to a (digital) event, foreseen for 4 & 5 May 2021, to facilitate further collaboration between selected SMEs and corporates.
• Phase II: After the event, ENGIE will select the best candidate for a PoC, MVP (Minimum Valuable Product) or other form of collaboration lasting 1 to 5 months. This collaboration may consists in field-tests, webinar training or sponsorship.
• Phase III: The Energy4Planet-initiative will culminate in a demo day happening in Q3 2021 at the Research and Innovation days in Brussels or a digital event (tbc) where both ENGIE and EIC beneficiaries will be invited to demonstrate their work.

This application is open to all EIC-backed SMEs.

• You can apply by clicking on the following link. 
• After logging in with your EU-Login, please fill in the respective form.
• In your application form, you should answer all questions and explain how you will approach this challenge and how innovative your solution is.

Contact : Marianne Gallardo, Calls for Projects Manager. 
Email : marianne.gallardo@engie.com