Research and Development Fund: Third Call Now Open

Efficiency for Access announces its Research and Development Fund’s third call for projects focused on off-grid enabling technologies

Up to £2 million in funding has been made available for the third call of the Efficiency for Access Research and Development (R&D) Fund. The Fund is primarily supported by UK aid and the IKEA Foundation. Applications are open to R&D projects developing enabling technologies for off- and weak-grid areas with a particular focus on inclusivity and interoperability.

Launching this call for proposals, Professor Charlotte Watts, Chief Scientific Advisor at the UK Department for International Development said, “It is critical that new innovations in efficient appliances are designed to be able to reach groups that are at greatest risk of being excluded from technological innovation. This includes the poorest and most marginalised communities, women, and people with disabilities and displaced populations”.

The focus on enabling technologies was made in recognition of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). This includes SDG 5 to achieve gender equality, SDG 7 to ensure access to affordable, reliable and sustainable energy for all, and SDG 10 to reduce inequality within and amongst countries.

By funding targeted innovations in inclusivity and interoperability, Efficiency for Access will help the sector make progress toward more inclusive, as well as efficient, appliance markets in developing and emerging economies.

Between £50,000 and £300,000 of funding is available for each project. The funding is dependent on the size of the organisation applying, ranging from 90% funding of projects costs for micro organisations to 50% for larger organisations.

In the past year, the Research and Development Fund has supported 21 organisations with over £2.5 million in funding and facilitated a further £750,000 to 6 electric cooking projects also from UK aid. The overall aim of the Research and Development Fund is to accelerate the availability, affordability, efficiency and performance of a range of low energy inclusive appliances that are particularly suited to developing country contexts and promote social inclusion.

Registration for applications opens on the 21 January 2020 and the submission deadline is 22 March 2020. To apply visit: https://efficiencyforaccess.org/grants