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Greenbackers Alert: £400M UK/Breakthrough Catalyst RfP for technologies

This new Breakthrough Energy Ventures call includes:  Clean hydrogen, Direct air capture, Long duration energy storage & Sustainable aviation fuel

Breakthrough UK Catalyst RfP

Breakthrough Energy was established in 2015 by Bill Gates and a coalition of private investors concerned about the impacts of accelerating climate change. In October 2021 Breakthrough Energy announced a new partnership to mobilise public and private funding in emerging climate technology projects located in the United Kingdom.

This UK-Catalyst Partnership expects to mobilise up to £400 million between 2022 and 2027 to drive investment into the next generation of emerging climate technologies that will help meet UK’s net zero target by 2050 and decrease the cost of decarbonisation.

Breakthrough Energy supports the innovations that will lead the world to net-zero emissions. To operationalise this collaboration, Breakthrough Energy Catalyst (Catalyst) has now launched an RFP to identify and select emerging climate technology projects based in the United Kingdom for project-level financing.  

Catalyst invites responses from projects located in the United Kingdom across the following four technology sectors:

  • Clean hydrogen
  • Direct air capture
  • Long duration energy storage
  • Sustainable aviation fuel

Respondents seeking funding in the first half of 2022 must provide their Part I Submission by 15 April 2022, at which time Catalyst will undertake its first round of evaluations.

After this date, submissions will be evaluated on a rolling basis (no less frequently than semi-annually) until the RFP close date. This RFP is expected to remain open for submissions until 31 December 2027 (RFP close date) or until all Catalyst funds are fully committed.

To submit a proposal to Catalyst please read the RFP Document, which contains the information that is required for Part I and Part II Submissions and complete the Intent-to-Bid form. Once the form has been submitted, an email with a Unique Respondent ID (URID), a link to submit Part I Submissions, and additional details will be sent to you. The URID will be used to label submitted materials, as detailed in Section 6 of the RFP document. Please use the link provided in that email to upload Part I Submissions. Catalyst will then notify respondents if they have been selected for Part II Submissions and/or Pitch Presentations.

Reference document and Intent to Bid links:

  1. RFP Document: https://www.breakthroughenergy.org/-/media/files/bev/catalyst-rfp/uk/bec-uk-rfp-rev101182022.pdf
  2. Intent-to-Bid Form Questions: https://www.breakthroughenergy.org/-/media/files/bev/catalyst-rfp/uk/intent-to-bid-form-questions.pdf
  3. Part I Submission Information Excel Template: https://www.breakthroughenergy.org/-/media/files/bev/catalyst-rfp/uk/uridcategorysubmissioninformation.xlsx
  4. Link to Catalyst RFP Intent to Bid form: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=VgCUFnQD7kGRilV2MicP6QJ30UCadfxBkM27WXPU6gVUREZITUlQWldaTENJUDU5RzlFVzNOMUhIUC4u

If you have any questions at relating to the UK partnership with Breakthrough Energy Catalyst, please contact BEIS directly at [email protected]. For any questions regarding Breakthrough Energy Catalyst funding specifically, please contact Catalyst directly. For further background information regarding both Breakthrough Energy and the Catalyst, please see Breakthrough Energy Catalyst.  

Link to UK Request for Proposals: https://www.breakthroughenergy.org/catalyst-uk-rfp