Saturday, November 23, 2024
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National Highways £110k grants for net zero

National Highways has partnered with Connected Places Catapult to find solutions for net zero carbon maintenance and construction in an new £1.7m competition.

The winners could receive £30,000 to create a detailed trial proposal to test their idea on the road network – and a further £80,000 to make plans a reality.

National Highways aims to have its maintenance and construction emissions net zero by 2040 as well as the road network by 2050.

The aim of the competition is to explore the potential for innovation outside of National Highways’ existing supply chain. It will allow smaller enterprises, which haven’t traditionally had the opportunity to work directly with National Highways, to show their ideas and win a chance to take them out on the road network. 

There are a number of challenges in the completion, including alternative materials; innovations to improve asset management decision making; and the circular economy within highways construction and maintenance

The agency also said it was “open to additional innovative ideas such as material waste reduction technologies, modular construction, 3D printing, smart contracts, and data analytics of emissions, amongst others.

Successful firms will be offered a number of opportunities including support on marketing and investment, design, deployment and evaluation as well as a demonstration day for investors.

This competition is funded through the Agency’s Designated Funds – ring-fenced funding to invest in and support initiatives that deliver lasting benefits for road users, the environment and communities across England.

The competition is open to entries from 27 March until 30 April 2023.

Dr Joanna White, National Highways Roads Development Director, said: “We want to speed up innovation within our sector and adopt new solutions. The innovation accelerator will help take potential solutions and drive them through the research and testing phases.”

Melissa Giusti, National Highways Project Manager, said: “We are hosting this open competition to attract new ideas that we haven’t yet trialled, tested or even thought of ourselves. Have you got innovative ideas that could help us achieve our net zero carbon goals?” 

Image courtesy of National Highways

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