Clean Energy Superpower Mission areas of research interest · first published 6 October 2025
This document is the government's official statement of research, development, and innovation (R&D) priorities for its Clean Energy Superpower Mission (CESM), led by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ). It identifies 12 thematic research areas — spanning energy systems, power generation, industry, heat and buildings, transport, agriculture, biomass, hydrogen, carbon capture, and whole-system approaches — and narrows these down to 9 priority R&D challenges. It is not a procurement notice or a funding call; it is a strategic signal of where government money, programmes, and policy attention will flow. For a small business, this document matters because it tells you which technology areas, sectors, and research questions government funders (including UKRI) will prioritise when awarding grants, innovation contracts, and Innovate UK-style competitions. If your firm works in offshore wind, energy storage, heat pumps, hydrogen, CCUS, electric vehicles, battery technologies, or related supply chains, this document maps the landscape you are competing in for public funding. The document does not set procurement rules, evaluation weightings, or contract thresholds — it is a research-alignment tool, not a buying policy.
WHO THIS APPLIES TO
THE ENKII VIEW
For SMEs already active in clean energy supply chains — particularly in offshore wind, heat pumps, battery storage, hydrogen, or CCUS — this ARI is a direct map to where publicly-funded R&D competitions and innovation grants will be concentrated; aligning your own R&D narrative to these 9 priority challenges before bidding for Innovate UK or UKRI grants will significantly strengthen your case. The document explicitly flags that the government wants to bridge the "valley of death" for commercialisation, which is precisely the gap where innovative SMEs operate — firms that can demonstrate a route from prototype to market are well-positioned. The emphasis on supply chain resilience, circular economy, skills, and place-based delivery also opens doors for smaller specialists and regional firms who might otherwise feel excluded from deep-tech R&D calls.
1. Reference the CESM ARI's explicit priority on offshore wind (one of 4 Clean Power priority challenges) and floating offshore wind in all grant applications to UKRI, Innovate UK, or DESNZ-funded programmes — frame your technology or service as directly addressing the deep-water deployment barrier.
SMEs in offshore wind, floating offshore wind, or marine energy supply chains — The document identifies offshore wind as one of only 4 top-priority R&D challenges for Clean Power, and specifically calls out floating offshore wind and unlocking deployment in deep water sites (50m or deeper) as a key R&D need.
2. Position your firm's work against the 'energy storage' priority challenge — the document lists this as a top-4 Clean Power priority; ensure your pitch explicitly links to grid integration, long-duration storage, or consumer-led flexibility to match government language.
SMEs in energy storage, battery technology, or grid flexibility — Energy storage is named as one of the 4 Clean Power priority R&D challenges, with specific needs around large-scale, long-duration storage and optimal grid integration.
3. When bidding for innovation funding, use the document's language around bridging the 'valley of death' — demonstrate a credible route from your current technology readiness level to commercial deployment, referencing the £2.2bn export opportunity by 2030.
SMEs in hydrogen production, storage, or distribution — The document explicitly states R&D must 'bridge the valley of death and support commercialisation' of hydrogen technologies, and quantifies a significant export market opportunity by 2030.
4. Align proposals with the document's stated need to reduce costs, expand supply chains, and improve retrofit quality — highlight your role in supply chain diversification or installer skills development, as these are named R&D gaps.
SMEs in heat pumps, retrofit, or building decarbonisation — The document calls out the need to 'expand and diversify the supply chain, including approaches to improving skills and developing models that prioritise high quality installations' as a specific R&D need under heat and buildings.
5. Frame any innovation bid around scaling up, deploying at dispersed sites, and improving measurement, monitoring and verification (MMV) — these are the three specific sub-gaps named under CCUS and GGR R&D needs.
SMEs in CCUS, carbon capture, or greenhouse gas removal technologies — The document identifies 'scaling up across the valley of death', 'optimal methods for safe transport and storage of CO₂ including dispersed sites', and improving 'measurement, monitoring and verification techniques' as explicit CCUS R&D priorities.
6. If your firm works on electrification of industrial heat, resource efficiency, or circular supply chains, reference the 'Transitioning to a circular economy and electrification' priority challenge (one of 5 Net Zero priorities) explicitly in any public funding bid.
SMEs in industrial decarbonisation, advanced manufacturing, or circular economy — The document names circular economy and electrification as a top-5 Net Zero R&D priority, and calls for 'advanced manufacturing methods, automation, and circular supply chains' as specific areas needing coordinated R&D.
7. Highlight how your AI or data product contributes to net zero system integration, energy efficiency, or emissions monitoring — the document explicitly calls for R&D to 'mobilise digital solutions and data, such as through AI, to achieve net zero goals'.
SMEs in AI, digital, or data services for energy — The whole systems section explicitly identifies AI and digital tools as an R&D need for cross-sector integration, systems-level understanding, and resource and energy efficiency.
8. Download and read this ARI before writing any clean energy innovation funding application — map your work to one or more of the 9 named priority R&D challenges and use the document's own language in your case for support to demonstrate strategic alignment.
All SMEs seeking UKRI, Innovate UK, or DESNZ grant funding in clean energy — The document states it is designed to 'inform funding decisions by enabling researchers to clearly link proposals to government priorities' — reviewers of UKRI and DESNZ-funded calls will use this framework.
9. Reference the Transport section's call for R&D on heavy goods vehicles, clean maritime, and low-carbon aviation fuels when applying for innovation funding — connect your work to the named gaps around ZEV scaling, battery circularity, or sustainable aviation fuel.
SMEs in transport decarbonisation, zero-emission vehicles, or clean aviation/maritime — The document identifies scaling UK-based Zero Emission Vehicle production, clean maritime technologies, and sustainable aviation fuel as specific transport R&D needs under the CESM.
Every rule below quotes the official document verbatim.
The CESM has two pillars: delivering clean power by 2030, and accelerating to net zero by 2050. (All stakeholders engaging with CESM R&D priorities.)
“The CESM has 2 pillars: Deliver Clean Power by 2030 and Accelerate to Net Zero by 2050.”
A key milestone is achieving at least 95% low-carbon electricity generation by 2030. (UK energy system, Clean Power by 2030 pillar.)
“A key milestone is achieving at least 95% low-carbon electricity generation by 2030, in line with advice from the National Energy System Operator (NESO).”
Deployment targets include 43–50 GW of offshore wind, 27–29 GW of onshore wind, 45–47 GW of solar, 23–27 GW of battery capacity, and 4–6 GW of long-duration energy storage. (UK energy system, Clean Power by 2030 pillar.)
“deploying between 43-50 GW of offshore wind, 27-29 GW of onshore wind, and 45-47 GW of solar power... 23-27 GW of battery capacity, 4-6 GW of long‑duration energy storage”
The document identifies 9 priority R&D challenges: 4 for Clean Power (energy storage, flexible demand, supply-side flexibility, offshore wind) and 5 for Net Zero (circular economy and electrification, putting the 'Net' in Net Zero, low carbon fuels, food system, society as a catalyst). (All R&D stakeholders, funders, and suppliers engaging with CESM priorities.)
“the ARI identifies 9 priority R&D challenges that represent the most pressing technical, economic, and systemic barriers to deliver our mission – 4 for Clean Power and 5 for Net Zero.”
The document covers 12 thematic research areas: 6 key sectors (energy systems, power generation, industry, heat and buildings, transport, agriculture and land use), enabling technologies and fuels (biomass, low carbon hydrogen, CCUS and GGRs), and whole system approaches. (All R&D stakeholders across CESM-relevant sectors.)
“These needs are organised, as outlined in Section 1.2, into 12 themes spanning: 6 key sectors; enabling technologies and fuels; and whole system approaches.”
Approximately 35% of the global emission reductions needed in 2050 to reach net zero rely on technologies not yet commercially available, underlining the importance of early-stage R&D. (All innovation and R&D stakeholders.)
“approximately 35% of the global emission reductions needed in 2050 to reach net zero rely on technologies that are not yet commercially available.”
UK exports in hydrogen production equipment and fuel cells could reach up to £2.2 billion by 2030 and £9.8 billion by 2050. (SMEs and businesses in the hydrogen sector.)
“UK exports in hydrogen production equipment and fuel cells potentially reaching up to £2.2 billion by 2030 and £9.8 billion by 2050.”
The UK has an estimated potential to store more than 78 billion tonnes of CO2, around 200 times the UK's total greenhouse gas emissions in 2023. (CCUS sector stakeholders.)
“an estimated potential to store more than 78 billion tonnes of CO2. This is around 200 times the UK's total GHG emissions in 2023.”
The built environment accounts for approximately 30% of the UK's total emissions, with the majority stemming from heating. (Heat and buildings sector R&D stakeholders.)
“The Built Environment makes up approximately 30% of the UK's total emissions, including commercial, public sector and residential buildings, with the majority stemming from heating.”
Industrial emissions accounted for 14% of UK annual emissions in 2023. (Industrial decarbonisation R&D stakeholders.)
“industrial emissions accounting for 14% of UK annual emissions in 2023.”
Agriculture contributes approximately 12% to total annual UK emissions, with ruminant livestock contributing around two-thirds of those. (Agriculture and land use R&D stakeholders.)
“Agriculture contributes approximately 12% to total annual emissions. Ruminant livestock (such as cattle and sheep) are the primary source of these emissions, contributing around two-thirds.”
The government is working with UKRI to advance R&D priorities across both mission pillars, building on record levels of funding announced in the Spending Review. (All R&D stakeholders seeking public funding alignment.)
“the government is also working closely with partners such as UKRI, building on record levels of funding announced in the Spending Review.”
The Clean Energy Industries Sector Plan targets six frontier industries for UK global leadership by 2035: wind, nuclear fission, fusion energy, CCUS including GGRs, hydrogen, and heat pumps; with electricity networks as a foundational sector. (SMEs in clean energy frontier industries.)
“A targeted approach focuses efforts on frontier industries where the UK has the greatest potential for growth: Wind (Onshore, Offshore and Floating Offshore); Nuclear Fission; Fusion Energy; CCUS including GGRs; Hydrogen; Heat pumps.”
R&D to bridge the 'valley of death' and support commercialisation of hydrogen technologies is explicitly identified as a priority. (SMEs developing hydrogen technologies.)
“R&D will be critical – not only to develop and demonstrate early-stage and first-of-a-kind technologies – but also to bridge the 'valley of death' and support commercialisation.”
The ARI is intended to help researchers align proposals with government priorities, inform funding decisions, and guide cross-sector collaboration. (All stakeholders submitting research or innovation funding proposals.)
“It can be used to: Align research proposals with government priorities and identify areas of high impact; Support dialogue between researchers and policymakers on emerging evidence needs; Inform funding decisions by enabling researchers to clearly link proposals to government priorities; Guide cross-sector collaboration by highlighting shared challenges and opportunities.”
This briefing is enkii's interpretation of the official document — the official text always governs.
Source document © Crown copyright, reused under the Open Government Licence v3.0 via the GOV.UK Content API. enkii tracks every Procurement Policy Note and briefs changes the day they land — see all briefings.