FLCTD: Promoting low-carbon technology solutions
The Facility for Low Carbon Technology Deployment project was launched in 2016 to address technology gaps that have scope for energy saving and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by innovative technology solutions. The project is being implemented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in collaboration with the Bureau of Energy of Efficiency and is supported by the Global Environment Facility (GEF).
Project Goals
The project has a goal to demonstrate and validate 120 innovative low-carbon technology solutions and support the deployment for scale-up. The project has an additional goal to assist in the commercialization of about 40 such innovations. Over the years the project has evolved in its scope and reach and encouraged entrepreneurs, start-ups, and industries in the development, demonstration, and validation of innovative technology solutions and products at the pre-commercialization stage.
The FLCTD project currently has six technology verticals:
- Electrical Energy Storage
- Industrial IoT
- Industrial Resource Efficiency
- Pumps Pumping Systems and Motors
- Space Conditioning
- Waste Heat Recovery
"The uniqueness of this project is that it is focused on bringing products and solutions for industrial and commercial sectors and lays strong emphasis on technology validation in actual field conditions as an important step before the commercial launch", informs Sandeep Tandon, National Project Manager for FLCTD project at UNIDO.
The project has engaged Customized Energy Solutions (CES) in Pune for outreach and validation support in the Electrical Energy Storage technology vertical, while CII-Godrej Green Business Centre provides similar support in the other technology verticals.
Innovation Challenges
The project conducts annual 'Innovation Challenges' to solicit applications to identify innovative technologies and the winners are selected through a rigorous 3-step selection by an expert panel. The project offers up to $50,000 to the winners to validate innovations in actual field conditions and multiple locations. The funds are transferred by UNIDO based on milestone-based progress.
All types of organizations who are working on technology, ranging from startups to academic institutions, research laboratories, public and private enterprises to large industries are eligible to apply.
Four innovation challenges have been conducted by the FLCTD project to date. Out of 558 applicants, 59 winners have been selected and the project has committed ₹18.5 crore for technology validation support. Thus far, 14 technology validations have been completed and seven technologies are commercially available.
In 2020, FLCTD announced the innovation challenge in the Electrical Energy Storage vertical; from 75 applications, 7 winners were selected. The project has committed financial support of ₹2.37 crore for technology demonstration in the field, which will be validated by CES.
Speaking about the FLCTD initiative, Dr. Rahul Walawalkar, MD Of CES India said: "The UNIDO FLCTD project's Energy Storage Innovation challenge is a very timely initiative and fills in a critical void for supporting the beta deployment of innovative energy storage and e-mobility solutions in India. We are excited about the great response for the 1st round of the innovation challenge. The seven selected companies represent very promising technologies for both stationary and mobility segments, and I am looking forward to the performance validation, which helps companies/startups in identifying areas for improvements that will help in accelerating commercialization."
The project will announce the 5th annual innovation challenge in the 1st quarter of 2022. The challenge presents a great opportunity for Indian companies working on the development and application of Super Capacitors, Fuel Cell, Electro-chemical Energy Storage systems for various end-use to apply.
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