Positive Energy+ selects 14 innovative projects from the energy sector to contribute to economic and social recovery from COVID-19

• Having analysed almost 400 proposals received, the Positive Energy+ platform selected 14 projects from among the 396 proposals received after launching its urgent call for tenders last April. 

The proposals, offering solutions to mitigate the economic and social impact of COVID-19, were presented at the Positive Energy+ Demo Day event, held virtually yesterday afternoon and organised by the corporations driving the initiative: Enagás, Red Eléctrica, CLH, Iberdrola, BP, EIT InnoEnergy, Acciona, Capital Energy and DISA. Institutions like Startup Olé, ASCRI, El Referente, Socios Inversores, Byld, Everis, Dentons, PKF Attest innCome and Pons IP also collaborate on the initiative.

The CEOs of the organising companies took part in the event, which was opened by the High Commissioner for Spain, Entrepreneurial Nation, Francisco Polo, who pointed out the value of the joint initiative saying, “Being united is what has made it possible for us to overcome the most difficult phase of the health crisis and is going to be fundamental to overcome the economic and social impact that will be caused in Spain by the pandemic”. Continuing in the same vein, he said that, “Positive Energy stands for the very best of entrepreneurship in Spain. It seems to me an excellent idea, as it stands for the best in Spanish society and the importance of being united to face up to the major challenges ahead of us”.

The 14 projects selected were submitted by Spanish start-ups and scale-ups, at varying levels of maturity and professional experience, and got through a first phase where the driving corporations analysed all the proposals received. The companies also held interviews with the start-ups and scale-ups to assess their feasibility and maturity.

Several proposals targeted the main drivers of the new energy model, focusing on decarbonisation, renewable energy, energy efficiency, storage, sustainable mobility and the circular economy. Amongst them, for example, the proposals included an innovative solution to boost renewable energy generation using floating wind platforms; a storage technology enabling greater inroads by renewables into the energy mix; and another with the ability to make the most of any kind of organic or inorganic waste to make it into a gas with a high hydrogen content.

Other projects submitted sought to contribute directly to mitigating the impact of the COVID-19 crisis, offering alternatives to face up to the immediate future after the pandemic. These included, for example, an eco-friendly disinfectant tunnel that does not use bleach derivatives; devices to clean virus and bacteria from the air using air plasma generation; and portable containers to produce medicinal oxygen using electrolysis.

Specifically, the start-ups/scale-ups responsible for the proposals are: Solatom CSP S.L, Hybrid Energy Storage Solutions S.L, Pastoria Project, S.L, Nautilus Floating Solutions, S.L, PFT Engineering Development, Zubi New Ventures S.L, Egoa Energía, Light App SL, Cedrion Consultoría Técnica e Ingeniería S.L, OriGen.AI, Inc., Silbat Energy Storage Solutions, Graphene Solutions, Ariema Energía and Cedanjobs.

The  Positive Energy+ urgent call for tenders, a pioneer in Spain, was launched on 7th April, searching for projects that, from the energy point of view, emphasised innovation as the main tool to drive economic and social recovery in Spain after the COVID-19 crisis. In just 13 days, the call for tenders received a total of 396 proposals.

In a subsequent phase, the companies driving Positive Energy+ will complete their analysis and will close off a collaboration agreement, before the end of May, with at least one start-up/scale-up which may possibly join forces with several corporations. The projects that are finally chosen will get support from the companies to develop the project with financing and/or making their innovation, investment, commercial development and structure tools available to them.

The aim is that, in June, the start-ups/scale-ups that agreement is reached with will start work on developing and implementing their solutions within a one-year time frame, in compliance with the timetable set.