New Energy Challenge

Win support, funding, and expert guidance for your energy innovation.

Watch this space: the New Energy Challenge will be back in September 2026!

In 2025, the New Energy Challenge (NEC) had its tenth edition already, supporting technology-focused start-ups and scale-ups that are driving the future of sustainable energy. This competition connects innovators with investors and industry experts, providing them with the knowledge, funding, and support needed to scale their businesses and drive change.

The NEC was seeking technologies that will contribute to the decarbonisation and de-fossilisation of energy operations. Innovations in areas such as renewable hydrogen and carbon removal will play a crucial role in this transformation. As the energy transition advances, we also need technologies that can replace fossil fuels with lower-carbon alternatives, such as synthetic gas.

Themes

The themes in 2025? Technology solutions that drive advancements in the following areas:

1. Green hydrogen production

Hydrogen has the potential to play a critical role in industrial decarbonisation, but current production methods remain inefficient and costly. We are seeking next-generation hydrogen technologies that reimagine the way green hydrogen is produced and integrated into existing value chains. These include:

Low-temperature electrolysis technologies (< 100°C): Alkaline, AEM, and PEM;
Intermediate water electrolysis technologies (100°C – 250°C);
High-temperature electrolysis technologies (500°C – 1000°C), including Solid Oxide electrolysis (SOEC) and Proton Conducting Ceramic electrolysis (PCEC).

We are particularly interested in breakthrough developments that bring down the Levelised Cost of Hydrogen (LCOH), CAPEX, and OPEX, while improving efficiency, durability and reliability at scale.

We are also interested in novel concepts such as capillary or hybrid electrolysis, flexible ceramic membrane development, or high-temperature electrolysis.

2. Hydrogen storage, carriers and distribution

Transporting and storing hydrogen in its gaseous form remains a challenge due to its low density and safety concerns. NEC 2025 is looking for hydrogen storage and distribution solutions – both on a large scale to support international supply chains and on a medium scale to provide power backup and manage the intermittency of renewable energy sources. These include:

Technologies for converting existing pipelines to transport hydrogen;
Technologies that improve hydrogen liquefaction efficiency and reduce costs;
Innovative hydrogen carriers with low dehydrogenation energies:
- Catalysts and reactor technologies that improve safety, optimise performance, and lower the CO₂ footprint;
- Novel techniques for electrochemical reforming or synthesis of hydrogen carriers;
Next-generation ammonia technologies for production/synthesis, storage, and cracking – a key enabler of long-distance hydrogen transport.

3. CO₂ methanation to synthetic methane

Liquefied synthetic gas (LSG) is produced by combining renewable hydrogen with captured CO₂ to create natural gas, which is then liquefied. This low-carbon gas is a drop-in fuel, meaning it can be used in existing gas networks and infrastructure. Methanation comprises promising technologies for both energy storage and reducing carbon emissions. NEC 2025 is searching for:

CO₂ methanation technologies that can demonstrate efficiency, that have the potential to scale, and provide the flexibility needed when dealing with intermittent power supply.
Technologies that differentiate in their energy need, that can achieve higher conversion rates and show high selectivity for methane.

4. Renewable natural gas (RNG)

Biological waste and residues can be transformed into low-carbon biomethane, which can significantly reduce CO₂ emissions when replacing its fossil fuel equivalent. We are interested in technologies that:

Expand viable feedstock options;
Improve methane yields and digestate valorisation;
Enhance green CO₂ utilisation in RNG production;

Examples include pre-treatment technologies that enable feedstock digestion, technologies for identifying feedstock supply, technologies for separating valuable products from digestate (including mineral recovery or concentration), and novel pathways to improve methane yield from anaerobic digesters.

5. Carbon dioxide removal (CDR)

Removing CO₂ from the atmosphere is essential for achieving net-negative emissions and meeting global climate targets. NEC 2025 focuses on:

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS): A method of capturing carbon before it reaches the atmosphere and storing it underground. This helps decarbonise industries like cement, steel, and energy. Novel solutions that we are particularly interested in include:
- Electroswing and moisture swing solid sorbents;
- Electrification options for CO2 capture;
- AI solutions for new solvent design.
Direct Air Capture (DAC): A form of synthetic CDR that separates CO₂ from the air through thermochemical and electrochemical pathways. We are particularly interested in:
- Electroswing and hybrid electroswing/pH swing technologies;
- Next-generation sorbents;
- Membrane-based DAC;
- Enzymatic/bio-based DAC;
- Calcium looping.
Geochemical CDR: Uses reactions between acidic forms of carbon and alkaline minerals to convert CO₂ into solid carbonate minerals or dissolved bicarbonates. We are particularly interested in:
- Ocean Geochemical;
- Mineralisation & weathering.
MRV (measurement, reporting and verification) for biogenic CDR, including:
- Soil carbon;
- Ocean biomass;
- Biochar.

Accelerate the energy transition

If your start-up or scale-up is developing cutting-edge solutions, the NEC offers you the platform to showcase your technology, connect with experts, and gain the support needed to scale your innovation.