Quick Reference Please note that you must read the full Call document for guidance before submitting your proposal Joint UK-China Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) call Call type: Invitation for proposals Closing date: 16:00, 02 March 2017 UK/China time Related themes: Energy Funding Available: Up to 4M is available from RCUK though the UK s Newton Fund for this call and up to 3M RMB per project will be available to Chinese applicants from NSFC. How to apply: Applicants must submit full proposals by 02 March 2017, via Je- S in the UK. Assessment Process: Proposals will be assessed via a UK prioritisation panel of experts and joint UK-China prioritisation panel. Key Dates: Activity Date Call for proposals issued 14 December 2016 EoI stage closes 10 February 2017 Deadline for proposals 02 March 2017 at 16:00 UK Pre-Panel Meeting April 2017 UK-China Prioritisation Panel Meeting June 2017 Grants issued June 2017 Expected start date July 2017 Additional information: As the UK funding is provided through the Newton Fund, the UK research activity proposed must be in line with Official Development Assistance (ODA) guidelines, and evidence of ODA compliance must be provided in the application. For further guidance, please see http://www.newtonfund.ac.uk/ Contacts: Glenn Goodall (glenn.goodall@epsrc.ac.uk) Version3 June 2016 Page 1 of 14
Summary Joint UK-China Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) call Call type: Invitation for proposals Closing date: 16:00, 02 March 2017 UK/China time Related themes: Energy This is the second of three calls planned under the UK-China Joint Programme in Low Carbon Innovation MOU between EPSRC and NSFC. This programme builds on a successful history of collaboration between EPSRC, NERC and NSFC across a range of topics. The programme contributes to a broader strategic portfolio of energy research including the RCUK Energy Programme and EPSRC s ambition to develop the next generation of technologies for the safe, secure, cheap and efficient provision of clean energy, and falls under NERC's 'Benefiting from natural resources' strategic theme. Similarly NSFC supports a range of energy research both nationally and internationally and supports basic research that meets the objectives of the NSFC 13th 5 year plan, including promoting innovation and economic development through research. A scoping workshop was held in London on 10 and 11 November, that focussed on identifying the research challenges associated with offshore wind and wave power, which are of national importance to both the UK and China. Research in this area would help develop future ORE systems and their deployment whilst ensuring minimal impact on the marine environment. Up to 4M is available to support UK researchers for up to five awards in the order of up to 800K (80% fec), with a duration period of three years. It will be matched with NSFC funding of up to 3M RMB per project to support Chinese researchers. All joint proposals must be received via both the NSFC e-submission system by 16:00 Beijing Time, and the Research Councils Joint e-system (Je-S) by 16:00 GMT on 02 March 2017. An Expression of Interest must be submitted to EPSRC or NERC before 16.00 on 10 February2017; applicants that do not register with their intent will have their applications rejected. Please note that significant interest in this call is expected. Please bear this in mind and think very seriously when considering how and whether to develop your proposal, and only take it forward if you are very sure that it will be competitive at this level. Version3 June 2016 Page 2 of 14
Background Proposals are invited between UK and Chinese research groups which form a collaborative and coherent programme of work across the two countries. These will ultimately promote economic development in China by bringing down the cost of energy, understanding the environmental processes that can lead to climate change as well as addressing the population welfare issues associated with reliance on fossil fuels. In addition to tackling key technology and engineering challenges, the proposals must include integrated consideration of how environmental science can be used to optimise deployment and inform resource assessment, planning and site characterisation of ORE systems, including consideration of the potential environmental impacts or benefits on marine biodiversity and habitat, as well as taking into account socio-economic and governance factors. Proposals must constitute a joined-up interdisciplinary and international programme of work. The environmental and engineering aspects must be fully integrated and not be exclusive work packages, to provide solutions to the priority challenges. All applicants are encouraged to include an element of networking with other projects funded by the call and include resourced plans for outreach activities. The research challenges: Proposals should include one or more of the following research challenge areas and applicants must be able to justify why their programme of work is of importance to UK and China: 1) Array infrastructure and network resilience This challenge is about the placing of an offshore array, its support cabling be that umbilicals to anchoring or transmission cabling and infrastructure. This could include: Sustainable design of offshore layout and choice of technology (which is scalable), i.e. HVAC / DC or frequency and voltage levels including choice of site, layout, optimal cable routing to minimise environmental impact and maximise benefit to the array Workable and scalable power collection to grid with low environmental impact Technology integration, system and control strategy (co-ordinated) Use of modelling tools simplified array planning and optimisation tools Novel converter solutions This research will enable offshore renewables to be developed more quickly and on a larger scale, with minimum environmental impact whilst creating skilled jobs. It should also help to improve design of offshore power networks and connections to shore and ultimately reduce China s dependence on fossil fuels. Version3 June 2016 Page 3 of 14
2) Integrated offshore natural resource systems This challenge centres on device to array scale use of natural resources, from an ecosystems services perspective, to produce electricity from installation to operation and maintenance. This could include: Appropriate technologies for innovative combined power generation (e.g. wind, wave and PV) Strategy for integration / co-location with food resource provision (e.g. wave / wind energy and aquaculture or desalination) Balanced generating technology, operation, distribution for efficiency (and effectiveness) Cost / benefit to aid local economic development Moorings and installation Support vessels and onshore facilities Hydrodynamic modelling Demonstration of integrated ecosystems services This research will showcase the potential of this technology to provide stable power supply for island and coastal communities, for example, particularly in China, but also for UK offshore island communities. 3) High efficiency ORE-to-wire design with scaled modelling This challenge concerns the use of modelling tools to optimise energy production from wind and wave devices and arrays, whilst also considering ocean dynamics and the effect of arrays on the coastline. This could include: Modelling tools for ORE systems (numerical and physical) to optimise wave / wind devices or arrays Consider mechanism of maximum energy absorption Systematic matching between energy absorbed and power-take-off (PTO) Improved reliability of power converters for ORE Influence of marine energy extraction on ocean dynamics Effects on sediment transport, coastal erosion and deposition. This research will help bring understanding of the kinetic energy of the resource for ORE systems, under different conditions between UK and China. All of which will move UK and China closer towards a low carbon economy. 4) Building resilience against extreme events into ORE systems This challenge will consider the failure mechanisms for ORE structures under extreme conditions and how to build in resilience to mitigate these. This could include: Version3 June 2016 Page 4 of 14
Design guidance for earthquake, typhoon and hurricane areas extreme event characterisation (using existing data) tidal surges, rogue waves, low flying aircraft etc Sub-structure design guidance in complex soft soils (including soft soil characterisation, engineering geology / geotechnical classification of the substrate, sediment mobility, etc.) Model approaches for floating installations response to extremes and comparison to fixed structures, Risk based identification of failure mechanisms (including cabling implications, moorings and anchoring systems) leading to guidance on foundations / mooring choices, etc. Coupled response modelling (including mooring, seabed, fixed structure, fluid-structure interaction (such as Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics / Computational Fluid Dynamics), platform response, blade dynamics, etc.) Potential for protection of infrastructure / assets as result of array proximity to coast This research will help to understand and reduce the risk of extreme events thereby encouraging sustainable development of ORE systems. It may also help to kick-start floating design methods and assess suitability of current standards and methods. 5) Natural resource characterisation to support development of large ORE arrays This challenge will use resource modelling and forecasting to improve power yield forecasting of an array. This could include: Baseline characterisation and modelling of the wind and wave resource: Spatial and temporal variability of resource, analysis of existing data, climate variability data, remote sensing as well as atmospheric / weather / climate / ocean modelling, etc. Reduce resource uncertainty for large arrays - Physical modelling to support design from calculation of extreme loading Determining environmental limits and system carrying capacity for ORE systems Accommodating geophysical and ecological change Multi-scale modelling framework Improved forecasting of power yields Methodology for local / regional environmental characterisation Resource optimisation in relation to the rest of the grid This research will help to reduce the uncertainty in resource and thus the potential power produced, whilst identifying and informing ORE system build Version3 June 2016 Page 5 of 14
sites. This research could underpin other aspects of ORE development, both engineering and policy. Governance and networking Each UK application must put aside 65K in their proposal earmarked to work with the other successful grant PIs to assemble a network. This network will help to develop the interface between researchers and the user community in government and businesses outside the programme membership, and to share research outcomes, data resources and best practice between the grants all designed to maximise impact. This pot will also be used to fund a kick-off event in year one and an impact event towards the end of the grants. These events should include key UK and Chinese stakeholders and the successful PIs should work with the EPSRC / NERC communication teams, or the RCUK China team in Beijing, for press coverage. Once funded, the successful PIs must assemble a joint, independent, High Level Board. This will function to oversee the programme activities, offer an advice stream and to ensure maximum impact. Membership of this board must be approved by funders (EPSRC / NERC) and funders must be invited to meetings. Each project will need to provide a brief two-page report to this board, annually (kick-off, midterm and impact) and will be asked to provide case studies at the end of the project. For more information about EPSRC s portfolio and strategies, see our website: https://www.epsrc.ac.uk/research/ourportfolio/ Funding available Up to 4M is available from RCUK though the UK s Newton Fund for this call and up to 3M RMB per project will be available to Chinese applicants from NSFC. It is expected that this competition will make up to 5 awards. UK projects may be up to 36 months in duration. For each project there should be a single Je-S form submitted although the project can be multi-institutional. Each proposal must include at least one UK and Chinese academic. In order to focus effort applicants are only permitted to be involved in a maximum of two proposals; as a Principle Investigator (PI) on one proposal anda co-investigator on another proposal or as a co-investigator on a maximum of two proposals. Guidance on the types of support that may be sought from EPSRC is given on the EPSRC website (https://www.epsrc.ac.uk/funding/howtoapply/) which should be consulted when preparing all proposals. The Newton Fund The Newton Fund aims to promote the economic development and social welfare of either the partner countries or, through working with the partner country, to address the wellbeing of communities. It does so through strengthening partner country science and innovation capacity and unlocking further funding to support this work. It is part of the UK s Official Development Assistance (ODA) (http://www.newtonfund.ac.uk/about/what-is-oda/). The Fund was launched in 2014 and originally consisted of 75 million each year Version3 June 2016 Page 6 of 14
for 5 years. In the 2015 UK Spending Review it was agreed to extend and expand the Fund. The Newton Fund was extended from 2019 to 2021 and expanded by doubling the 75 million investment to 150 million by 2021, leading to a 735 million UK investment to 2021, with partner countries providing matched resources within the Fund. Equipment Individual items of equipment over 10,000 are not available to UK applicants through this call. For more information on equipment funding, please see: https://www.epsrc.ac.uk/research/facilities/equipment/ Eligibility All applications must be collaborations between UK and Chinese researchers. The UK team on a joint proposal may consist of researchers from more than one eligible UK research organisation. Standard EPSRC eligibility requirements apply for the UK team in this activity. For information on the eligibility of organisations and individuals to receive EPSRC funding, see the EPSRC Funding Guide: https://www.epsrc.ac.uk/funding/howtoapply/fundingguide/ As this call is a targeted funding opportunity provided by EPSRC, higher education institutions, and some research council institutes and independent research organisations are eligible to apply. A list of eligible organisations to apply to EPSRC is provided at: http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/funding/eligibilityforrcs/ For the Chinese partners, eligibility rules follow the standard for NSFC international programmes. Applicants who are not clear on these should contact NSFC Bureau of International Cooperation (http://www.nsfc.gov.cn/publish/portal2/). How to apply As this is a joint application via EPSRC and NSFC, applicants must ensure that joint proposals are submitted by the closing date to both EPSRC and NSFC. The UK application should be submitted through the Research Councils Joint electronic Submission (Je-S) System as detailed below. The NSFC application should follow the instructions in their call document. A UK based lead partner and a China based lead partner, should be identified via the Joint Research Form each of whom will lead on interaction with the funding agency in their respective countries. The UK based lead partner should ensure the application is submitted via the Je-S system. If the UK application comes from multiple institutions, then the application should be made on a single Je-S form from the UK based lead partner s host institution. The China based lead partner will apply through NSFC s system and follow NSFC s proposal format. The NSFC application should follow the instructions in the NSFC version of this call document and received through the NSFC e- submissions system. Version3 June 2016 Page 7 of 14
The NSFC application must use the correct competition code in order to be eligible for this call. Proposals involving industrial collaborators are welcomed but costs for these partners will not be covered by NSFC/ EPSRC through this call. Please note: EPSRC/NERC do not require full CVs, supporting technical annexes or separate lists of publications. Any excess material will be removed from your application. If you wish to refer to additional supporting information, please use a web link in your case for support but we cannot guarantee that the reviewers will consider additional web material. For details of the NSFC required documents please refer directly to guidance provided by NSFC (http://www.nsfc.gov.cn/publish/portal2/). Both applications should feature an identical Case for Support written in English attached in each system. Submitting an application You should prepare and submit your proposal using the Research Councils Joint electronic Submission (Je-S) System (https://je-s.rcuk.ac.uk/). When adding a new proposal, you should select: Council EPSRC Document type Standard Proposal Scheme Standard Proposal On the Project Details page you should select the UK China ORE call. Note that clicking submit document on your proposal form in Je-S initially submits the proposal to your host organisation s administration, not to EPSRC. Please allow sufficient time for your organisation s submission process between submitting your proposal to them and the call closing date. EPSRC must receive your application by 16:00 on 02 March 2017. Guidance on the types of support that may be sought and advice on the completion of the research proposal forms are given on the EPSRC website (https://www.epsrc.ac.uk/funding/howtoapply/) which should be consulted when preparing all proposals. Guidance on writing an application The proposal document should be a minimum font size of 11pt with the preferred typeface being Arial. The proposal should include the following sections: Joint Case for support- For each collaborative project proposal, the UK and Chinese investigators should prepare a single case for support in English that should be submitted to both EPSRC and NSFC as detailed above. This common case for support will allow for EPSRC and NSFC to obtain reviews of the same document, coming together in a single joint assessment panel meeting. Applicants to EPSRC will also need to include a pathways to impact plan, a work plan, a justification of resources and a joint proposal form. Version3 June 2016 Page 8 of 14
The submission to EPSRC should provide full budget information for the UK costs and must have a single proposal form covering all UK partners. The submission to NSFC should include full budget information for the Chinese costs. We expect that each nation will request for travel and subsistence only for their own investigators and researchers. In addition, UK applicants must describe how the proposed UK funded work is ODA compliant (up to 150 words) under the heading ODA Compliance. This section will be made publicly available. For further information on ODA, please visit: http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/documents/international/odaguidancercukspecificpdf/ Proposals on the UK side should follow the standard EPSRC format and guidelines on proposal preparation, but should also include information tailored to this call as specified below. Previous Track Record (maximum 2 sides of A4) - Please ensure you also outline the specific expertise of all the UK and Chinese applicants in this subject area, and the expertise available at the UK and China host organisations. Proposed Research and its Context section (maximum 8 sides of A4) Please prepare according to the standard guidance but you should ensure that the case covers the whole project and team such as: Introduce the topic of research and explain its academic and industrial context, demonstrating how it relates to leading research in the UK, in China and worldwide; Detail why the research proposed is of national importance to both the UK and China. Describe the overall programme of work, indicating the research to be undertaken, and the milestones that will be used to measure its progress. You should describe the roles of each member of the research teams in the UK and China; Detail how the proposed project will be managed across the two countries, with particular demonstration of the added benefits to each party due to the collaboration. Pathways to Impact Plan (up to two sides of A4) In this section you should describe how the potential impacts of the proposed research will be realised and this should cover the project as a whole. Work Plan (one page diagrammatic work plan, for example, a PERT or Gantt chart) This should cover the project as a whole, detailing significant milestones and showing how different aspects of the project will link together and be managed. Justification of Resources (up to two sides of A4) This should detail the resources requested for the UK-China project as a whole. You should justify everything requested on both proposals, so that peer reviewers have enough information on the project as a whole to understand why the resources requested are necessary for your proposed project. Version3 June 2016 Page 9 of 14
CVs (up to 2 sides of A4 each) for named researchers, visiting researchers and researcher co-investigators Project Partner Letters of Support from any project partners (no page limit). Joint proposal form detailing the funding requested from NSFC and other details on the Chinese partners; this is available on both NSFC and EPSRC s website. This document enables reviewers to have an overview of the complete project. The form should be uploaded as an additional document within Je-S. For advice on writing proposals see: https://www.epsrc.ac.uk/funding/howtoapply/preparing/ Assessment Assessment process The common case for support across the whole UK-China project allows for a joint peer review via the process below. As a consequence of the call time-table, UK proposals will be both reviewed and given initial scores by a UK peer review panel of experts (the pre-panel), administered by EPSRC and NERC. Following this pre-panel, the reviewers comments will be shared with the PI and they will be able to respond. These review comment s and the PI response will then be taken to a joint UK-China prioritisation panel. The UK-China prioritisation panel will be asked to assess the proposals against the fit to the call and the usual EPSRC assessment criteria. Please note that if two or more proposals are received in the same research area EPSRC, NERC and NSFC reserve the right to fund only the highest ranked of those proposals in order to avoid duplication of effort. Funding decisions will be made by June 2017. Assessment criteria The proposals will be assessed on their fit to the scope of the call and to the standard EPSRC criteria as follows: Quality The novelty, relationship to the context and timeliness The ambition, adventure, and transformative aspects identified The appropriateness of the proposed methodology Importance National importance of this research on a 10-50 year timescale Contribution to other research areas, societal challenges, success of the UK economy, emerging industries Version3 June 2016 Page 10 of 14
Impact The relevance and appropriateness of any beneficiaries or collaborators Whether appropriate routes and resources have been identified for dissemination and knowledge exchange Applicants ability to deliver the proposed research Appropriateness of the track record of the applicants Balance of skills of the project team, including academic and non-academic partners Resources and management The effectiveness of the proposed planning and management Appropriateness and justification of the requested resources Fit to the call Proposals should address all the priority areas identified within the call. However, proposals should be appropriately focused and utilise the relative strengths of each Hub. Submissions to this call will count towards the Repeatedly Unsuccessful Applicants Policy. Further information about the policy can be found at: https://www.epsrc.ac.uk/funding/howtoapply/basics/resubpol/rua/ Additional grant conditions General Additional Conditions will be added about setting up an advisory board and networking activities as well as standard Newton fund related conditions. Key dates Activity Date Call for proposals issued 14 December 2016 EoI stage closes 10 February 2017 Deadline for proposals 2 March 2017 at 4pm UK Pre-Panel Meeting April 2017 UK-China Prioritisation Panel Meeting June 2017 Grants issued June 2017 Expected start date July 2017 Contacts General enquiries: Dr Glenn Goodall Version3 June 2016 Page 11 of 14
EPSRC Energy Theme / RCUK Energy Programme EPSRC, Polaris House, Swindon, SN2 1ET Tel: +44 (0) 1793 444 427 Email: glenn.goodall@epsrc.ac.uk NERC contact: Dr Julie Goulding NERC / RCUK Energy Programme EPSRC, Polaris House, Swindon, SN2 1ET Tel: +44 (0) 1793 411 540 Email: jululd@nerc.ac.uk If you have problems using Je-S or have questions regarding its use, the helpdesk contact details are: Email: JeSHelp@rcuk.ac.uk Phone: +44 (0) 1793 444 164 Please contact your organisation s research office for help with the application process. Allow enough time before the closing date for your organisation s submission process. Change log Name Date Version Change Dr Glenn Goodall 06 December 2016 1 N/A Dr Glenn Goodall 05 January 2017 2 Added ODA statement requirement Version3 June 2016 Page 12 of 14
Appendices Je-S attachments Check List Standard: Attachment Type Maximum Page length Mandatory/Optional Extra Guidance Case for Support 10 pages M Comprising up to two A4 sides for a track record, and eight A4 sides describing proposed research and its context. A section titled ODA compliance must be added to the end of this attachment, of up to 150 words Pathways to Impact 2 pages M Workplan 2 page M Justification for Resources 2 pages M CVs 2 pages each As Required For named and visiting researchers, and researcher coinvestigators only. Project Partner Letters of Support No page limits As Required Must be included from all named project partners. Must be on headed paper, and be signed and dated within six months of the proposal submission date. Letters of Support No page limits As Required In exceptional circumstances a maximum of three letters can Version3 June 2016 Page 13 of 14
be submitted. Proposal Cover Letter Joint proposal form attached as Additional Document in Je- S No page limit As required The cover letter can be used to highlight any important information to EPSRC. This attachment type is not seen by reviewers or panel members. 4 page form M Used to link the UK and Chinese applications Version3 June 2016 Page 14 of 14