UK seeks AI solutions to boost clean energy

Government has pledged to back up to 10 projects with £100,000 in funding

Cornish Lithium's new lithium hydroxide demonstration plant marks a significant milestone in the UK's transition to clean power by 2030. Getty Images

The UK has launched a competition to find solutions that use artificial intelligence to boost its clean energy ambitions.

The second round of the Manchester Prize is offering funding to academics, start-ups, entrepreneurs and inventors who come up with AI-linked solutions to decarbonise the country’s energy grid.

The government has pledged to back up to 10 finalists with £100,000 ($126,000) in funding. A panel of judges will then whittle them down to one overall winner, who will receive £1 million to further support their idea.

Solutions could include new ways to boost power generated by wind and solar farms, using AI to increase energy efficiency in our homes and businesses, and tapping into the technology to build up a better understanding of future spikes in energy demand.

Minister for AI, Feryal Clark, said AI has the potential to transform the country’s public services, improve productivity and tackle some of the biggest shared challenges in society.

"AI is already having a positive impact on so many aspects of our lives, but there's much more waiting to be tapped into,” she said. "The second round of the Manchester Prize will bring brilliant British innovation to bear to deliver a clean, secure energy future for the UK. Whether in energy, health care or beyond, we're backing AI innovations to deliver real and lasting change across the country."

The use of technology in tackling climate change features heavily on the agenda of the Cop29 UN climate change conference in Baku, Azerbaijan.

"The greatest long-term challenge we face is the climate and nature crisis: that's why we have our world-leading targets to decarbonise the electricity grid by 2030 and to reach net zero by 2050,” said Prof Paul Monks, chief scientific adviser at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.

"We need an ambitious approach to using artificial intelligence across the development, engineering and operation of our energy systems and so I am pleased to see the Manchester Prize recognising that with its dedicated new round on decarbonisation."

Named after the University of Manchester's invention of the first stored programme computer in 1948, the AI award was announced last year by the previous chancellor, Jeremy Hunt. It will be granted every year for a decade for the most ground-breaking AI research in the UK.

Round one, which is due to finish in April of next year, focuses on energy, environment, and infrastructure. The second round, focusing solely on AI for clean energy systems, is open for entries until January 17. The shortlist is due to be confirmed in spring next year.

AI is expected to revolutionise the energy sector, slashing emissions and boosting efficiency. A recent report jointly published by Adnoc, Masdar and Microsoft found that around 92 per cent of executives believe AI will have a significant impact on improving energy efficiency by 2030, and 97 per cent expect AI to play a central role by 2050 in developing new energy solutions.

Powering Possible: AI and Energy for a Sustainable Future surveyed more than 400 global leaders in sectors such as technology, energy and finance, including Jensen Huang, chief executive of Nvidia, Larry Fink, BlackRock's chief executive, and Patrick Pouyanne, chief executive of French energy giant TotalEnergies.