If you’re a technology user planning a trial / demonstration of an unfamiliar solution, and you want to find out whether it would be eligible for support from one of the Trial Reservoirs, answer the Initial Screening Questions here (opens in a new tab) or get in touch at trialreservoir@isleutilities.com.
In December 2021, Isle launched the first Trial Reservoir with the aim of accelerating the adoption of technologies to lower the water sector’s contribution to greenhouse gas emissions.
The Trial Reservoirs Initiative provides a source of repayable grant funding to help the water sector and adjacent industries adopt new methods and technologies.
The Trial Reservoirs Initiative now includes three funding Reservoirs, overseen by the Tech Ascend Foundation. Thanks to our sponsors, technology companies can access repayable grants to run de-risked proof-of-value demonstrations with potential end-users.
The Trial Reservoirs Initiative provides repayable funding to technology companies looking to embark on trials with their potential customers to achieve these individual goals:
The Climate Change Trial Reservoir was launched by Isle in December 2021 as the first Trial Reservoirs Initiative. It is a global programme for technologies that mitigate climate change whether directly through lowering greenhouse gas emissions or indirectly through embodied carbon and/or energy savings. The end user can be a water utility or a water user in any other industry. They can be anywhere in the world, and the technology company can also be anywhere in the world.
The Advanced & Industrial Reservoir focuses on advanced industrial water treatment solutions addressing resource recovery, emerging contaminants, waste-to-energy, circular economy, and decentralization. The technology company and the end user can be in any country and any industry.
The trial is conducted in collaboration with a utility partner that is led by individuals from historically underrepresented groups or that serves a community with limited access to resources within the trial’s service area. This Reservoir will support any technology which addresses the host utility’s problems within the US
The Trial Reservoirs Initiative would not be possible without our amazing sponsors:-
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The Trial Reservoirs Initiative funds technology adoption to accelerate the uptake of innovations. There are different Reservoirs of funding that exist to achieve slightly different goals. This FAQ is not a legally binding document but sets out some of the most commonly asked questions and answers applicable to all the Trial Reservoirs.
No. The only contract you need to sign is your trial and purchase agreement (or conditional purchase agreement) with your technology supplier.
No, the technology vendor takes out the loan.
We don’t have a prescribed template because every end-user has slightly different needs. As well, the Initiative is designed to accommodate a variety of business models. These include asset transfers, service level agreements and offtake agreements.
It must be possible to define measurable trial success criteria for the trial, including objective key performance indicators (KPIs). The decision to implement the technology depends on whether the trial achieves the KPIs.
There must be a clear ‘ask’ of you as the customer if the trial is a success. This includes a commitment to procure something from the technology vendor. In turn, this must be described in the trial and purchase agreement / conditional purchase agreement between you and your technology supplier.
The trial and purchase agreement must include the right for Isle to receive results, and, if the trial is a success, to publicise the Trial in collaboration with you and your technology supplier.
If, despite everyone’s best efforts, the trial does not meets its KPIs, you have no obligation to purchase anything. Furthermore, the technology vendor doesn’t have to repay the Reservoir loan.
We will only publicise trials that end in success.
The Initiative adheres to standard procurement regulations and allows for comparative trials. It is possible for an end-user to trial more than one technology using the Initiative.
The level of commitment depends on the size and cost of the trial. The financial terms between you and the technology developer must be sensible, representing the true value of the purchase and enabling the technology vendor to repay the loan with a sustainable margin.
Our commitment to professional integrity is key. Additionally, our reputation, as well as that of the Trial Reservoirs Initiative, would suffer significantly if we allowed unsuitable technologies to be implemented.
Let us know, if you need some help and didn’t find an answer to your question.
