FIRE aims to help SMEs rise to the challenges facing them as the European Renewable Energy Sector (RES) grows. Currently the RES is the fastest growing sector in Europe.

Some specific challenges facing SMEs within the Energy Sector are:

• Increased competition
• Poor support for small companies
• Widening gap between innovators and technology market
• Technical and non technical barriers to innovation and technology transfer
• SMEs are working at the micro level and are often start up companies
• RES requires higher level of research and development at these early stages.
• High cost of equipment at entry level
• SMEs in RES are fragmented and scattered

FIRE is a 3 year project. The consortium consists of 14 partners from 11 countries across Europe. They are all experts in their field of technology or SME support. EurExcel as the coordinator will have responsibility for managing the FIRE project and other related initiatives within the Energy Sector.

The FIRE project will support you as an SME, increase your research and develpoment capability and will assist in the exploitation of that research thus helping you to turn research into real business opportunities.

It will assist in the exploitation of the results thus turning research into business.