Author: Amanda Goodwin 

The Tevi Challenge Networks, together with the 12-hour business assist and the Tevi grant fund, form a key part of the programme’s enterprise support offer. Bringing together Tevi member enterprises with academics, external experts and other businesses, the Challenge Networks identify solutions to some of the biggest environmental issues faced by organisations across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.  

The issues the Challenge Networks work on are those that no one business can easily tackle alone – they are issues that require collaboration, investment, knowledge and time to solve. We anticipate that ten Challenge Networks will be completed over the course of the Tevi programme, with the topics being chosen based on insights gathered from the time we’ve spent with our 176 member enterprises*, as well as the priorities of the Tevi partners; The University of Exeter, Cornwall Council, Cornwall Wildlife Trust and Cornwall Development Company.  

Six Challenge Networks are currently up and running, spanning our two key themes of environmental growth and circular economy: 

Challenge Network   

Aim of network 

Local Seeds  Create a network of businesses with new products and services designed to utilise sustainable materials for the enhancement, restoration and creation of habitat. 


Canopy Cover  Support the Forest for Cornwall plan by encouraging creation of local tree stock and more sustainable planting sundries, while also providing the Council with engagement opportunities. This CN also provides a forum for the more damaging standard plating practises to be rethought. 


Electric Vehicle Charging   Accelerate the uptake of electric vehicles by encouraging investment in EV chargers while ensuring they are utilised to their full capacity, by operating the chargers as a cooperative business-based asset. 


Geothermal Resources  Encourage the reuse of mining waste in a new product or service. This may include physical mining by-products being incorporated as a material into a new product, or waste heat from United Downs being used to power a heat-hungry enterprise (such as a brewery or coffee roaster). 


Food Waste  Deliver a solution to the commercial food waste challenge by supporting the creation of a new service that will collect food waste, store it and then redistribute it. A proportion of the food waste will be sold-on as a high value ingredient, with the remaining utilised to support soup kitchens and food banks. 


Advanced Moorings  Accelerate the installation of Advanced Mooring Systems (AMS) as a replacement for conventional swing moorings which raze the seabed with every tide, by proving their success even in an area with large tidal ranges.


 

 To date we’ve held workshops, meetings and events totalling 58 hours across these networks, which have engaged 275 people and we’re thrilled by the enthusiasm and energy across each of them. Together with the network participants we believe that these networks will bring some innovative solutions into existence which will help respond to the county’s biggest environmental issues. 

Future Challenge Networks may cover textiles, natural climate solutions, built environment and plastics.  

If you would like to get involved with any of the Tevi Challenge Networks or have any suggestions for future networks, email Amanda Goodwin, Tevi Challenge Networks Manager, at [email protected] 

 

*176 member enterprises is accurate as of 01.11.19