UK opens GBP 28 million challenge for multi‑day renewable storage

The UK government has launched a new GBP 28 million ($38 million) ultra‑long duration energy sorage (ultra‑LDES) challenge with the aim of creating technology capable of delivering more than 100 hours of clean electricity. On the back of another heat wave in the country, ultra-LDES is being seen as essential for a future grid that’s reliant on wind and solar. 

Delivered through UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the program is essentially a grant scheme for UK-based innovators working on advanced electrochemical battery storage and underground hydrogen storage systems. The goal is to reduce the reliance on natural gas during periods of low wind and sunlight and supporting the development of technologies that can provide multi-day renewable power. 

As part of the overall effort, and in addition to the main challenge, UKRI has launched a GBP 3 million competition for project-development studies focused solely on electrochemical ultra-LDES batteries. This smaller pot should attract serious interest – the United Kingdom already has several research groups working on multi-day electrochemical storage, including Imperial College London’s Electrochemical Science and Engineering Group, the Faraday Institution and the Battery Innovation Programme. An application can be submitted until the end of September.

Science minister Chris McDonald outlined why the challenge is important to the United Kingdom.

“When we unlock the potential of science and innovation, it can improve all of our lives. That is what this challenge is all about; using the world class scientific expertise that we have in the UK to benefit people in every postcode,” McDonald said.   

“Clean sources of power are vital to meeting our energy needs as a nation. If we can meet the challenge of storing energy from renewables, we will improve our energy security, bring down energy bills in the long-term, and leave all of us better off.”