The Ultra-Long Duration Energy Storage Challenge will offer £28 million to create tech which can store clean energy for over 100 hours
Following another record-breaking heatwave, this launch boosts government’s clean energy ambitions to combat climate change
The public will be better protected from potential hikes on their energy bills, as a new initiative looks to cut the UK’s reliance on more expensive sources of power.
Launched today (Thursday 20th August), the Ultra-Long Duration Energy Storage (Ultra-LDES) Challenge will offer grants which support the development of new tech focused on energy storage, including advanced batteries and underground hydrogen storage.
Backed by £28 million from government through UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), UK innovators can now bid for funding to develop projects capable of supplying clean electricity for 100 hours or more – enough to power our homes and businesses for at least four days.
Currently, wind and solar are the cheapest ways to generate electricity in the UK. A lack of wind or sunlight, however, means they aren’t always available, with the grid then relying on a range of options to deliver the power we need, including gas-fired generation.
Reducing our reliance on natural gas will also bolster our energy security as a nation. While the gas system will still play an important role for decades to come, improved energy storage will be a vital part of the transition to clean, homegrown energy, which will shield us from the impacts of international supply chain issues. Laying the foundations for the move to clean energy is also a vital part of addressing the climate crisis, which is already being felt across the UK and around the world.
This Challenge will see some of the UK’s brightest minds coming forward to develop the next generation of energy storage tech, meaning we will be able to store clean energy when not needed by the grid, and release it when it is. This will reduce reliance on economically volatile energy sources like gas, helping to protect consumers from price spikes and support lower energy bills in the long-term.
The Challenge will have two main areas of focus. The first will be on the development of new battery technologies capable of providing energy for over 100 hours. These electrochemical technologies are yet to be commercialised at scale, giving the UK an opportunity to secure an early foothold in the market which will deliver new opportunities for businesses and unlock new jobs.
The second will support the development and testing of systems which store hydrogen underground and release it when needed. It holds the potential to reduce total energy system costs by between £14 billion and £50 billion between 2035 and 2050.
