Battery research organisation The Faraday Institution has committed £22.6million ($31 million) toward a two-year goal of driving development of electrochemical energy at UK universities.
The money will build on the independent institute’s four key research challenges: extending battery life, battery modelling, recycling and reuse and solid-state batteries.
The reshaping of existing projects was made with a focus on strengthening the UK’s position in electrochemical energy storage research and making its industry more competitive.
Research will also encompass programmes on next generation cathode materials, electrode manufacturing, lithium-sulfur batteries and sodium ion batteries.
Smaller projects will develop new methods for battery characterisation, batteries suitable for use in energy storage solutions in emerging economies, and industry and entrepreneurial fellowships.
Building on the foundations of the three years of investigation already performed, the cash will fund research in the following areas:
• extending battery life
• battery modelling
• recycling and reuse (ReLiB)
• solid-state batteries (SOLBAT)
• battery safety (SafeBatt)
Research in these five areas will run up to 31 March 2023, subject to funding renewal of the Faraday Institution beyond March 2022.
Professor Pam Thomas, CEO, Faraday Institution, said: “With our projects maturing and now delivering scientific discoveries we are directing even more effort towards those areas of battery research that offer the maximum potential of delivering commercial, societal and environmental impact for the UK.”
