Call for R&D Proposals: UltraStore Aluminium - Aluminium Batteries for Low-Cost Long-Duration Storage
The Faraday Institution’s Transformational Challenges target energy storage application challenges that have extraordinary impact potential, and where there are currently only conceptional solutions or ideas at the very earliest stages of research and development.
The UltraStore Transformational Challenge is targeting development of ultra-low cost long duration energy storage solutions.
In 2025 a co-creation and planning phase of this programme identified several candidate battery chemistries that have the potential to satisfy the Challenge’s cost and performance requirements and that warrant further R&D.
The Faraday Institution is now inviting researchers to apply to work on the initial candidate battery chemistry via the UltraStore Aluminium programme, a group of parallel 18-month projects that aim to produce an aqueous aluminium-based battery to fit the UltraStore programme’s goals. If successful, this could develop into a major breakthrough technology, opening TWh-sized markets.
We are looking for researchers with experience in aqueous electrochemical systems and multivalent battery chemistries to propose solutions addressing the fundamental issues of aqueous aluminium-ion batteries.
We encourage researchers with experience in areas such as the suppression of hydrogen evolution, aluminium (or other metal) deposition and stripping, passivation layers, aqueous electrolyte design or manganese oxide cathodes, which could be applied to address the fundamental issues of aqueous aluminium-ion batteries to also apply.
It is likely that additional research projects and work packages will be added later to the UltraStore programme, to develop batteries of different materials, and/or to introduce additional researchers or consultants to the UltraStore Aluminium programme.
This call – funding available
The initial funds available will be approximately £1.9 million in total, divided across up to six 18-month Research Sprints, each funded at up to £350,000. The Research Sprints will run between 1st July 2026 and 31st December 2027. Additional funding may be made available, including to extend one or more of the projects to March 2028, plus a further £3 million, at £1.5 million per year from April 2028 to March 2030. This additional funding will be dependent on progress during the first 12-18 months of the programme.
UltraStore is funded by the Battery Innovation Programme, through the Department for Business and Trade and delivered by Innovate UK.
How to apply
Applications should be submitted by 11:59pm Monday 27th April 2026 via Flexigrant, selecting the UltraStore Aluminium programme.
Expected Key Dates
| Call launch | Tuesday 24th March 2026 |
| Deadline for applications | 11:59pm Monday 27th April 2026 |
| Successful applicants notified | May 2026 |
| Grant start date | From 1st July 2026 |
*Dates may be amended
Call document
Please read the full call document for guidance before submitting your proposal.
Frequently asked questions
Please download the FAQ document.
Contacts
The Commercialisation Team can be contacted at: [email protected]