Faraday Battery Challenge: Innovation Feasibility Studies, Round 2.
UK businesses can apply for a share of up to £2 million for innovation feasibility study projects which focus on identified technical or commercial challenges in battery innovation, development and manufacture through UK supply chains. A separate £23 million is available for collaborative research and development projects.
Competition opened: Monday 22nd January 2018
Competition closes: 12 noon on Wednesday 28th March 2018
Faraday Battery Challenge: Innovation Feasibility Studies Grant Funding Competition – Overview
This competition is the second round of the Faraday Battery Challenge. Innovate UK will invest up to £2 million in innovation feasibility study projects.
These projects should lead to battery technologies that can be exploited at scale by the automotive sector in the UK and globally. The specific aim is to build and create future electric vehicle battery supply chains in the UK.
All projects must be a collaboration between at least 2 partners. A business or research and technology organisation (RTO) must lead the project.
Project Requirements
Projects should be focused on drawing from existing research in battery technology. Projects should also innovate towards commercialisation in the automotive market, whilst focusing on building the UK supply chain. This includes battery supply business models. At the end of the feasibility study, projects are expected to be ready to continue in future research and development (R&D) competitions. Or, they should be able to raise private sector investment to take the project outcome to market.
Innovate UK are looking to fund a portfolio of feasibility study projects that address identified technical or commercial challenges of the electrified vehicle battery supply chain, across a variety of technologies, markets and technological maturities.
Successful projects will increase productivity, competitiveness and growth for UK businesses.
In line with the objectives of the Faraday Battery Challenge, Innovate UK are looking to fund projects that address the following technical and supply chain challenges:
- cost: cost reduction at the cell and pack level
- energy density: increasing Wh/kg per cell
- power density: increasing kW/kg per pack
- safety: eliminate thermal runaway risks for enhanced safety
- first life: lengthen cell and pack life
- temperature: broaden the temperature ranges that a pack efficiently operates at
- predictability: new models to better predict range and battery health
- recyclability: towards 95% pack recyclability such as by design, reuse or recycling
- innovation in cell, module and pack production
- integration of cells into modules, packs and vehicles
- battery management systems
- enabling fast charging
- projects that stimulate and broaden innovation in the manufacture, performance and supply of materials such as electrodes, electrolytes, binders, separators, current collectors, cell casings and components for cell integration into modules and packs
Innovation is needed to grow UK battery and battery component manufacturing to be highly productive with excellent material efficiency.
To be eligible for funding you must:
- be a UK based business, academic organisation, charity, public sector organisation or research and technology organisation (RTO)
- carry out your project work in the UK
- intend to exploit the results from the UK
- work in collaboration with others (businesses, research base or third sector)
The lead organisation must claim funding through this competition. At least one other organisation in the consortium must also claim funding.
All projects must involve an SME.
Any one RTO may lead on one application and partner in a further 2 applications.
Project Size
Project total costs should be between £100,000 and £500,000. Projects should last 3 to 12 months. Projects are expected to be completed by March 2021.