Please note that this competition has been relaunched with some changes to the Scope section; the revised competition retains the original closing date of 11am on Wednesday 30 Sep 2026. The previous version of the competition was closed on 11 Sep 2026 and replaced by the new competition. Please make sure you have read the scope for the new competition in full before applying. If you have started or submitted an application to the previous version of the competition, you will need to submit a new application through the revised competition and ensure that your project remains within scope.

Download briefing event Q&A from 7 August.

Download the Q&A from the surgery session on 27 August.

Overview

Watch our online briefing session and surgery session for an overview of the Ultra Long Duration Energy Storage competition, including the scope, eligibility, timelines, application process and the types of projects that are eligible for funding.

UK registered businesses can apply for a share of up to £3 million to support project development studies that develop electrochemical ultra long duration energy storage technologies.

The aim of this competition is to support project development studies that accelerate the development, scale up and future deployment of electrochemical ultra long duration energy storage technologies. Projects must demonstrate a credible route to delivering cost effective electricity to the UK grid for durations of 100 hours or more, with technologies capable of supporting UK manufacture and long-term operational deployment. These ULDES technologies must be capable of delivering cost effective electrical power to the UK’s electricity grid with a discharge availability of at least 100 continuous hours at rated power, regardless of the time required to charge the system. They must also achieve a working life of at least 25 years.

Recognising that current electrochemical ULDES technologies are not yet technologically mature or cost-competitive with gas, this competition is the first phase in a two-phase process to provide public research and innovation funding to establish at least two demonstrator projects in the UK by 2031. At least £13 million of funding has been allocated up to 2030, of which £3 million is available under Phase 1.

Read more about the available funding (closing at 11am on 30 Sep 2026).

About these events

These events are designed to help potential applicants understand the competition scope, eligibility requirements, funding opportunity and application process. They will also provide space for questions and discussion, helping organisations decide whether the competition is a good fit for their technology, project idea and potential consortium.

Who is this recording for?

This event is aimed at organisations considering applying to the Ultra Long Duration Energy Storage (uLDES) competition and looking to understand whether their technology, project idea and organisation are aligned with the scope.

This includes:

• businesses developing innovative electrochemical energy storage solutions capable of delivering electricity for 100 hours or more
• technology developers and solution providers
• researchers and academic organisations

The events are designed to help applicants understand the competition scope, test whether their project is well aligned, and prepare a stronger application.

Key dates

Online briefing event: 7 August 11am to 12noon (recording and slides above)

The briefing covered the competition scope, eligibility, funding available, key dates and application process. It also explained the two competition themes: near-commercial scale up, and system innovation and low-cost pathways.

Online Surgery: 27 August 1:30pm to 3pm (not recorded: Q&A available to download)

This informal ‘drop-in’ surgery was an opportunity to ask questions about applications. Download the Q&A from the surgery session on 27 August.