The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) has today announced an £41 million investment (matched with a further £56 million from businesses and academia) for twenty-three new Prosperity Partnerships to tackle key industry challenges.
For the new project ‘Energy storage for decarbonisation’, the University of Oxford will partner with Fortescue Zero, a global leader in zero emissions solutions and electrifying mining equipment, to develop safer, longer lasting, and more efficient industrial batteries for vehicles in difficult to decarbonise industries.
The new research project ‘Energy storage for decarbonisation’, led by Professor Paul Shearing, Professor David Howey and Nicole Grobert will be anchored in the Department of Engineering Science and the Department of Materials, and in the ZERO Institute.
This will involve five integrated work streams:
- Battery safety: Developing accelerated methods for stress testing, failure modelling, and battery certification.
- Battery management & control: Using physics-based and AI-driven models, diagnostics, and real-time optimisation.
- Thermal management: Developing novel nanomaterials for heat insulation and dissipation in battery packs.
- AI for battery engineering: Developing deep learning tools for lab and field data analysis, and intelligent instrument systems.
- Horizon Scanning: Responding to emerging technologies and priorities in energy storage.
Throughout, translation will be a strong focus with new technologies directly tested in Fortescue Zero’s battery systems.
By improving the durability and performance of batteries, the partnership could lead to new UK-made products with global export potential, and help deliver cleaner air, lower carbon emissions, and more sustainable infrastructure.
You can read more about about this exciting new project here.
