A new large-scale research initiative aimed at making Europe a world leader in the development and production of batteries of the future has been launched.

The BATTERY 2030+ programme will work towards ensuring batteries store more energy, have a longer life and are safer and more environmentally friendly than those currently available to support the transition to a more climate neutral economy.

The initiative, led by Uppsala University in Sweden, consists of seven projects with a total budget of €40.5 million (£37m) from the EU’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme.

Professor Kristina Edström, Uppsala University, co-ordinator of BATTERY 2030+ said: “We’re finally up and running! This is an important long term research investment in the field of batteries that will strengthen Europe’s research position and contribute to having an industry that can manufacture the batteries of the future.

“We have been working for several years with the roadmap on which we base our research efforts, and which we presented in March this year. Now the various research projects are starting and we are making sure that our ideas result in new knowledge and new products – and of course in better batteries.”

All seven projects will run for three years.