Eden Project set to team up with Lancashire green energy batteries business

LiNa Energy and the Eden Project, which both got to meet The Prince of Wales during a tour of Morecambe, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding which paves the way for the businesses to collaborate – locally and potentially nationally.

It could see them work together towards installing green energy storage systems using LiNa’s sustainable sodium batteries at Eden Project sites such as Eden Project North, the proposed new attraction in Morecambe.

During his tour, Prince Charles met LiNa Energy founders and staff and had a technical demonstration of how the LiNa batteries are manufactured - showing the sustainability and cost benefits.

Dr Gene Lewis, chief executive of Lancaster-based LiNa Energy, said: “Like us, The Prince of Wales has an unwavering commitment to championing sustainable technologies that will make net-zero 2050 a reality.

"It was an absolute honour to introduce him to members of Team LiNa who had the opportunity to present and discuss LiNa’s pioneering, cobalt and lithium free, low cost, safe, sustainable sodium battery

technology.”

LiNa is developing a battery free of lithium and cobalt and the goal of this Memorandum of Understanding is to deploy this clean tech innovation in a storage system which will enable Eden Projects to store their local renewable energy, making it available as and when it’s needed.

The agreement covers feasibility, testing, and demonstration of the technology to validate it for future commercial installation.

Dr Lewis, added: “LiNa is developing a game-changing cobalt and lithium free battery technology that will accelerate our much-needed transition away from fossil-fuel derived power sources. It is absolutely fitting that LiNa has partnered with the Eden Project, a pioneering organisation that seeks to promote the technologies that are needed for a clean and green planet.

"This exciting collaboration also will give LiNa the opportunity to showcase globally its technology at one or more of the prestigious Eden Project sites. We are looking forward to seeing the LiNa battery in the wild!”

His Royal Highness also received a short presentation from Eden Project North, a project which aims to regenerate the area and bring forward economic opportunities to the region. The Prince of Wales was shown how they will be incorporating new technologies in the creation of the attraction.

David Harland, the Eden Project’s Chief Global Growth Officer, said: “It was an honour to meet His Royal Highness and talk to him about our plans for Eden Project North in Morecambe. We were really pleased to meet His Royal Highness alongside our friends at LiNa Energy and we look forward to working closely with them on Eden Projects in Morecambe and further afield.”

LiNa Energy Ltd is a clean tech company which addresses a rapidly growing need for sustainable and low-cost energy storage. LiNa is commercialising high performance solid-state sodium batteries which offer greater safety, sustainability, and lower cost versus lithium-ion.

White Cross-based, LiNa began work on its novel battery technology as a spin-out of Lancaster University in 2017 and has led several grant research projects to progress this technology.

This partnership with the Eden Project enables commercial validation of LiNa’s technology and will demonstrate cells operating in a stationary energy storage system.