Member Article

AceOn MD joins government research programme group

The Faraday Battery Challenge (FBC), UK Government funded research and innovation programme, has appointed AceOn Group Managing Director, Mark Thompson, to its advisory group.

The FBC programme is funding up to £330 million in research and innovation in battery technologies and plays a vital part in establishing policy framework for propulsion battery and original equipment manufacturer investment across the UK.

Mark, who founded AceOn in 2009 and has over 30 years’ experience in the battery and power industry, was invited to join the FBC group to help guide and support the programme throughout the critical autumn spending review period.

On receiving his invitation, Mark said: “To have the opportunity to join the FBC programme and support the future development of battery technology and investment in the UK is a major coup for AceOn. We describe ourselves as the battery specialists and to be appointed onto this prestigious national group just underlines this.

“We have a host of exciting developments taking place at AceOn at the moment, including being awarded our own Innovate UK funding to develop mobile solar energy storage units that use cutting-edge sodium-ion battery technology. So, having the chance to support the work we do at AceOn with further involvement in the progress of the UK battery power industry is fantastic.”

The FBC was developed to support the UK Government’s strategy to deliver net zero for transport, improve air quality and increase the UK’s economy-wide investment in research and development to 2.4 per cent.

Its technical targets include reducing battery cost, weight and volume, improving performance and reliability and developing whole-life strategies including recycling and reuse.

Mark added: “The ethos of the FBC ties in perfectly with many of our passions at AceOn. One of our main projects is developing second life uses for electric vehicle batteries, which we know is going to be vital for the industry — and our planet — moving forward.”

Dick Elsy, Interim Chair of the FBC Advisory Group said: “The team received a hugely positive response to the positions and following a rigorous selection panel review we are delighted to welcome Mark to the Advisory Group.

“His appointment will help us to ensure the long-term prosperity of the UK battery industry and economy and I look forward to working with him to define the future landscape of electrification in the UK.”

AceOn, which employs 27 members of staff and is based in Telford, Shropshire, was recently shortlisted for the Manufacturing Innovator of the Year award in the 2021 Innovation Awards.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by AceOn Group .