Open problems session

Because the field of Energy Storage is relatively underdeveloped in both commercial and technical aspects, the set of unresolved challenges affecting it is a large one. Most conferences focus on disseminating solutions that have been found to problems already identified and UKES2024 also dedicates most of its sessions to presentations that articulate solutions. However, the “Open Problems” session at the very end of UKES2024 is a unique feature where we will focus on bringing out what the real problems are for which future solutions are sought. In other words, not so much about “what we do know” as it is about “what we do not know”.

In this session, a number of contributors will describe problems/conundrums relating to energy storage that they face (or are keenly aware of). We expect that those contributions will mostly be from large companies progressing projects – or trying to progress them. A moderated discussion will follow each problem statement and a first attraction to the “problem-contributors” will be that an entire conference cohort of knowledgeable people will be able to bring their expertise to bear on the problem. There will be great parallelisation in the responses as delegates will submit initial responses/thoughts electronically. The moderator will select a few of those for verbal expansion. The session will be attractive to the academic community in part because they will get a series of snapshots of areas where major challenges exist and in part because they may wish to make outline suggestions to the problem owners via public or private channels.

The Open Problems session will send the conference attendees away with heads full of stimulating questions – no bad thing!