UK EarthScale Programme Backs Aed Energy to Scale Thermal Storage Innovation

Aed Energy, the UK developer of next-generation thermal energy storage, has been selected for Cohort 1 of the EarthScale Programme, a national initiative backed by Research England (part of UK Research and Innovation, UKRI) and delivered through leading UK universities: Imperial College London, Cranfield University, the University of Derby, the University of Exeter, the University of Leeds, and the University of Nottingham.

EarthScale supports IP-rich climate tech companies at TRL 5-6, bridging the critical gap between prototype and commercial deployment. Over the next 12 months, the programme will provide Aed Energy with tailored technical and commercialisation support, access to specialist research facilities, investment-readiness training, and direct engagement with university innovation ecosystems - key enablers in accelerating the company’s commercial growth and impact.

Rayan Kassis, CEO of Aed Energy, said: “Selection to EarthScale marks an important step in our journey. It reflects the growing maturity of our technology and the urgent need for scalable, affordable long-duration energy storage as grids and industries decarbonise.”

Aed Energy’s modular thermal battery system can store renewable energy for days or even weeks, converting it into high-temperature heat and regenerating it as power and heat on demand. Its long-duration dispatch capability enables continuous, emissions-free energy supply to industrial users — without cycling or degradation losses — providing a reliable, low-cost pathway to decarbonised power and heat.

The company’s selection follows participation in the TechX Clean Energy Accelerator, delivered by the Net Zero Technology Centre (NZTC), and the Greenhouse Programme by Undaunted, the UK’s leading climate-innovation platform.

Aed Energy was also named a finalist at the Energy Storage Awards 2025, shortlisted for the Innovation and Technology Award in the Newcomer / Startup of the Year category.

In just three years, Aed Energy has progressed from a London-based demonstrator to a technology developer partnering with energy users across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa - including its first field trial in Nigeria, a hybrid solar and thermal battery system in collaboration with Pan-Atlantic University, providing clean power and heat and paving the way for wider deployment.