The overall aims of our project is to advance the performance of NIBs in terms of energy and power density by creating a closed-loop approach for materials design, characterisation, modelling and performance. It will involve materials synthesis based on sustainable and upscalable manufacturing technologies and low cost precursors, advanced characterisation of their local structure, electrochemical tests coupled with multiple in operando characterisation tools and theoretical modelling, to fully understand the mechanism and dynamics of Na+ intercalation-deintercalation and establish structure-performance relations. Once the most promising anode materials have been identified, we will assemble and test full cells with well-performing cathodes from parallel research. Using such a circular approach, optimization across the materials synthesis-characterisation-performance will be possible.