This collaboration comes as the Biden administration recently allocated $450 million (£361m) for clean energy projects at current or former coal mines in an effort to combat climate change.

Gravitricity specialises in below-ground gravity energy storage systems and is currently advancing proposals for a mine project in the Czech Republic. The company aims to store energy by lowering and raising a massive weight suspended in the former Darkov mine.

Having demonstrated a scaled version of their technology, Gravitricity now plans to build full-scale systems with capacities of 25MWh or more.

The US government will fund up to five clean energy projects through the $1 trillion 2021 infrastructure law. The Energy Department believes these demonstration projects will catalyse the next generation of clean energy on mine land projects. The White House will also offer billions of dollars in new bonuses to clean energy project developers through the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), incentivising investments in energy communities, particularly coal communities affected by the decline in US coal production.

Gravitricity commercial director Robin Lane expressed enthusiasm for the partnership saying “the timing could not be better”.

Mr Lane added: “Governments worldwide recognise the need for energy storage and also the requirement to find new futures for mining communities seeking alternatives.

“This mine-specific US initiative, on top of the already generous IRA provisions, make the States a particularly attractive destination for first-of-a-kind projects.

“IEA Infrastructure Construction has proven expertise in heavy civil, energy and infrastructure schemes and are the ideal partner for us to seek opportunities in this fast-evolving market.” Lane says.

Applications for funding are due by August, with grant decisions expected in early 2024. Gravitricity estimates that around 14,000 mines worldwide could be suitable for gravity energy storage.