EU approves €3.2 billion in funding to promote battery research and innovation

The invention of the battery was revolutionary. Our mobile and digital lives would be unimaginable without it. But lithium-ion batteries bring considerable problems with them. The extraction of the required raw materials – lithium and cobalt – destroys the environment, very often violates human rights and sometimes even involves child labour. In addition, these raw materials are not available everywhere and are not always easy to extract. Europe is dependent upon other nations here – above all in terms of development and on production locations. The EU wants to change this through research and development to produce a new generation of batteries: tomorrow’s batteries are to be less toxic, more environmentally friendly and more efficient. This new generation of batteries shall make Europe a new, leading centre for batteries. This is why the European Commission has recently approved €3.2 billion of public support for a pan-European research and innovation project in all segments of the battery value chain.

The project participants Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Sweden, and their partners will focus their work on four areas:

(1) Raw and advanced materials: The project aims to develop sustainable, innovative processes for extracting, concentrating, refining and purifying ores to generate high-purity raw materials.

(2) Cells and modules: The project aims to develop innovative battery cells and modules designed to meet the safety and performance required for automotive and non-automotive applications (e.g. stationary energy storage and power tools).

(3) Battery systems: The project also aims to develop innovative battery systems including battery management systems and innovative test methods.

(4) Repurposing, recycling and refining: The project aims to design safe and innovative processes for collecting, dismantling, repurposing, recycling and refining recycled materials.

You can find further information from the European Commission here.

BayFOR also advises intensively on EU funding in the area of battery research.

BayFOR is a member of the Advanced Materials for Batteries Partnership (AMBP). The AMBP is an initiative of the European Commission; it promotes interregional cooperation and aims to bring together battery researchers to implement research projects in this field. This is why BayFOR hosted the following event at the Representation of the Free State of Bavaria to the European Union in Brussels:

26 June 2019: Brokerage event for interregional collaborative projects on lithium-ion batteries in Brussels. 

Are you interested in battery research? BayFOR would be happy to support you.

There are currently four calls for applications for EU funding for battery research that you can apply for:

Deadline: 21 April 2020
•    LC-BAT-8-2020: Next-generation batteries for stationary energy storage
•    LC-BAT-9-2020: Hybridisation of battery systems for stationary energy storage
•    LC-BAT-10-2020: Next generation and realisation of battery packs for BEV and PHEV
•    LC-BAT-11-2020: Reducing the cost of large batteries for waterborne transport

On 19^th February 2020, we are organising a full-day workshop in Munich on the battery calls mentioned above. More information can be found here.

If you have any questions or need any further assistance, we would be happy to help you.

Contact at BayFOR
Dr Panteleimon Panagiotou
Head of Unit
Information & Communication Technologies | Engineering & Natural Sciences
Phone: +49 (0)89 9901 888 – 130
E-mail: panagiotou@bayfor.org