The Battery Technology Podcast

The Battery Technology Podcast | Episode 31 | Exploring the Cost Drivers of Battery Manufacture | Aaron Wade | CRU Group   I recently read a very interesting report describing the key cost drivers of battery manufacture, particularly in regard to Chinese manufacturing. How do they achieve the battery costs they do? and what are the lessons for US and European battery manufacturers.   In this episo...

Lead Acid Batteries have been around for a long time. A very long time. And in a world excited by the opportunities with new battery chemistries, the ongoing success of Lead Acid batteries in energy storage can sometimes be overlooked. In this episode I’m joined by Karen Pugliese, VP of Global Sales with C&D Technologies, a business at the very forefront of the storage of electric power to dis...

The Battery Technology Podcast | Episode 29 | Advances in Lithium Extraction | Nick Grundish | Energy X As the global demand for Lithium grows, the need to maximise the efficiency of the Lithium extraction and refining processes intensifies. In this episode of the Battery Technology Podcast, we take a step back in the supply chain to look at how advances in refining technology are revolutionising...

One of the big challenges facing the EV industry is charging, and specifically charging times. It’s one of the main pain-points that the industry needs to address in order to achieve mass scale adoption. So any developments which holds out the prospect of a radical improvement in charging times is potentially very important. In the episode I am joined by Dan Alpern, VP of Marketing at Battery Stre...

We've spent a lot of time during this podcast series talking to businesses developing the next generation of battery technology. In this episode, we switch perspectives to that of the OEMs, the car makers.  How do they determine which battery electrochemistry to adopt. What are the main pain points OEMs are looking to overcome and when you're planning well into the future how is the electrochemist...

The challenges for Li-Ion Battery cell designers just intensify. Much of the low hanging fruit has been picked and attention now turns to ever more sophisticated solutions and material science to improve performance. In this episode I am joined by Michael Grimm and Moritz Hantel of Northern Graphite Corporation to discuss the development of porous carbon and its role in improving conductivity in e...

The mountainous region of Barroso in Northern Portugal is sitting on buried treasure; one of Europe's most significant deposits of Lithium. And a European supply of Lithium is a game changer for a continent committed to local supply of 40% of its consumption of strategic raw materials. So how does Portugal maximise the opportunity? Does it simply become a supplier of raw materials to other economi...

Graphene is a remarkable material which has long promised to revolutionise many industries. It is fair to say that the results haven’t always matched the hype. But in the battery technology field, it may well be different. In this episode I am joined by Curtis Collar, Chief Marketing and Sales Officer at Nanotech Energy, for whom Graphene is at the heart of their battery innovation to discuss the...

As the battery industry develops increasingly innovative chemistries aimed at improving both safety and performance, what does that mean for those controlling the conditions in the facilities that research, development and ultimately manufacturing is caried out.   In this episode I am joined by Cheryl Thibault, Global Product Manager at Munters, one of the world leaders in climate control solution...

In the latest of our conversations with those at the cutting edge of Solid-State battery design we are joined by Ben Eiref CEO and Kevin Wujcik CTO of Blue Current, based in Hayward, California, to discuss the journey from R&D to commercialisation of their solid state battery.   Starting with an objective to create a safe battery through to the emergence of a chemistry that promises a leap for...

I’m fascinated by the developments that are taking place in the solid-state battery development field, but I want to understand more about what is really happening at the cutting edge of the solid-state world. Over the new two episodes we are going to take a deeper dive into the world of solid-state. In this episode I am joined by John Tinson of Ilika. A UK based pioneer in solid state battery tec...

Many of our preceding episodes have focused on development in the Lithium Ion battery field, but of course Lithium is not the only alkali metal that lends itself to use as a battery material. In this episode we explore the growing interest in Sodium Ion battery technology, and with the help of Spencer Gore, CEO of Bedrock Materials. we explore how Sodium Ion batteries may fit into the landscape of...

One of the critical materials used in Li-ion battery technology is Graphite. It has been the key anode material since the birth of the EV revolution. In this episode we take a deep dive into Graphite, and with the help of Vikram Handa and Sunit Kapur of Epsilon Advanced Materials. we explore how Graphite is key to the global EV ecosystem.   Speaker Notes: http://linkedin.com/in/vikram-handa-4a0642...

I'm always fascinated by the development of innovative processes to take end of life batteries and from them generate battery grade materials. Essentially, making finite resources, infinite. In this episode we explore how ReElement Technologies are developing scalable and deployable purification and refining processes using chromatography at the heart of their solutions.   Speaker Notes: David Sau...

One of the most intriguing aspects of the battery industry is the emergence of new enabling chemistries that can propel battery performance to the next level. In this episode we discuss the emergence of Niobium as a disrupting element in battery development and explore the role Niobium could play in achieving faster charging, higher energy densities and improved battery safety.   Speaker Notes: Za...

There's a lot happening in the world of Battery chemistry. In this episode, we take a step further down the value chain and explore the how developments in digitalisation are helping companies design not just battery componentry but to optimise the manufacturing process through which they will be built.   Speaker Notes: Puneet Sinha |  Sr. Director, Battery Industry | Siemens Digital Industries So...

At the core of any battery system is the cathode. The positive electrode, Choices made in cathode chemistry determine much of the battery performance and is responsible for a majority of the cost elements of a battery. In this episode we are joined by Dr Mark Copley, Research and Development Director of FAAM to discuss all things cathode. From basic principles to the next generation of cathode mat...

We hear a lot about the exponential growth of the market for EV batteries and the pressure that brings on the supply of critical minerals. But what about the demand side of that equation? Is inexorable growth a given, or are there opportunities that can be explored to mitigate demand?   Show Notes Sponsored by Munters - Global leaders in energy-efficient air treatment and climate solutions. https:...

The end of the year is always a good place to take stock. In this episode, I am joined by Max Reid, Principal Analyst with Wood Mackenzie to discuss the EV Battery landscape as we close out 2023 and look forward to 2024 and beyond.   Show Notes Sponsored by Munters - Global leaders in energy-efficient air treatment and climate solutions. https://www.munters.com/en/   Sponsored by Vaisala - Accurat...

For an industry predicated on a concern for environmental issues, the ability to efficiently recover critical materials is fundamental to the perceived success of the transformation to electric power. In the episode, we explore the work taking place in this field with Tom Wadsworth, Commercial Director, Europe with Li-Cycle, at the forefront of resource recovery processes for the EV battery market...

The application of Testing and Instrumentation technologies is closely linked to the evolution of evermore powerful EV Battery Systems. In this episode we discuss the relationship between testing and battery development with Don Wright, VP Of Engineering of Unico, a leader in the provision of EV propulsion test stand systems.   Show Notes Sponsored by Munters - Global leaders in energy-efficient a...

In recent episodes of this podcast series we have concentrated on the advances in battery hardware, Developments in the anode/electrolyte/cathode system that will improve the performance of battery systems in the pursuit of increased charge speed. range and battery lifetime. In this episode we focus on software, and how innovative software solutions can unlock the hidden performance in every batte...

The issues of creating batteries that allow for extremely rapid charging, delivering range at a similar rate as fossil fuel refuelling is at the centre of creating the EV revolution. The standard battery chemistry won't deliver this. Which means new innovative chemistries must be developed that provide the capacity for the extreme-fast necessary to make the EV revolution a reality. I'm joined by D...

For battery manufacturers maintaining low humidity conditions is critical in the interests of both quality and safety of the batteries they produce. In this episode we discuss with Jason Bettles of Munters, the science behind controlling the environment in the manufacturing process.   Show Notes Sponsored by Munters - Global leaders in energy-efficient air treatment and climate solutions https://w...

For battery manufacturers and end users the issue of cooling in business critical. In this episode we discuss some of the latest advances in cooling technology.   Show Notes Sponsored by Munters - Global leaders in energy-efficient air treatment and climate solutions https://www.munters.com/en/   Advertising and Sponsorship For sponsorship and advertising opportunities, please contact ken.davies@g...