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The Batteries Europe Plenary Session was held on June 11, 2024, at the Hotel Hilton Brussels Grand Place. The event brought attention to the critical role that Europe’s R&I ecosystem has played in establishing the continent’s industrial leadership in battery technology. Attracting international experts, policymakers, and industry leaders, the hybrid event offered a forum for discussing policy developments, technological advancements, and cooperative efforts that are critical to Europe’s competitive advantage in the global battery market.

Opening and Welcome

Michael Lippert, Chair of Batteries Europe and a SAFT representative, and Bernd Biervert from the DG RTD of the European Commission gave opening remarks to the session. Their opening remarks provided context for a day centred on cooperation, innovation, and policy.

New Policy Context

The morning’s main topic was the new policy framework, with particular attention to the Critical Raw Materials Act and the Net Zero Industry Act. Speaking about these legislative initiatives, representatives from the European Commission’s DG GROW emphasised how crucial they are to protecting supply chains and encouraging sustainable practices in the battery sector.

Batteries Europe Results Overview

An overview of Batteries Europe’s accomplishments was given by Stefan Wolf from VDI/VDE-IT, Alessandro Romanello from EIT InnoEnergy, and Monika Curto Fuentes. They listed important turning points and future goals to keep Europe at the forefront of battery innovation.

Bridging Borders: Insights from Japan and South Korea

Seon Hyeog Kim from ETRI and Kazuyuki Imazato from NEDO offered insights from a global perspective. The necessity of international cooperation in advancing battery technologies was highlighted by their sharing of updates on South Korea’s and Japan’s strategies to improve the global battery supply chain and advancements in battery life cycle management.

Driving Innovation: Exploring Battery Technology’s Transversal Themes

Conversations about digitalization, education and skills, and safety wrapped up the morning sessions. The importance of these transversal themes in overcoming obstacles and grabbing opportunities in the battery industry was emphasised by Maher Chebbo, Chair of the BE Digitalization Task Force, Silvia Bodoardo, Chair of the BE Education & Skills Task Force, and Daria Giovannacci, Chair of the BE Safety Task Force.

Afternoon Sessions: Sustainability, Social Sciences, and Hybridisation

The themes of the afternoon sessions included hybridisation, social sciences, and sustainability. These talks, which were facilitated by Prasanth Venugopal from UTWENTE, Marcel Weil, Chair of the BE Sustainability Task Force, and Viera Pechancová, Chair of the BE Social Science & Humanities Task Force, demonstrated the significance of approaching battery technology holistically.

Panel Session: The Future of Decarbonized Transport

AIT’s Michele de Gennaro moderated a panel discussion on the role of batteries in completely decarbonising transportation. Viviana Cigolotti from ENEA, David Abril Molins from the Waterborne Technology Platform, Manasa Sridhar from IVECO Group, Daniele Violato from Clean Aviation, Giorgio Travaini from Europe’s Rail, and Peter Fischer from Fraunhofer ICT were among the panellists. Their talks brought to light the advantages and difficulties of combining battery technology with different modes of transportation.

Europe’s New Strategy on Battery Innovation

Europe’s new approach to battery innovation was presented by Fabrice Stassin of BEPA, who highlighted forthcoming projects aimed at preserving Europe’s competitive edge. Presentations on the accelerated European Battery Alliance (EBA) Action Plan and the enlarged Battery2030+ scope, with an emphasis on sustainability, digital twins, and recycling, came next. These talks were facilitated by Kristina Edstrom and Ilka von Dalwigk, who emphasised the value of ongoing innovation and cooperation.

Conclusion

Michael Lippert gave a summary of the day’s talks at the end of the meeting, reiterating the commitment to keep Europe at the forefront of battery technology. The Batteries Europe Plenary Session emphasised the vital role that Europe’s R&I ecosystem plays in propelling the global battery industry forward, in addition to highlighting current accomplishments and future objectives.