Tag: Battery

Sustainability-in-Tech : New Electric Aircraft Makes Record $5 Flight

Posted on by Paul Stradling

The largest battery-electric aircraft ever flown has completed its first successful flight, demonstrating that electric propulsion can now operate at something approaching commercial-airliner scale while highlighting both the enormous potential and the significant limitations still facing cleaner regional aviation.

A Record-Breaking First Flight

Heart Aerospace’s X1 demonstrator, developed by the Swedish-founded aviation company before it relocated its operations to the US, took off from Plattsburgh International Airport in New York on 12 August, completing a 27-minute piloted flight that included taxiing, take-off, climbing, manoeuvring and landing.

The aircraft is certainly substantial. For example, with a wingspan of a massive 106 feet, a length of 76 feet and a take-off weight exceeding 25,000 lb, Heart says the X1 is the largest battery-electric aircraft ever to have flown. During the test, it climbed to 1,100 ft above ground level while its all-electric propulsion system delivered more than one megawatt of power.

Heart’s Founder and CEO Anders Forslund said: “With the first flight of X1, Heart Aerospace has demonstrated electric flight at the scale of a commercial airliner.”

Perhaps the most eye-catching figure, however, is the energy bill. Heart says powering the entire flight required approximately US$5 worth of electricity, providing an intriguing glimpse of how electric propulsion could eventually change the economics of short-distance flying.

Why The US$5 Figure Matters

That US$5 should be treated carefully, since it represents only the electricity consumed during one demonstration flight rather than the total cost of operating an aircraft.

Airlines would still need to pay for pilots, maintenance, airport charges, battery replacement, insurance and the aircraft itself. However, energy represents a significant operating expense in aviation, while jet-fuel prices can fluctuate considerably with global oil markets.

Electricity could potentially make part of that cost both lower and more predictable, particularly on the short regional journeys for which Heart is developing its technology.

Heart expects its eventual commercial aircraft to reduce operating costs by more than 40 per cent compared with older regional aircraft, citing cheaper energy, simpler electric propulsion requiring less maintenance and improved aircraft reliability among the reasons.

The Environmental Opportunity

The potential sustainability benefits are equally important, particularly because aviation remains one of the harder sectors of the economy to decarbonise.

Battery-electric aircraft can operate without burning jet fuel during flight, eliminating the associated direct carbon emissions from their electric operation. Where batteries are charged using increasingly renewable electricity, the overall environmental benefits could become more significant.

Regional aviation is a particularly interesting place to begin because many flights cover relatively short distances, yet conventional aircraft still need to burn fuel throughout those journeys.

Electric propulsion also offers the possibility of quieter aircraft, while lower operating costs could potentially make smaller regional airports and less heavily travelled routes commercially viable.

Forslund believes this could ultimately enable “more affordable, frequent, and cleaner air service to and from airports closer to home”.

The Big Battery Problem

Despite the successful X1 flight, batteries remain the fundamental obstacle preventing large commercial aircraft from simply swapping their jet engines for electric motors.

Jet fuel contains far more usable energy for its weight than today’s batteries, and weight matters enormously in aviation. Adding enough batteries to fly substantially further also makes an aircraft heavier, which in turn requires more energy to keep it airborne.

That explains an important distinction behind Heart’s programme. The X1 demonstrator that has just flown is entirely battery-electric, although the commercial ES-30 aircraft it is helping Heart develop will actually be hybrid-electric.

The 30-seat ES-30 is being designed to combine batteries and electric propulsion with a combustion-powered range extender, allowing Heart to pursue commercially useful regional routes without depending on battery improvements that have yet to arrive.

Rather than undermining the achievement, that compromise illustrates where electric aviation realistically stands today. Batteries can increasingly power larger aircraft, although their weight and energy density still limit the distances those aircraft can practically travel.

From Demonstrator To Airliner

Heart Aerospace, which was actually founded in Sweden but is now headquartered in Los Angeles, is already developing the first pre-production ES-30 at its pilot manufacturing facility in California.

Flight testing is scheduled to begin in 2028, with entry into commercial service targeted for 2031. The aircraft is being developed for certification under the same FAA Part 25 framework governing commercial airliners, meaning substantial testing and regulatory work still lies ahead.

There is certainly commercial interest, with Heart reporting customer commitments from airlines including United Airlines, Air Canada and JSX.

Michael Leskinen, Chief Financial Officer of United Airlines, said electric commercial aircraft have “real potential to deliver a better travel experience for passengers while strengthening our business”.

What Happens Next?

Turning a successful 27-minute demonstration into an aircraft carrying paying passengers will require considerably more than proving electric motors can lift an airliner-sized aircraft.

For example, Heart must successfully develop and test its pre-production ES-30, complete certification, demonstrate commercially acceptable reliability and convince airlines that its promised operating savings can be achieved in everyday service.

Battery development will also be a particularly important element. Improvements in energy density could allow future aircraft to travel further electrically without adding excessive weight, gradually reducing dependence on the combustion range extender and increasing the environmental benefits.

What Does This Mean For Your Business?

For businesses, Heart’s achievement provides an interesting example of how decarbonisation can increasingly be driven by economics as well as environmental targets. If electric propulsion genuinely reduces energy and maintenance costs, airlines could have a strong commercial reason to adopt cleaner aircraft rather than relying solely on regulation to encourage them.

The flight also demonstrates why sustainability breakthroughs need to be viewed realistically. The X1 has not solved aviation’s emissions problem, and Heart’s first commercial aircraft will still use fuel when its range extender is required. What it has demonstrated is that battery-electric propulsion can now operate successfully at a scale that would have seemed extremely ambitious only a few years ago.

The next stage will determine whether that engineering achievement can become a commercially viable aircraft. For example, if battery performance continues improving and Heart can deliver the reliability, certification and operating savings it is promising, electric propulsion could begin making some of aviation’s shortest journeys cleaner long before completely electric long-distance flight becomes practical.

Sustainability-In-Tech : 3D-Printed Battery Could Speed Up Net Zero

Posted on by Paul Stradling

Researchers at Queen’s University Belfast have developed a low-cost 3D-printed battery that could help overcome one of renewable energy’s biggest obstacles by making long-duration electricity storage cheaper, more reliable and easier to research, potentially accelerating the transition away from fossil fuels.

What Problem Are Researchers Trying To Solve?

Renewable energy generation continues to expand rapidly around the world, yet one major challenge remains unresolved. Wind turbines only generate electricity when the wind blows, while solar panels stop producing power overnight or during periods of poor weather.

That means electricity generated from renewable sources must be stored efficiently so it can be used whenever demand requires it. Without reliable energy storage, electricity grids continue to rely on fossil-fuel power stations to bridge the gaps when renewable generation falls.

As Dr Hugh O’Connor from Queen’s University Belfast explains: “Tackling climate change is widely recognised as one of the major challenges facing modern society.”

He also points out: “The biggest challenge with renewable energy is simple – we cannot control when the sun shines or when the wind blows. The uncomfortable reality is that clean energy still only makes up a small share of our overall energy use – around just 16 per cent in both the UK and Ireland.”

The research team believes solving the storage challenge is essential if renewable energy is to replace fossil fuels on a much larger scale.

Why Flow Batteries Matter

Much of today’s attention seems to be focused on lithium-ion batteries, which already power smartphones, laptops and electric vehicles. Although highly effective for many applications, they become increasingly expensive for storing very large amounts of electricity over long periods.

Unlike lithium-ion batteries, which store energy within solid electrodes, flow batteries store it in liquid electrolytes held in external tanks. This makes them particularly well suited to grid-scale energy storage, where large amounts of renewable electricity may need to be stored for many hours before being released.

Most commercial flow batteries currently rely on vanadium, a metal that is produced in relatively few parts of the world and whose price can fluctuate significantly. Queen’s researchers have instead developed a battery based on iron, which is far more readily available and considerably less vulnerable to supply constraints.

The team also points out that flow batteries use safer aqueous chemistry than lithium-ion systems while avoiding the ethical concerns associated with cobalt mining that has historically been linked with many lithium-ion batteries.

A Battery That Costs A Fraction Of The Price

The breakthrough began during Dr O’Connor’s PhD research when he discovered that purchasing a laboratory flow battery cell could cost between £2,000 and £3,000.

Rather than accepting that cost, he began designing and manufacturing his own using 3D printing.

Describing the project, Dr O’Connor said: “As part of my PhD research, I realised how expensive it was to buy a flow battery cell – anything up to £3,000 – so I started 3D-printing them. After a lot of trial and error, eventually these started to work really well and I was able to create one for around £75.”

Reducing the cost of individual research cells makes advanced battery research accessible to many more laboratories while allowing researchers to test new battery chemistries much more affordably.

Why Standardisation Could Be The Bigger Breakthrough

Perhaps the most significant achievement is not the battery itself but the way the researchers have chosen to share it. For example, Dr O’Connor discovered that laboratories around the world were often obtaining different experimental results simply because they were using different battery designs and testing methods. That inconsistency made it difficult to compare findings or build confidently on each other’s work.

He explained: “For research to move forward, the way we use flow batteries needs to be standardised.”

Instead of commercialising the design, the Queen’s team produced what Dr O’Connor describes as an “Ikea-style” instruction manual and distributed both the battery design and assembly guidance to research groups worldwide.

The initiative has already brought together more than 35 research groups, including teams from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Harvard University and the University of Cambridge, all using identical battery cells and testing protocols.

Dr Josh Bailey, a fellow researcher at Queen’s University Belfast, said: “It’s been fantastic to see that we’re already making global impact. By distributing the Queen’s cell around the world, we have been able to lead a large, international research study.”

He added that the collaboration is “helping to accelerate breakthroughs in long-duration energy storage, advance the transition away from fossil fuels, and firmly position our team at Queen’s as leading the development of clean, reliable energy technologies.”

What Does This Mean For Your Business?

For businesses, the research highlights that long-duration energy storage is becoming one of the most commercially important technologies supporting the transition to net zero. Reliable, affordable storage allows renewable electricity to be used more efficiently, helping reduce dependence on fossil fuels while making electricity systems more resilient.

The project also demonstrates how sustainability innovation increasingly delivers value by solving several challenges at once. The Queen’s battery reduces costs, uses a more abundant raw material, improves research consistency and encourages international collaboration, all of which could accelerate the commercial deployment of cleaner energy technologies.

Perhaps most importantly, the decision to make the battery design openly available illustrates that collaboration can sometimes create greater long-term impact than protecting intellectual property. As businesses and researchers work towards ambitious climate targets, innovations that are affordable, reproducible and easily shared may prove just as valuable as the scientific breakthroughs themselves, helping sustainable technologies move more quickly from the laboratory into widespread commercial use.

Sustainability-In-Tech : Concrete “Battery” Now Stores 10 Times More Energy

Posted on by Paul Stradling

MIT scientists say a new carbon-cement “concrete battery” has advanced dramatically, now storing ten times the energy it did just two years ago.

The Breakthrough Explained

The innovation comes from researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), who have been working on what they call electron-conducting carbon concrete, or ec³. This new type of concrete blends cement, water, ultra-fine carbon black, and electrolytes to create a conductive network within the structure. That network allows the concrete itself to store and release energy like a supercapacitor, effectively turning ordinary building materials into energy storage units.

Tenfold Increase In Energy Storage

Their new study, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, shows a tenfold increase in energy storage compared with earlier versions. The researchers say they achieved this by refining the electrolyte composition and altering how it is introduced during mixing. The result is a more efficient, denser electrical nanostructure that significantly boosts storage capacity.

Who Developed It and Why?

The work has been led by what’s known as MIT’s Electron-Conducting Carbon-Cement (ec³) Hub and the MIT Concrete Sustainability Hub. Key researchers are reported to include Associate Professor Admir Masic and research scientist Damian Stefaniuk, supported by a multidisciplinary team of engineers and materials scientists.

According to Masic, the vision behind ec³ is not simply to create another battery alternative, but to rethink how existing materials can help solve global energy challenges. For example, as Masic said in MIT’s announcement about the breakthrough, “Concrete is already the world’s most-used construction material, so why not take advantage of that scale to create other benefits?”.

Embedding Storage Into Construction Materials

The motivation to create the battery lies in the growing global need for affordable, sustainable energy storage. For example, as renewable energy sources like solar and wind expand, there remains the problem of what to do when generation stops, e.g. at night, or when the wind is calm. Embedding storage directly into construction materials, therefore, could be a way to help solve this, removing the need for separate battery systems that rely on scarce materials such as lithium and cobalt.

How It Works

Technically speaking, the material that it’s made from functions as a structural supercapacitor rather than a chemical battery. Supercapacitors store energy electrostatically, which means they can charge and discharge rapidly and endure far more cycles than traditional batteries. The carbon black particles form a continuous conductive web throughout the hardened cement, and the electrolyte fills the pores, allowing ions to flow and charge to build up across the internal surfaces.

Used Microscopy Techniques To Design It

This nanonetwork (the tiny, interconnected structure that carries electrical charge) was designed using advanced microscopy techniques at MIT, i.e., powerful imaging tools were used to see materials at the nanoscale. This then revealed a fractal-like (branch-like) web pattern surrounding the pores. Understanding this structure helped the team identify how to adjust the electrolyte to improve charge flow. The team then switched from soaking the concrete in the electrolyte after it hardened to mixing it directly in from the start, ensuring uniform distribution and better conductivity.

Tenfold Improvement in Power

In the team’s 2023 version, about 45 cubic metres of ec³ concrete were needed to store enough energy to power a typical household for one day. However, the new version needs only around five cubic metres, which is the equivalent volume of a single basement wall.

The improved material can now store more than 2 kilowatt-hours per cubic metre, meaning a cubic block the size of a large household refrigerator can power an actual fridge for a day. This level of storage density, while still lower than lithium-ion batteries, represents a major step towards practical, large-scale use.

Built An Arch From It

The MIT team also demonstrated how the technology could function structurally and electrically at the same time by building a small arch made of ec³. The arch supported its own weight while powering an LED light. Interestingly, when weight was added, the LED flickered, suggesting that such structures could also act as self-monitoring sensors, detecting stress or damage in real time.

Potential Uses and Real-World Applications

The most immediate possible uses for this material could include homes and buildings with integrated solar power systems. For example, instead of relying on external battery packs, the building’s own walls or floors could store excess energy for later use.

Beyond buildings, the team envisions roads and car parks capable of charging electric vehicles, pavements that can heat themselves in icy weather, and bridge structures that both bear loads and store renewable energy. In Japan, for example, ec³ slabs have already been used to heat pavements in Sapporo, suggesting possible future roles in cold-climate infrastructure.

As co-author of the research report, James Weaver explained, “By combining modern nanoscience with an ancient building block of civilisation, we’re opening a door to infrastructure that doesn’t just support our lives, it powers them.”

Long-Term Cost and Energy Savings

For developers and facility managers, this technology could offer long-term cost and energy savings. Buildings made from ec³ materials might one day store solar power onsite without additional space or equipment. Large commercial facilities could reduce their reliance on grid energy, avoiding peak-time tariffs.

Manufacturers and contractors may also find new business opportunities in producing and deploying ec³ at scale. If production methods prove cost-effective, this could redefine energy infrastructure for corporate campuses, logistics centres, and industrial sites. The ability to integrate energy storage invisibly into standard construction materials could lower project complexity and improve sustainability credentials for companies focused on ESG goals.

Battery Makers

For now, ec³ is not positioned to replace high-performance lithium-ion batteries. This is because its energy density is still much lower, making it unsuitable for mobile devices or vehicles. However, its potential lies in stationary storage, particularly where space and material costs are already accounted for.

That said, battery firms could see it as complementary rather than competitive, e.g., part of hybrid systems that combine concrete supercapacitors for daily cycling with conventional batteries for bulk storage. The concept challenges the assumption that batteries must always be separate physical units, hinting at a future where storage is embedded in the fabric of our cities.

Environmental and Sustainability Factors

It shouldn’t be forgotten here that cement production is responsible for around 7 to 8 per cent of global CO₂ emissions. For ec³ to be genuinely sustainable, therefore, its energy benefits must outweigh the embodied carbon from cement and the added materials such as carbon black and electrolytes. The MIT researchers argue that multifunctional materials can deliver a net reduction by serving multiple roles, i.e. structural, electrical, and possibly even carbon-sequestering.

There is also the issue of durability – concrete structures often last decades, so the embedded energy system must remain stable over similar timeframes. The MIT team is currently studying how environmental conditions such as moisture, temperature, and mechanical stress affect performance over time.

Not Alone

MIT is not alone in exploring energy-storing construction materials. For example, researchers at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden have developed a rechargeable cement-based battery using metal electrodes and carbon fibre layers, though its energy density is far lower than ec³’s latest version. Also, a team at Washington University in St. Louis has demonstrated “energy-storing bricks” that use a conductive polymer coating to create supercapacitor-like properties.

These parallel projects point to a wider movement towards multifunctional building materials that blur the line between structure and infrastructure. However, MIT’s progress in scaling up storage capacity and integrating the technology into load-bearing concrete sets it apart.

Challenges and Criticisms

Despite the excitement, experts point to several hurdles that the MIT team still need to address. The material’s energy density remains modest compared with lithium-ion batteries, meaning large volumes are required to store meaningful amounts of power. The use of organic electrolytes such as acetonitrile also raises safety and flammability concerns, especially in residential settings.

Cost and manufacturing complexity are further issues. Producing carbon-rich, electrolyte-infused concrete at commercial scale will demand new supply chains, mixing standards, and quality controls. The economic viability depends on achieving costs comparable to conventional concrete, something that remains uncertain.

Critics also note that while supercapacitors excel at rapid charging and long life, they generally suffer from self-discharge and limited total storage time. The MIT team will need to demonstrate consistent long-term performance before industry adoption can begin.

For now, the research remains at laboratory and small-prototype scale, but the tenfold leap in capacity is a meaningful milestone. If the next steps confirm durability, cost efficiency, and safety, the humble concrete block could become one of the most unexpected innovations in sustainable energy to date.

What Does This Mean For Your Organisation?

If proven reliable and scalable, this breakthrough could reshape how the built environment contributes to global sustainability targets. Embedding energy storage directly into the concrete of homes, offices, and transport infrastructure would mean that the same materials already used in construction could also support renewable energy systems, lowering costs and improving resilience. The practical implications extend far beyond academia, giving architects, engineers, and developers a new tool to design buildings that generate, store, and use power autonomously.

For UK businesses, the potential lies in efficiency and reputation. Construction firms and materials suppliers could benefit from being early adopters of multifunctional concretes that reduce carbon impact and add operational value. Facilities managers could also gain from a future where energy-storing walls or car parks reduce dependence on grid supply and shield companies from fluctuating electricity prices. As sustainability reporting becomes a central requirement for both investors and regulators, technologies like ec³ could offer measurable advantages in meeting ESG and net zero commitments.

Governments and regulators are likely to be very interested in this energy storage idea. For example, the possibility of embedding large-scale energy storage into existing infrastructure aligns well with national energy transition goals, but it also raises questions about building codes, safety standards, and lifecycle performance. Clear regulation and industrial partnerships would be needed before ec³ can move from prototype to construction site. Battery manufacturers, meanwhile, will need to assess whether to compete or collaborate. For many, hybrid systems combining traditional battery units with concrete-based supercapacitors could prove to be the most viable commercial path.

From a sustainability standpoint, the real test will come when energy gains are balanced against embodied carbon costs. Cement’s emissions footprint remains substantial, and researchers must demonstrate that the functional value of ec³ outweighs that environmental cost. Even so, the concept of a building material that can both support and store power captures a rare intersection of practicality and vision. If MIT’s concrete battery continues to perform as projected, it could help redefine how energy storage, architecture, and sustainability intersect in the decades ahead.

Sustainability-In-Tech : New Synthetic Graphite Boost EV Battery Lifespan by 30%

Posted on by Paul Stradling

ExxonMobil has unveiled a new form of synthetic graphite designed to extend electric vehicle battery life by up to 30 per cent, in a move that could reshape the EV materials supply chain.

A Major Energy Player With a New Direction

ExxonMobil is best known as one of the world’s largest oil and gas companies, with operations spanning upstream exploration, refining, petrochemicals and energy logistics. However, in recent years, the company has increasingly turned its attention to low-carbon technologies, focusing on areas where it believes it holds a competitive advantage, such as carbon capture, hydrogen, and chemical-based solutions.

While it has often avoided wind and solar projects, citing a lack of in-house capability, ExxonMobil has consistently invested in R&D in the materials space. This latest development, presented by CEO Darren Woods at the University of Texas at Austin’s Energy Symposium, represents a significant step into the EV battery supply chain.

What Is This New Graphite, and Why Does It Matter?

The material is a newly engineered synthetic form of graphite, used in the anode of lithium-ion batteries, that the company claims can extend battery lifespan, improve charging speeds, and increase vehicle range.

“The carbon molecule structures we’ve developed show real promise for faster charging and longer-lasting batteries,” said Woods during the announcement. “This is a revolutionary step change in battery performance.”

Synthetic graphite is already a critical ingredient in EV batteries, accounting for more than 90 per cent of commercial anode material. However, existing production methods are energy-intensive, supply chains are stretched, and natural graphite sourcing is geographically constrained, with over 60 per cent of global supply currently coming from China.

ExxonMobil says its new form of graphite is designed for consistency and high performance, and can be manufactured using carbon-rich feedstocks derived from existing refining processes. This means the company can use its current infrastructure to produce the material at scale, reducing reliance on mining operations and imported feedstocks.

From Oil Barrels to Battery Materials

The move into battery materials may seem like a departure from ExxonMobil’s traditional focus, but the company actually has quite a long-standing history in the battery space. For example, it co-invented the lithium-ion battery in the 1970s and developed the plastic separator films used in early rechargeable versions.

Now, with the acquisition of Superior Graphite’s US production assets and technology, ExxonMobil is laying the groundwork for a large-scale synthetic graphite business. According to the company’s blog, the acquisition will allow it to build a “robust, American-based supply chain” for synthetic graphite.

“We’re expanding into the advanced synthetic graphite business, and we’re doing it with a name that’s been in the game for over a century,” said the company in a September statement.

Who Could Use This Graphite, and Why Now?

The synthetic graphite is being trialled by multiple unnamed EV manufacturers, although details remain under wraps at present. Industry analysts say it could be especially valuable for high-performance EVs, commercial electric fleets, and energy storage systems (BESS) that require longer cycle lives and more stable charging patterns.

By 2030, demand for battery-grade graphite is projected to exceed 4 million metric tonnes annually (Benchmark Mineral Intelligence). With growing concerns about China’s dominance in graphite processing, Western governments and manufacturers are actively seeking alternative, scalable sources.

For EV makers, better anode materials could reduce the cost per kilowatt-hour of batteries, improve durability, and reduce consumer anxiety around battery degradation.

For consumers, the promise of longer-lasting, faster-charging batteries could mean fewer replacements, longer warranties, and better range per charge, which are all critical factors in encouraging wider EV adoption.

The Implications for ExxonMobil and Its Competitors

Although ExxonMobil has stated it does not intend to become a battery maker, the strategic move into anode materials positions it as a key supplier to one of the fastest-growing industries in the world. The company has said it expects to start commercial production of the graphite by 2029.

This puts ExxonMobil in direct competition with a range of players including Chinese graphite suppliers, Korean battery component firms, and materials companies like SGL Carbon and Syrah Resources. While some rivals focus on natural graphite mined in Africa or South America, ExxonMobil’s emphasis on synthetic production could appeal to buyers looking for stable, traceable, and lower-emissions supply chains.

It could also provide the company with a new source of revenue as demand for petrol and diesel continues to decline in line with electrification targets across Europe, the UK, and North America.

“This isn’t a step in; it’s a full-scale launch with power and purpose,” the company said. “When our product enters the market, we expect it will deliver faster charging and longer life than existing graphite materials today.”

Sustainability Claims Under Scrutiny

ExxonMobil argues that synthetic graphite offers significant sustainability benefits compared to traditional mining. For example, its internal estimates suggest the process could be less energy-intensive, more land-efficient, and have higher throughput than natural alternatives.

However, the environmental impact of producing synthetic graphite at scale remains a subject of debate. Critics point to the use of fossil-based feedstocks, the carbon footprint of high-temperature furnaces, and the lack of independent life cycle analysis to support the company’s claims.

Some experts have welcomed the technical breakthrough but say the environmental claims still need to be independently verified. While synthetic graphite can offer improved purity and performance compared to natural sources, producing it typically involves energy-intensive processes and high-temperature furnaces. Without a full lifecycle assessment, it’s unclear whether ExxonMobil’s version offers a lower carbon footprint overall.

Some environmental groups have also expressed concern that the announcement could serve as a reputational tool, allowing the company to appear aligned with energy transition goals while continuing high levels of oil and gas production. ExxonMobil has faced ongoing criticism over its lobbying record and past delays in embracing renewable energy.

Barriers and Uncertainties Ahead

Despite the positive headlines, several hurdles remain. For example, the synthetic graphite market is highly competitive, and pricing pressure from natural sources remains a factor. Regulatory alignment, especially for battery materials used in vehicles sold in the EU and UK, may require third-party certification and data disclosure.

ExxonMobil also acknowledged risks around market timing and tax incentives. In a recent comment about its hydrogen and ammonia plans, Woods warned that changing government policy could create uncertainty for long-term investment.

“We can’t do it on charity,” he said, referring to the limited duration of US tax credits under recent legislation.

Even so, the company appears to be betting that its scale, technical experience, and control of the supply chain will allow it to succeed where others have struggled.

What Does This Mean For Your Organisation?

What happens next depends on how effectively ExxonMobil can scale up production and prove the performance gains it is promising. If the material lives up to expectations, it could give battery manufacturers and vehicle makers access to a more stable, domestic supply of high-performance anode material, especially in markets looking to reduce dependence on China. That includes the UK, where securing critical minerals and battery components has become a growing concern for both government and industry. A reliable source of synthetic graphite with lower volatility and consistent quality could support EV production, battery research, and even domestic energy storage projects.

For UK firms involved in automotive manufacturing, advanced materials, or clean energy systems, this may open up opportunities for new partnerships or supply arrangements, particularly if ExxonMobil’s product proves compatible with emerging battery chemistries. At the same time, UK businesses developing their own alternatives will likely face growing competition from larger, vertically integrated players able to produce materials at scale and integrate them into existing logistics and refining networks.

ExxonMobil’s move appears to signal that legacy energy companies are looking for viable routes into clean tech supply chains without abandoning their core expertise. Whether this is seen as genuine innovation or simply an extension of fossil-based operations will depend on the transparency of the data that follows. If the environmental claims can be substantiated and the product delivers on cost and performance, it may set a new standard for what synthetic graphite can do. If not, the gap between energy transition rhetoric and reality may widen even further.

Either way, the development adds some momentum to an increasingly strategic part of the EV supply chain. For governments, manufacturers, and consumers alike, a more competitive graphite market could bring welcome improvements in performance, pricing, and resilience. However, it will also bring new questions about sustainability, transparency, and where the true value in the battery industry really lies.

Sustainability-In-Tech : Town Heated by World’s Largest Sand Battery

Posted on by Paul Stradling

A small municipality in Finland is switching off fossil fuels and switching on a new era of green heating, thanks to an innovative sand-based energy storage system.

Pornainen Turns to Thermal Storage to Ditch Oil and Gas

The Finnish town of Pornainen, just over an hour from Helsinki, has become the first community to heat its buildings entirely using a sand battery, officially the world’s largest of its kind. Developed by clean-tech startup Polar Night Energy, the sand-filled system went live in early 2025 and now powers the district heating network serving the town’s 5,000 residents.

Heating Bills Slashed and Fossil Fuels Replaced

Crucially, the project slashes heating emissions by an estimated 70 per cent and replaces imported fossil fuels with stored renewable energy. According to Polar Night Energy’s COO, Liisa Naskali, “This project is a powerful example that effective solutions for mitigating climate change do exist. Combustion is not a sustainable option for the climate or the environment.”

How a Sand Battery Actually Works

At the heart of the system is a 13-metre-tall, 15-metre-wide insulated steel silo filled with 2,000 tonnes of crushed soapstone, an industrial by-product similar to sand. The sand battery stores thermal energy, not electricity. During periods of high renewable electricity availability e.g., such as windy or sunny days, clean power is routed to a resistive air heater, which warms air to around 600°C. That hot air is then circulated through pipes embedded in the sand, storing energy as heat.

How It Works

The silo’s insulation is key and once charged, Polar Night Energy says the sand can retain its high temperature for weeks, or even months, with only minor heat loss. When heating is needed, cooler air is pumped through the silo, absorbing heat from the sand and passing it through a heat exchanger. This warms water for the town’s district heating system, which supplies homes, businesses, and even public buildings such as swimming pools.

Charging the system from ambient temperature takes several days, but in reality, the battery is topped up continually from available surplus energy. This means it rarely cools fully, enabling more efficient long-term performance.

Heating for a Week (Or a Month) On One Charge

The Pornainen sand battery has a power output of around 1 MW and a total energy storage capacity of 100 MWh. Polar Night Energy estimates that’s enough to heat the entire town for a week during winter, or up to a month in summer when demand is lower. In a cold Nordic climate heavily reliant on heating, that’s a significant step.

This installation builds on an earlier, smaller 2022 pilot by the company in Kankaanpää. That earlier model had just one-tenth the capacity of the Pornainen system and served as a proof of concept. Now, Polar Night Energy is scaling up, with further deployments under discussion across Finland and other European nations.

Emissions and Efficiency Gains

According to the town’s heating provider, Loviisan Lämpö, the sand battery will reduce the use of oil by 100 per cent and cut consumption of wood chips (the previous main heat source) by 60 per cent. This is expected to save around 160 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year, a major environmental gain for such a small town.

The battery also contributes to energy security by reducing reliance on imported fossil fuels and improving resilience during energy price spikes. With around 50 per cent of Europe’s final energy consumption still used for heating (most of it fossil-fuel-based), thermal energy storage could play a crucial role in decarbonisation strategies.

Thermal Efficiency Higher Than Chemical Batteries

Round-trip thermal efficiency of the sand battery is reported to be around 85–90 per cent, significantly higher than many chemical battery systems. While it cannot return energy to the grid as electricity (yet), a pilot project is underway to develop a Power-to-Heat-to-Power (P2H2P) version by 2026, which would allow stored heat to be converted back into power during peak demand periods.

Who It’s For?

The sand battery is primarily targeted at district heating providers, industrial users, and large buildings or campuses. Applications include heating water for municipal systems, generating hot air for industrial drying or manufacturing, and producing process steam for sectors such as chemicals, food production, or pharmaceuticals.

It’s also suitable for facilities aiming to participate in grid balancing or reserve energy markets. The system can adjust its charging rate to respond to energy price changes or availability, using AI-based optimisation, an approach developed with telecoms provider Elisa.

Sand Means It’s Scalable

Also, because sand is cheap, abundant, and not in demand for construction, the system is also highly scalable and cost-effective. “We aim to provide a viable alternative to fossil fuels without introducing new dependencies,” said co-founder Markku Ylönen.

Competitors and Comparisons

It’s worth noting here that Polar Night Energy isn’t the only company exploring thermal energy storage. For example, German firm Kraftblock uses a proprietary granulate material to store heat at temperatures of up to 1,300°C for industrial processes. Also, in the US, Antora Energy has developed carbon-block-based thermal storage to power industrial operations, while Siemens Gamesa has experimented with volcanic rock as a medium for grid-scale storage in Hamburg.

However, sand, or in this case, crushed soapstone, offers a unique combination of affordability, local availability, and self-insulating properties. It’s also inert, safe, and non-toxic, making it suitable for use near residential areas.

Compared to lithium-ion batteries, which degrade over time and require mining of critical materials, sand batteries have far lower lifecycle impacts and do not face the same safety concerns. That said, they are limited to heat-based applications and cannot directly power electrical appliances or vehicles.

Challenges and Criticisms

One of the main criticisms of thermal storage systems is that they don’t address all aspects of the energy transition, particularly where electricity, rather than heat, is the end use. Converting heat back into power is possible but involves efficiency losses and greater technical complexity.

There are also infrastructure constraints. Not all towns have district heating networks in place and retrofitting them can be costly and disruptive. In the UK, for example, the dominance of individual gas boilers and a lack of widespread district heating limits immediate applicability.

Another concern is scalability. While sand batteries are modular and cost-effective at medium scale, it remains to be seen whether they can fully replace existing heating systems in large urban areas or high-density cities.

That said, advocates argue that sand batteries are not a silver bullet but a strategic piece of the puzzle. “Of course, we alone cannot solve the whole problem of climate change,” said Liisa Naskali. “But we need different solutions, and our sand battery is one of them.”

What Does This Mean For Your Organisation?

For now, the technology remains most viable in towns or industrial zones with established district heating systems, but its potential reach is growing. As more renewable electricity becomes available and the need for long-duration storage intensifies, thermal solutions like sand batteries are likely to gain traction. What makes Pornainen’s example compelling is that it shows how even a small town can take meaningful climate action using infrastructure that is low-cost, low-maintenance, and relatively simple to integrate.

For UK businesses, particularly those involved in manufacturing, utilities, or large-scale building management, sand-based thermal storage could offer a new route to decarbonisation. While domestic adoption faces barriers due to the limited rollout of district heating, commercial and industrial users may find opportunities to cut fuel costs and emissions by incorporating heat storage alongside renewable generation. Energy-intensive sites with processes that rely on steam or hot air could benefit most immediately, especially where peak demand or volatile energy pricing creates operational risks.

There’s also a clear advantage in terms of supply chain resilience. For example, by using abundant, non-toxic materials and sidestepping the rare minerals used in conventional batteries, sand storage avoids many of the geopolitical and environmental concerns linked to lithium and cobalt. Also, for those designing future-ready infrastructure, the option to add electricity recovery later may future-proof investments made today.

While sand batteries won’t replace all forms of energy storage, they do challenge the assumption that high-tech solutions must always rely on complex chemistry or cutting-edge electronics. In an energy landscape that needs diversity and flexibility, simplicity might turn out to be one of the most powerful tools we have.

Sustainability-In-Tech : New Diamond Battery Could Power Devices for Thousands of Years

Posted on by Paul Stradling

Scientists and engineers from the University of Bristol and the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) developed the world’s first carbon-14 diamond battery with the potential to power devices for thousands of years.

Pioneering Collaboration and Vision

This (world-first) cutting-edge innovation could dramatically transform sectors ranging from medicine to space exploration by providing a durable, long-lasting, and sustainable energy solution.

The development of the carbon-14 diamond battery was spearheaded by researchers at the University of Bristol and UKAEA. Their collaboration combined expertise in materials science and fusion energy to create a battery capable of producing continuous power over millennia. The project also benefited from funding through the European Space Agency’s Discovery Programme, under the Open Space Innovation Platform.

Battery Powered by Radioactive Nuclear Energy By-Product

The batteries are grown using a purpose-built plasma deposition rig (a machine that deposits thin material layers using controlled plasma) located at UKAEA’s Culham Campus near Oxford. The carbon-14 isotope (a by-product of nuclear reactors), is extracted from graphite blocks, making the process an innovative way to repurpose nuclear waste.

Similar to How Solar Panels Work

At the heart of this battery is the radioactive isotope carbon-14, widely recognised for its use in radiocarbon dating. As the carbon-14 undergoes radioactive decay, it emits high-energy electrons. These electrons are captured and converted into electricity by a synthetic diamond layer that functions as a semiconductor.

The technology is similar to how solar panels work, which transform light particles (photons) into electricity. In this case, however, the diamond battery captures energy from fast-moving electrons within its structure. This design ensures a steady, low-power output over an extraordinarily long period. With carbon-14’s half-life of 5,700 years, the potential operational lifespan of the battery spans several millennia.

Applications and Benefits

The promise of the carbon-14 diamond battery lies in its versatility and endurance. As Professor Tom Scott from the University of Bristol points out, “Our micropower technology can support a whole range of important applications from space technologies and security devices through to medical implants.”

Just some of exciting possible applications for the revolutionary new battery include:

Medical devices. Biocompatible diamond batteries could revolutionise medical technology, powering devices like pacemakers, hearing aids, and ocular implants. This would significantly reduce the need for invasive replacements, alleviating discomfort for patients and cutting healthcare costs.

Space exploration. The diamond battery’s durability makes it ideal for powering spacecraft and communication equipment. For instance, it could sustain satellites like Voyager 1 for thousands of years, far outlasting conventional power sources such as plutonium-238 batteries, which have a half-life of just 87.7 years.

Extreme environments. These batteries could also function effectively in extreme conditions, such as deep-sea exploration or remote Arctic regions, where replacing power sources is impractical.

Security and tracking. They could power active radio frequency (RF) tags to track and identify devices both on Earth and in space for decades, providing a cost-effective and reliable solution.

Sustainability and Safety

In addition to the many possible applications, Sarah Clark, Director of Tritium Fuel Cycle at UKAEA, has highlighted the sustainability and safety of the technology, stating, “Diamond batteries offer a safe, sustainable way to provide continuous microwatt levels of power.”

Unique Features and Sustainability

The use of carbon-14 not only provides unparalleled longevity but also addresses the challenge of nuclear waste. Extracting carbon-14 from discarded graphite blocks repurposes radioactive material that would otherwise require long-term storage.

Also, the shortwave radiation emitted by carbon-14 is fully absorbed by the diamond casing, ensuring safety. When the battery eventually reaches the end of its lifespan (thousands of years from now) it can be recycled, further enhancing its sustainability.

Challenges and Considerations

Despite its immense potential, the carbon-14 diamond battery is not without limitations. Currently, its power output is relatively low, measured in microwatts, making it unsuitable for high-energy applications. As the University of Bristol’s Professor Scott says, “The decade ahead is about improving power performance and upscaling production.”

There are also questions surrounding the scalability of the technology for widespread commercial use. For example, producing these batteries in large quantities will require further advancements in materials science and engineering.

Critics have also pointed out the need for rigorous testing to ensure the long-term safety and reliability of the technology, particularly in sensitive applications like medical implants. However, given its robust design and secure encasement, the battery has thus far demonstrated excellent promise.

Future Outlook

That said, the successful creation of this carbon-14 diamond battery appears to mark a very positive and transformative step in energy innovation and sustainability. By harnessing the expertise gained from fusion energy research, the University of Bristol and UKAEA have unlocked a technology with the potential to redefine how we power devices in the most challenging environments.

What Does This Mean for Your Organisation?

The development of this carbon-14 diamond battery appears to be a remarkable innovation, promising a blend of sustainability and longevity that could transform various industries. Its potential applications, from medical devices to space exploration, highlight a future where power sources last not just years but millennia. This longevity could reduce the environmental and economic burden of frequent battery replacements, particularly in critical applications where reliability is paramount, and where distance or risk prohibits battery replacement activity, e.g., in space.

Also, the battery’s ability to repurpose nuclear waste fits nicely with global efforts to address sustainability challenges. By extracting carbon-14 from discarded graphite blocks, the technology converts a problematic by-product into a valuable energy source, demonstrating the power of circular economy principles. The recyclability of the diamond casing also adds to its eco-friendly design.

While challenges remain, particularly in scaling production and enhancing power output, the strides made so far show the ingenuity and vision of the scientific community. As this technology evolves, its promise to deliver clean, reliable, and sustainable energy could redefine how we approach powering our world.

Sustainability-in-Tech : Ultra-Fast Charging Sodium Battery Developed

Posted on by Paul Stradling

Research by a team of doctoral candidates, supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea, has resulted in the development of an ultrahigh-energy density and fast-rechargeable hybrid sodium-ion battery.

Why? 

As highlighted in the published research paper, there is now an increasing demand for low-cost electrochemical energy storage devices with high energy-density for prolonged operation on a single charge and fast-chargeable power density. These are needed to meet a wide range of applications from mobile electronic devices to electric vehicles.

Sodium-Ion Batteries 

Sodium is approximately 1000 times more abundant than lithium, making sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) potentially more sustainable. Also, since Sodium can be sourced from seawater and other abundant minerals, this reduces the environmental impact associated with mining (a significant issue with lithium sourcing). This could also mean lower costs in producing SIBs – they are a more cost-effective solution than lithium-ion batteries.

Challenges 

However, as noted by the researchers, SIBs have “slow redox-reaction kinetics,” which results in poor rechargeability due to their low power density, although they provide a relatively high energy density.  However, another sodium-ion battery option, sodium-ion capacitors (SICs), have high power density due to charge storage via fast surface ion adsorptions but extremely low energy density.

A Hybrid

Bearing in mind the strengths and limitations of both SIBs and SICs, the researchers’ answer was to develop a hybrid version of the two with newly developed anode and cathode materials. The researchers described these new materials as “a low-crystallinity multivalence iron sulfide-embedded S-doped carbon/graphene (FS/C/G) anode and a ZIF-derived porous carbon (ZDPC) cathode of 3D porous N-rich graphitic carbon frameworks.” 

The Result 

The result was the development of a high-performance hybrid sodium-ion energy storage device (a battery) which surpasses the energy density of commercial lithium-ion batteries and has the characteristics of supercapacitors’ power density. In other words, a high-energy, high-power hybrid sodium-ion battery that can charge in just a couple of seconds.

Applications 

Clearly, this development could have a number of applications, not least for EVs. The development of a high-energy, high-power hybrid sodium-ion battery could be particularly advantageous in addressing the cost, environmental, and safety concerns associated with current lithium-ion batteries in EVs.

What Does This Mean For Your Business? 

This sounds like a breakthrough in overcoming the main limitations of sodium-ion batteries. Although it’s one piece of research, the combination of adding new materials to the anode and cathode with a hybrid of SICs and SIBs appears to have created a potentially cheaper, more environmentally friendly, and better performing replacement for lithium-ion batteries.

More research and investment will be needed to fully explore and develop the idea, but it is a promising development in terms of its potential to provide a boost to the flagging EV market. The fact that this new battery can charge in seconds and offers high energy density for prolonged operation means it could tackle challenges like range-anxiety and reduce worries about the availability of an effective charging network in the UK. A cheaper battery may also mean lower prices for EVs which could also provide a boost to the market. This breakthrough (although it needs more exploration) could prove to be a big leap forward that could have a positive impact on many industries as well as helping to reduce environmental damage (no need for lithium mining).

That said, it could be not-so-welcome news for countries that have recently discovered potentially lucrative large lithium deposits, e.g. the US (at the McDermitt Caldera), Iran (Qahavand Plain), Nigeria, and India (the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir).

Tech Tip – Optimise Power Plans For Your Battery Life

Posted on by Paul Stradling

Windows allows users to customise or switch between different power plans based on their current needs, balancing performance with energy consumption. This is especially useful for laptop users who may need to maximise battery life or require full performance during intensive tasks. Here’s how works:

– Right-click on the battery icon in the taskbar and select Power Options, or search for “Edit Power Plan” in the Start menu.

– Here, you can switch between pre-defined plans such as Balanced, Power saver, or High performance.

– Customise these plans or create your own by modifying settings like screen brightness, sleep timers, and processor power management.

Sustainability-in-Tech : New £4 Billion EV Battery Factory in Somerset

Posted on by Paul Stradling

Tata Group’s global battery business ‘Agratas’ has confirmed previous announcements that it will invest £4bn in a brownfield site near Bridgwater in Somerset to make it the UK’s biggest electric vehicle (EV) battery manufacturing facility.

Somerset To Be Centre Of UK’s Green Energy Revolution

Somerset Council has reported that the Agratas factory should create up to 4,000 jobs and many more as part of the supply chain and will, “put Somerset at the centre of the UK’s green energy revolution with the potential to kick-start countywide and regional economic growth and jobs”. 

The Leader of Somerset Council described the Agratas EV battery factory plans, which could see Somerset become the UK’s biggest producer of electric vehicle (EV) batteries, as “momentous and of global significance”. 

The EV factory will be built on the old Royal Ordnance Factory site, once a major employer in the area until its decommissioning in 2008. It’s been reported that the Agratas factory will be smaller, taking only 50 per cent of the land but should, by the early 2030s (production will begin in 2026), have the capacity to produce 40GWh of battery cells annually – half the EV battery manufacturing capacity for the UK’s automotive sector (enough batteries for 500,000 passenger vehicles). It’s understood that JLR and (not surprisingly) Agratas will be the first customers for the batteries.

Residents 

Agratas says it’s informing the thousands of residents around Puriton of its plans via a leaflet through the door, provision of a community WhatsApp channel for progress updates, and an introductory event in the coming weeks.

Agratas – Clean And Green Operations 

Agratas says the “world-class gigafactories” it’s building in India and now the UK unlock green growth opportunities for global customers, that it has a “sustainability-first approach” and that its operations are “accelerating the global transition to net zero.”  

Agratas points out that it’s not just the contribution of the product that will help with the climate crisis. It’s also keen to highlight how its factories (like the one to be built in Puriton, Somerset) are designed to be powered by clean sources of electricity and should include a purpose-built renewable energy plant, thereby supporting its goal of 100 per cent clean power across all its operations. In terms of a nearby (renewable) energy plant, it’s worth noting that the Somerset factory site is only 15 miles from Hinkley point nuclear power station.

Challenges 

In addition to other challenges, The United Kingdom’s ambition to be a leader in the electric vehicle (EV) market has been somewhat hampered by its lack of domestic battery manufacturing facilities (known as gigafactories). This gap has posed significant challenges and implications for the UK’s automotive industry and its transition to electric mobility, e.g. supply chain vulnerability, competitiveness and investment attraction, job creation and economic growth, meeting its environmental targets, and more.

The confirmation that a major EV battery gigafactory will be sited here has, therefore, been greeted enthusiastically by the UK government and those involved in the EV industry.

What Does This Mean For Your Organisation? 

Building an EV battery gigafactory in Somerset in the UK is likely to bring many important benefits. These include countrywide and regional economic growth and jobs – 4,000 new high-skilled green tech jobs. Also, the fact that Agratas will work with local and regional partners (e.g. Somerset Council, Bridgwater and Taunton College, and the wider Gravity Smart Campus) will mean bespoke education and training programmes with the promise of high-value local jobs for local people in the future. Also, the UK’s ambition to be a major player in the EV market will be well-served by having a battery factory here, and this will boost EV production in the UK, attract manufacturers and investment, and boost the economy.

On the green and sustainability front, the fact that Agratas has a sustainability-first approach and plans to use clean sources of electricity are clearly likely to be attractive. For residents in the Bridgwater area, which also has the first in a new generation of nuclear power stations (Hinkley Point C) being built just a few miles down the road, the EV battery site will contribute even more to the massive boost that the local economy has received in recent years.

All that said, for many people in the UK, there is still the downward pressure of a cost-of-living crisis taking priority over decisions to purchase expensive electric vehicles that don’t yet have anything more than what many would describe as a barely adequate charging network in place. Also, despite the EV factory’s sustainability and environmental focus, it should be remembered that there is still an environmental cost being paid in the mining, production, and transportation of materials including lithium, cobalt, and nickel for EV batteries, not to mention the scarcity of such materials.

Sustainability-in-Tech : The Battery ‘Domino’ Effect That Could Help Us Hit Climate Goals

Posted on by Paul Stradling

A report by the Rocky Mountain Institute highlights how a domino effect of surging battery demand could put global climate goals within reach by enabling a 22 Gigatons per year reduction in CO2 emission.

The Surge in Battery Demand – A Domino Effect

The report suggests that the world is witnessing a shift in energy dynamics due to the exponential growth in battery demand, due to a phenomenon driven by what it describes as a “domino effect” that will cascade from country to country and sector to sector.

The report highlights how this unprecedented battery demand isn’t just a trend and could be a critical enabler in significantly contributing to the abatement of transport and power emissions and (hopefully) the phaseout of half of the global fossil fuel demand. The assertion is that this domino effect of battery demand could be the thing that sets the world on a clear trajectory towards achieving over 60 per cent of the necessary milestones for a zero-carbon energy system.

The S-Curve of Battery Growth

The Rocky Mountain Institute report highlights how, central to understanding this shift, is the S-curve pattern of battery demand. Imagining an ‘S’ (on its side a as a graph illustrating the growth of battery demand), the curve begins slowly, accelerates sharply, then levels off. The report explains that this is because:

– Battery sales have been doubling every two to three years and by 2030, sales are expected to increase by six to eight times, potentially reaching 5.5-8 TWh (terawatt-hours) per year.

– The costs of making each battery will decrease as production increases – for every doubling of production, costs are projected to fall by 19 to 29 per cent.

– As well as cost reduction, battery quality will improve. For example, battery energy density (power stored for their size) is expected to increase by 7 to 18 per cent each time production doubles. By 2030, therefore, top batteries may store as much as 600-800 Wh/kg (watt-hours per kilogram).

– The report highlights that the above effects could mean that by 2030, battery cell costs may have fallen to $32-54 per kWh, making them much more affordable and efficient.

The “Domino Effect” (Across Sectors and Geographies) 

The domino effect of battery demand and usage that the report talks about refers to how once new battery technology is successful, it jumps sectors as well as geographies. For example, initially rooted in consumer electronics, battery technology then expanded into motorbikes, buses, and cars. Its current trajectory is towards stationary electricity storage, road haulage, and eventually, short-haul ships and planes by 2030. Geographically, the effect mirrors this sectoral spread. For example, after gaining momentum in early adopter nations, battery technology is now being rapidly adopted in major markets like China, Europe, the United States, Southeast Asia, and India.

The Largest Clean Tech Market Emerges 

This explosive growth in battery demand has catalysed the most significant capacity ramp-up since World War II. The race to the top has led to the construction of 400 ‘gigafactories’, capable of producing 9 TWh of batteries annually by 2030!

This development has propelled the battery market to become the largest clean tech market, surpassing combined investments in solar and wind power.

Impact on Fossil Fuel Demand and Climate Goals 

If the figures highlighted in the report come to fruition, the implications for fossil fuel demand are, of course, likely to be profound. It could mean, for example, that batteries are poised to replace significant portions of fossil fuel demand in electricity (175 EJ) and road transport (86 EJ), while also challenging the remaining demand in shipping and aviation (23 EJ). If this shift occurs at this scale, it could be pivotal in reducing global emissions by 22 Gigatons of CO2 per year, thereby representing a significant leap towards meeting global energy-related emissions targets.

Challenges and Opportunities Ahead 

Despite the promise highlighted in the report, challenges remain. Stressed supply chains and the need for sustainable raw material sourcing are likely to be critical concerns. Also, building the infrastructure for a battery-dominated energy system looks like it’s a monumental task that will require consistent innovation and investment. That said, the ongoing efforts of companies, governments, researchers, and climate advocates, plus the fact that serious progress has to be made in reducing global CO2 emissions (to keep below 1.5°C of warming) are likely to mean that these challenges could be overcome.

It’s Not All Positive 

Some of the other major challenges caused by a huge surge in demand for (and production) that the report doesn’t talk much about include :

– The environmental damage from mining. Extracting raw materials like lithium and cobalt can cause habitat destruction, water pollution, and soil erosion.

– Supply chain risks. For example, although the report sees a domino effect of battery adoption across many countries, there is still likely to be a reliance on a few countries for critical materials which raises geopolitical and supply chain concerns, particularly with materials sourced under conditions of environmental or social harm.

– The considerable carbon footprint of battery manufacturing. Battery production is energy-intensive and, if powered by fossil fuels, contributes to carbon emissions.

– Massive recycling and waste management issues. Disposing of (and recycling) rapidly increasing numbers of batteries could pose environmental and health risks due to toxic materials. Current recycling rates are low, and processes can be costly.

– The scarcity of resources. Increased demand for materials like lithium and cobalt could lead to scarcity and higher prices.

– The social and economic impacts of shifts in job markets, particularly in regions dependent on fossil fuel industries, will require new skills and training.

– Transportation hazards from moving large quantities of batteries, e.g. fire and chemical spill hazards.

– Market oversaturation risks. Overproduction could lead to economic challenges in the battery industry.

Mitigation efforts will, therefore, need to include sustainable mining, improved recycling, responsible supply chain management, and development of less environmentally impactful battery technologies – something which is still very much in the research stage.

What Does This Mean For Your Organisation? 

The battery revolution outlined in the report could have significant and broad implications for all kinds of businesses and other organisations. This shift presents a unique opportunity for businesses to be at the forefront of a sustainable future. Adopting battery technology could lead to a significant reduction in carbon footprints, offering a pathway to meet environmental goals and adhere to increasingly stringent regulations. Beyond compliance, it may also open avenues for innovation in product development, energy management, and operational efficiency.

This rapidly evolving energy landscape, however, will require organisations to reassess their supply chain strategies and the surge in battery demand implies a need for more robust and sustainable supply networks. Businesses will, therefore, need to ensure a stable supply of materials, potentially reconfiguring sourcing and manufacturing processes to accommodate the growing battery market. This could involve forming new partnerships and investing in technologies that align with the shift towards renewable energy sources.

Also, companies may need to invest in (or partner with) entities for charging infrastructure and energy storage solutions. This investment may not be just a cost but an opportunity to be part of an emerging market that is set to outpace traditional energy sectors.

For organisations in the energy sector, we appear to be at a pivotal moment to move towards clean technologies. The battery market, now overshadowing solar and wind investments, presents new opportunities for growth and innovation. Energy companies could leverage their expertise and resources to lead in battery technology and storage solutions, carving out a significant role in the new energy ecosystem.

This transition to batteries will also bring challenges for workforce skills and knowledge. Organisations will need to invest in training and development to equip their workforce with the necessary skills to navigate the changing technological landscape. This will include an understanding of battery technologies, renewable energy systems, and the accompanying intricacies of new regulatory and market environments.

The change, of course, isn’t likely to be confined to the energy sector alone. Industries like automotive (already with EVs), transportation, and manufacturing are directly impacted and will need to adapt their business models. This might involve transitioning fleets to electric vehicles, rethinking logistics based on battery storage capacities, or redesigning products to be more energy efficient.

Organisations will also have a role to play in shaping policy and public opinion. Collaborative efforts with governments, research institutions, and environmental groups could help in advocating for favourable policies, incentivising renewable energy adoption, and educating the public about the benefits of this transition.

The battery revolution suggested in this report isn’t just a shift in energy preference but a comprehensive change in how businesses will need to operate, innovate, and grow. Being part of a sustainable future will require proactive adaptation, strategic planning, and collaborative efforts. Organisations that embrace this change will not only contribute to a greener planet but also position themselves competitively in a world increasingly driven by clean technology.