BCI, CBI unveil 'innovation roadmap' for lead batteries to bolster US energy infrastructure

by John Shepherd
Research into advances in lead battery technology is already under way in the US, such as programmes at the Argonne National Lab. Now industry leaders have mapped out key areas for expanded research and greater use of lead batteries in energy storage to support US grid infrastructure. Photo: BCI
An ‘innovation roadmap’ highlighting how lead batteries can be more widely deployed to strengthen the energy sector infrastructure in the US has been launched by battery industry leaders.

The roadmap, produced by Battery Council International (BCI) and the Consortium for Battery Innovation (CBI), sets out key areas of research that offer opportunities for next-generation advanced lead batteries  and on which the industry can work with the US Department of Energy (DoE).

The move follows a pledge by President Joe Biden, earlier this year, to make "historic investments” in battery technologies and clean energy, with plans to boost federal R&D; investment programmes.

BCI executive vice-president Roger Miksad said the roadmap "is a call to arms for lead battery manufacturers, the DoE and the national laboratories to partner on collaborative research that takes science from the laboratory to the marketplace”.

'Significant performance'

CBI senior technical manager Dr Matt Raiford said: "This roadmap identifies key research areas that offer opportunities for the next generation of advanced lead batteries to deliver significant performance gains and to play and even greater role in the diverse energy mix that will power the nation’s grid.”

Thirteen areas of research identified to support the DoE include innovations in bipolar battery technology, additive modelling, pilot manufacturing and recycling.

According to US industry data, the lead battery industry has an annual economic impact of $26.3bn (£19bn), with more than 92,000 direct and indirect jobs across 38 states.
 
BCI said lead batteries, in addition to being "the most recycled product in the world… provide 60% of the global rechargeable energy storage market, and have significant potential for even better performance, to serve increasingly demanding requirements for vehicle electrification and the integration of renewable power to the electric grid”.

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