{"id":444938,"date":"2023-05-06T07:30:00","date_gmt":"2023-05-06T05:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/innovationorigins.com\/?p=444938"},"modified":"2023-05-06T07:30:00","modified_gmt":"2023-05-06T05:30:00","slug":"how-the-european-battery-alliance-is-driving-decarbonization-in-europe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/en\/how-the-european-battery-alliance-is-driving-decarbonization-in-europe\/","title":{"rendered":"How the European Battery Alliance is driving decarbonization in Europe"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><em>The global battery market is booming. Boosted by the fast development of electric driving, consumer electronics, and storage for off-grid and microgrid systems, the industry has developed rapidly worldwide. In many cases, government policies and incentives have augmented these developments. In a 3-part series, we examine the European contributions to this trend and the role of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eba250.com\/\">European Battery Alliance<\/a> (EBA). In part 2, Thore Sekkenes, EBA250 Programme Director at <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.innoenergy.com\/\"><em>EIT InnoEnergy<\/em><\/a><em>, explains the achievements and ambitions of the EBA.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-thumbnail is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/archive.ioplus.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/battery-series-2-354x341.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-444894\" width=\"88\" height=\"85\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The European Battery Alliance, representing a group of over 750 organizations, is calling for an upgrade to Europe\u2019s battery chain ambitions. \u201cMoreover, it has the plan to deliver on them\u201d, says Thore Sekkenes, EBA250 Programme Director at EIT InnoEnergy. \u201cDespite our achievements since our start in 2017, gaps remain for fully deploying a resilient end-to-end battery industry. Addressing these will further support the EU\u2019s decarbonization and provide even more opportunities within the industry.\u201d The supply chain disruptions experienced during the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine have made the need for resilient industrial value chains for the EU\u2019s economic growth, decarbonization, and strategic autonomy ever more pressing, Sekkenes says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The European battery market is booming. The double-digit growth rate in electric driving indicates the entire battery value chain in the EU and can, in part, be attributed to the role of the European Battery Alliance (EBA). Launched in 2017 under the auspices of European Commission Vice President Maro\u0161 \u0160ef\u010dovi\u010d and driven by EIT InnoEnergy, the EBA\u2019s mission is to create a competitive and sustainable battery cell manufacturing value chain in Europe. (<em>see our first article [LINK] for more background on the role of the Battery Alliance<\/em>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Five years of the European Battery Alliance<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In total, more than 180 industrial battery projects are being developed in the EU, with 47 in the battery cells segment. Sekkenes: \u201cThanks in large part to the EBA\u2019s work, the EU is set to meet 69% and 89% of its increasing demand for batteries by 2025 and 2030, respectively, and will be capable of producing batteries for up to 11 million cars per year.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There is more to bolster the EBA director\u2019s pride, also financially. Two multi-billion Euro Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEIs) have been initiated. Under the Horizon Europe program, \u20ac160 million was allocated to battery research in 2021, with some \u20ac925 million earmarked in the EU budget up to 2027. \u201cAlthough it is a good problem to have, the EBA is ahead of its plan for 2025 that we set in 2017. Back then, we predicted \u20ac250 billion of new annual GDP and 400 GWh of cell manufacturing capacity committed by 2025. By 2021, the total level of investment along the battery value chain amounted to \u20ac127 billion already. An additional investment of \u20ac382 billion is expected to create a self-sufficient battery industry by 2030. The resulting aim is to have Europe capable of supporting 1,000 GWh of demand across mobility, energy storage systems, last-mile solutions, and other sectors by that time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sekkenes says it is through these achievements that the EBA has established itself as the model of industrial strategy in Europe, being replicated in other countries and sectors. \u201cThe work has also driven a mindset change in Europe and fostered further public-private collaboration.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Bridging the gaps<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As part of its call to raise ambitions for Europe\u2019s battery industry, the EBA250 recommends a set of priority actions to tackle the gaps found in both the upstream and downstream segments of the battery industry as well as much-needed training of the workforce. \u201cMining domestic raw materials, processing and refining, and production of active battery-grade materials remains an issue\u201d, Sekkenes adds. \u201cJust like we need to address the downstream scrap recycling. We can reintroduce high-quality recycled metals back into the EU supply chain.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"vlp-link-container vlp-layout-basic wp-block-visual-link-preview-link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/en\/how-the-european-battery-alliance-is-preparing-society-for-a-decarbonized-2030\/\" class=\"vlp-link\" title=\"How the European Battery Alliance is preparing society for a decarbonized 2030\"><\/a><div class=\"vlp-layout-zone-main\"><div class=\"vlp-block-0 vlp-link-title\">How the European Battery Alliance is preparing society for a decarbonized 2030<\/div><div class=\"vlp-block-1 vlp-link-summary\">The global battery market is booming. Boosted by the fast development of electric driving, consumer electronics, and storage for off-grid and microgrid systems, the industry &hellip; <a href=\"\">Continued<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>To reach that goal, implementing EU battery regulation is needed, he says. \u201cThe upcoming Battery Passport will set the standard for sustainable, traceable, and circular batteries in Europe, competitively positioning European battery companies. Stringent provisions must be made here, with special attention to the battery footprint. A swift adoption of relevant legislative provisions in the European Commission&#8217;s \u2018<a href=\"https:\/\/www.consilium.europa.eu\/nl\/policies\/green-deal\/fit-for-55-the-eu-plan-for-a-green-transition\/\">Fit for 55<\/a>\u2019 package will boost the demand for batteries to continue decarbonizing the transport system and accelerate towards a 100% renewable energy system.\u201d This includes measures supporting battery-based light and last-mile mobility, the rollout of charging infrastructure, emissions performance standards for cars and vans, facilitation of system integration, and stationary storage at the grid level and behind the meter.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On the financial side, the EBA looks at ways to enable private investments and boost access to public grants and how to de-risk investments in raw and processed battery materials. \u201cClarifying the status of mining and processing a sustainable finance taxonomy would be a big step, just like we want to have all battery-related activities qualified as Do No Significant Harm.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The workforce gap<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>On top of the industrial, regulatory, and financial gaps, Sekkenes also points to the growing need for a skilled workforce in all functions and at all levels. \u201cTo meet the needs of the industrial projects already in the pipeline, an estimated 800,000 workers will need to be trained or upskilled by 2025. To bridge this skills gap, we propose earmarking 2% of the European Social Fund budget to finance battery training programs in the next three years.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"vlp-link-container vlp-layout-basic wp-block-visual-link-preview-link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/en\/lithium-revolution-nobian-and-vulcan-aim-to-produce-lithium-hydroxide-for-batteries-in-a-zero-carbon-venture\/\" class=\"vlp-link\" title=\"Lithium revolution: Nobian and Vulcan aim to produce lithium hydroxide for batteries in a Zero-Carbon venture\"><\/a><div class=\"vlp-layout-zone-side\"><div class=\"vlp-block-2 vlp-link-image\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"vlp-layout-zone-main\"><div class=\"vlp-block-0 vlp-link-title\">Lithium revolution: Nobian and Vulcan aim to produce lithium hydroxide for batteries in a Zero-Carbon venture<\/div><div class=\"vlp-block-1 vlp-link-summary\">Nobian, a leader in essential chemicals, and Vulcan, an Australian mining company developing its world-first Zero Carbon Lithium and renewable energy project, have signed an &hellip; <a href=\"\">Continued<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>One of the ways to get there is through implementing the EBA Academy, a coordinated, pan-European effort to upskill and reskill key workers across the continent. The academy will cover many needed disciplines, from research and development to manufacturing, logistics, quality control, regulation, sales, and recycling. \u201cTo develop a skilled workforce, we collaborate to create specialized programs, courses, and apprenticeships that provide practical training in battery-related fields. Our reskilling and upskilling programs can help current workers transition to the battery industry, addressing potential labor shortages and fostering a competitive European battery market.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>We will look at the future in the next and final part of this series. How is the European Battery Alliance preparing society for a decarbonized 2030?<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The global battery market is booming. Boosted by the fast development of electric driving, consumer electronics, and storage for off-grid and microgrid systems, the industry has developed rapidly worldwide. In many cases, government policies and incentives have augmented these developments. In a 3-part series, we examine the European contributions to this trend and the role [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1568,"featured_media":495100,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"advgb_blocks_editor_width":"","advgb_blocks_columns_visual_guide":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[42],"tags":[77591,32638,77593,77597],"location":[66582],"article_type":[60595],"serie":[],"archives":[],"internal_archives":[],"reboot-archive":[],"class_list":["post-444938","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sustainability-nl","tag-eba","tag-eit-innoenergy","tag-european-battery-alliance","tag-thore-sekkenes","location-europe","article_type-analysis"],"blocksy_meta":[],"acf":{"subtitle":"Boosted by the development of electric driving and consumer electronics, the battery industry has grown rapidly. What\u2019s the role of the European Battery Alliance in this?","text_display_homepage":false},"author_meta":{"display_name":"Bart Brouwers","author_link":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/author\/brewbart\/"},"featured_img":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/brewbart_ursula_von_der_leyen_in_a_blue_dress_with_a_EU_flag_pr_9fb25ed1-b80c-4ebf-93e6-785c92e79a7c.png","coauthors":[],"tax_additional":{"categories":{"linked":["<a href=\"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/en\/category\/sustainability-nl\/\" class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Sustainability<\/a>"],"unlinked":["<span class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Sustainability<\/span>"]},"tags":{"linked":["<a href=\"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/en\/category\/sustainability-nl\/\" class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">EBA<\/a>","<a href=\"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/en\/category\/sustainability-nl\/\" class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">EIT InnoEnergy<\/a>","<a href=\"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/en\/category\/sustainability-nl\/\" class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">European Battery Alliance<\/a>","<a href=\"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/en\/category\/sustainability-nl\/\" class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Thore Sekkenes<\/a>"],"unlinked":["<span class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">EBA<\/span>","<span class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">EIT InnoEnergy<\/span>","<span class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">European Battery Alliance<\/span>","<span class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Thore Sekkenes<\/span>"]}},"comment_count":"0","relative_dates":{"created":"Posted 3 years ago","modified":"Updated 3 years ago"},"absolute_dates":{"created":"Posted on May 6, 2023","modified":"Updated on May 6, 2023"},"absolute_dates_time":{"created":"Posted on May 6, 2023 7:30 am","modified":"Updated on May 6, 2023 7:30 am"},"featured_img_caption":"","series_order":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/444938","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1568"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=444938"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/444938\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/495100"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=444938"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=444938"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=444938"},{"taxonomy":"location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/location?post=444938"},{"taxonomy":"article_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article_type?post=444938"},{"taxonomy":"serie","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/serie?post=444938"},{"taxonomy":"archives","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/archives?post=444938"},{"taxonomy":"internal_archives","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/internal_archives?post=444938"},{"taxonomy":"reboot-archive","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ioplus.nl\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/reboot-archive?post=444938"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}