UK-based consortium seeks to develop prototype solid-state battery technology
MOU signed between Emerson & Renwick, Johnson Matthey, Faraday Institution, Britishvolt, Oxford University,
UK Battery Industrialization Center and University of Warwick.
A consortium of seven UK-based organizations signs a memorandum of
understanding to combine ambitions to develop world-leading, prototype solid-state battery technology, targeting
automotive applications.
Solid-state batteries offer significant potential advantages over conventional lithium-ion batteries and could be
transformational in meeting the UK’s net zero commitments through the electrification of transport. The successful
outcome of the collaboration would be to harness and industrialize UK academic capability to produce cells using
highly scalable manufacturing techniques that leapfrog the cost-effectiveness and performance achieved elsewhere.
The consortium comprises the following world-leading groups in battery research, development and
manufacturing:
- Faraday Institution – the UK’s independent institute for electrochemical energy storage research, which has led the
consortium’s formation and will lead its development.
- Britishvolt – the UK-based Gigaplant developer, with a site in NE England
- E+R (Emerson & Renwick) – a world leading designer of manufacturing equipment.
- Johnson Matthey – a global leader in sustainable technologies and the UK’s leading battery materials business.
- Oxford University – that leads the Faraday Institution’s solid-state battery project (SOLBAT) and provides the necessary scientific understanding to the consortium.
- UK Battery Industrialisation Centre – the pioneering battery manufacturing development facility to enable UK battery manufacturing scale-up and facilitate upskilling in the battery sector.
- WMG, University of Warwick – leaders in battery R&D and initial scale-up capability, as well as academic and apprenticeship skills development.
The preliminary design for a prototyping facility has been developed. Sources of funding are currently being sought.
Minister for Investment Lord Grimstone says, “Collaboration between industry, government and our world-leading
academic institutions is putting the UK at the forefront of global efforts to develop innovative automotive technologies,
such as solid-state batteries. “It is the work of our internationally-renowned research and development base, like those brought together by this
consortium, that will give us the tools needed to forge a strong and sustainable future for the automotive sector and
increase our contribution to combatting climate change.”
Solid-state batteries (SSBs) offer significant potential advantages over existing lithium-ion battery technologies,
including the ability to hold more charge for a given volume (leading to increased electric vehicle (EV) range) and
reduced costs of safety-management. Early deployment of SSBs is likely to be in consumer electronics, niche
automotive applications and unmanned aerospace, before being used in broader EV markets. The Faraday Institution
forecasts that, in 2030, SSBs are likely to take a 7% share of the global consumer electronics battery market and a 4% share of the EV battery market (Faraday Insight 5, 2020). Global SSB revenues from sales to EV manufacturers are
expected to reach $8 billion by 2030 (IDTechEx, June 2021) and then grow rapidly to 2040 and 2050 when the market
is expected to become extensive.
However, there are fundamental scientific challenges that need to be addressed before high-power SSBs with
commercially relevant performance can be realized. The Faraday Institution’s SOLBAT project has made considerable
progress in addressing these challenges over the last three years.
The construction of the one-of-a-kind facility being developed by the collaboration will enable SSB technology to emerge from UK university laboratories. It will allow larger cells to be produced using scalable manufacturing
techniques that will be improved iteratively through deep investigation of the causes of problems that emerge during
manufacture and testing of prototype batteries. This will leverage the collective knowledge of Faraday Institution SSB
researchers and the industrial partners.
Andrew C Jack, sales dir.-E&R Group, adds, “E&R Group is delighted to be contributing our world-renowned
engineering expertise working in partnership Faraday and the wider consortium on this exciting development for next-generation battery production for the UK.”