Author: Alessandro Tedeschi Gallo (DBL)

Engaging with industry stakeholders, policy makers, and the larger scientific community ensures that research pertaining to technology and innovation reaches the appropriate audience and build a strong network of stakeholders. Additionally, this encourages cooperation and the adoption of creative ideas. The BATMACHINE project participated in a number of events in the past months to highlight its achievements to date and to contribute to conversations about sustainability and the direction of battery production.

In this regard, BATMACHINE engaged in two events: the LOLABAT Final Conference, and the Battery Heroes 2.0 Sustainability Working Group. Finally, project Coordinator VUB organised an Internal Workshop for Safe and Sustainable Design. Each of these activities provided a valuable platform for sharing BATMACHINE’s work on advanced battery manufacturing machinery and sustainable practices.

LOLABAT Final Conference: Exploring Sustainable Solutions for Battery Manufacturing

The BATMACHINE team was invited to attend the LOLABAT Final Conference, where the achievements of the LOLABAT project were presented. This event highlighted the research and results that LOLABAT achieved in the duration of the project.

BATMACHINE coordinator, VUB, also joined in a roundtable discussion focused on Battery Technology and Sustainable Material Solutions. The discussion covered essential topics such as the production, recycling, and supply chain management of batteries within the EU. This exchange of ideas aligns closely with BATMACHINE’s mission of driving sustainability and innovation in battery manufacturing machinery.

BATMACHINE Internal Workshop for Safe and Sustainable Design

BATMACHINE recently organised an internal workshop for its Consortium partners focused on the technical aspects of safe and sustainable design in lithium battery manufacturing. The 45-minute session aimed to provide partners with sustainable by-design guidelines, grounded in current standards and regulations, to support the machinery design process. Key topics included a presentation on the state-of-the-art in cell manufacturing, examining its environmental, social, and economic dimensions. Additionally, the workshop featured an environmental and cost assessment of the Pomega cell production line, with potential insights into Leclanché’s production process. A public version of the presentation may be shared at a later stage.

Battery Heroes 2.0 Sustainability Working Group

INEGI, who leads the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for the GIGAGREEN project, hosted two workshops as part of the Battery Heroes Cluster activities. Comprising seven EU-funded projects, including BATMACHINE, the sessions focused on common Life Cycle Assessment challenges, particularly the difficulty in accessing primary data from battery material suppliers.

To address this, participants suggested using benchmark environmental impacts to facilitate data sharing. The workshops also led to the creation of the Battery Heroes Working Group, which aims to harmonise LCA methodologies and align them with the European Commission’s Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) standards.

A Network in battery manufacturing

Through the participation in the LOLABAT Final Conference, the Battery Heroes 2.0 working group, and our internal workshop on safe and sustainable design, BATMACHINE continues to showcase its work and relevance within the battery manufacturing sector.

Moreover, these events not only help disseminate the project’s activities, but also provide a platform for the Consortium to engage with key stakeholders. As a result, these efforts greatly contribute to enabling a more sustainable and resilient battery production ecosystem.

Stay tuned for more updates on the BATMACHINE activities!