Supercapacitors are considered important energy storage devices that can complement batteries for various applications. While currently the electric double-layer capacitors (EDLCs) still dominate the market, their low energy density cannot satisfy the ever-increasing demand. The HEDAsupercap project aims at developing high energy density asymmetric hybrid supercapacitors consisting of two dissimilar EDLC-type and battery-type electrodes. The improvement of energy density will be accomplished through the asymmetric cell design and developing novel materials and components, including electrode materials, ionic liquid electrolytes and current collectors. Sustainable, environmentally-friendly, and cost-effective synthetic approaches will be employed to ensure the elimination of critical raw materials (CRMs) usage and the minimisation of environmental impact during the components production. Supercapacitor cells and modules comprised of newly developed compoents, along with innovative management system, will be developed and demonstrated in electric scooters for last-mile mobility as well as in hand warming gloves for sport & leisure. Comprehensive techno-economic and value chain analyses will be carried out, and a business case and exploitation strategy will be developed by the end of the project to roadmap future commercialisation of the HEDAsupercap technology. The HEDAsupercap consortium comprises three research & technology organisations, two universities, and three leading companies in the automotive, energy and engineering sectors. This will allow the developed technology to be quickly taken up and adopted in the market. The HEDAsupercap project will promote widespread deployment of high energy density hybrid supercapacitors in mobility and consumer goods sectors. The project results will be disseminated to different stakeholders, raising their awareness of the latest development of this new technology.

The project main goal is the development of a highly cost-effective, safe, all-solid-state-battery with sodium as mobile ionic charge carrier for stationary energy storage applications. To achieve this goal, several aspects need to be considered including material innovations, sustainable electrode and cell manufacturing, improved characterisation and understanding of the electrochemical processes. SIMBA has the ambitious and realistic goal to tackle these challenges and has formulated the following objectives: (1) Safer batteries with a novel Solid-State Electrolyte (SSE) (TRL3-5), by developing a new class of single-ion conducting polymers (SIPEs) and its production method. (2) Higher energy density and more durable anodes by developing materials up to TRL5 using sustainable manufacturing methods. (3) Low-cost and higher energy cathode materials, by developing ultra-low-cost Prussian White (PW) and high energy density layered oxides (P2/O3) up to TRL5. (4) Obtaining deep understanding of fundamental mechanisms incl. degradation phenomena, taking place at the Solid-Electrolyte-Interface (SEI) and within the battery components. (5) Demonstration of a scaled-up highly efficient 12V, 1Ah battery module incl. BMS to validate the re-use of materials, recyclability, performance, LCA, and potential for further development. Jointly this will result in a sodium-based battery demonstrating the improved performance, recyclability and sustainability, for a stationary energy storage use-case, including a detailed Total Cost of Ownership analysis.

Despite more than 200 years of development of batteries, the physical limits of battery performance are far from being reached. The complexity of physio-chemical processes inside batteries render any development strongly dependent on a proper description and monitoring of the inherent evolution and interaction of all materials involved in the functioning of an electrochemical cell. It can be said that rarely any progress in a technology where all basic processes are understood did depend so much on characterization than electrochemical energy storage systems. The mean figures of merit (specific energy per mass, volume or cost unit, cyclability) can all theoretically be substantially improved, under the condition of a proper understanding of where and how their limits are reached in today’s industrialized systems. This underlines how much this important branch of our technological future depends on novel and accessible characterization techniques. Given this grand challenge, access to advanced characterisation solutions for the EU industry will be key to accelerate innovation and reduce the large cost share of materials. However, several bottlenecks are preventing access by companies to novel techniques, to which TEESMAT brings a comprehensive response by leveraging European strengths from 11 Countries and facilitating access to physical facilities, capabilities and services implementing novel characterisation solutions with unprecendenteed capability & performance. Instrumental to this is the launch of a sustainable Open Innovation Test Bed in which qualified public/private partners will demonstrate high-value services for materials advanced characterisation on industrial cases in the value chain of electrochemical energy storage systems. A strong EU community will be built up to propel the continuity of the initiative beyond TEESMAT with a viable, business driven and lean model of operation to create a market for advanced characterisation services, ultimately.

Europe is facing a major challenge to develop and produce a competitive Li-battery product in order to avoid dependency on third countries in its energy transition models. The Li-ion cell innovations should meet specific technical and economical requirements to sustain the market growth. The all-solid Li-ion technology appears to be one of the relevant options but it still has to be brought to higher TRL to be economically and environmentally friendly for a mass production compatible process. The ASTRABAT project gathers 14 partners, leaders in the different fields of research, development and production, from 8 countries. It aims to find optimal solid-state cell materials, components and architecture that are well suited to the demands of the electric vehicle market and compatible with mass production. The project will comply with improved safety demands and industrial standards. Five ambitious objectives were defined: 1. Development of materials for a solid hybrid electrolyte and electrodes enabling high energy, high voltage and reliable all-solid-state Li-ion cells 2. Gen#2D cell design: processing techniques compatible with existing routes of large scale cell manufacturing (10Ah, Energy type) and validation of a pilot prototype in a relevant industrial environment 3. Development of a 2030s eco-designed generation for Power-type and Energy type all-solid-state cells in pre-prototype (Gen#3DS and #3DC) 4. Define an efficient cell architecture to comply with improved safety demands 5. Structuration of the whole value chain of the all-solid-state battery, including eco-design, end of life and recycling The project will reinforce the European battery value chain, strengthen collaborations between RTOs, SMEs and Industrial partners from material development to integration in vehicles. The implementation of related work packages, tasks, milestones and risk assessment is considered to achieve these objectives comprehensively.