Sustainable battery production in focus for new centre of excellence

Batteries are playing an increasingly important role in the electrification of society and the transition to a fossil-free energy system. At the same time, the growing battery industry is creating new demands for energy efficiency, robust production systems and long-term sustainability.

The Swedish Energy Agency has now granted funding for the centre of excellence INBATT, Integrated Battery Manufacturing Systems. Chalmers University of Technology will host the centre, with Björn Johansson, Professor in the Division of Production Systems at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, as its director.

Inbatt brings together researchers, research institutes, companies and public-sector organisations from across Sweden to advance battery production for the future. The aim is to develop the production systems and expertise needed for sustainable, resource-efficient and robust battery production, adapted to the energy systems of the future. The work will also contribute to innovation and competitiveness in the battery sector.

As electrification accelerates, battery factories are becoming important players in the energy system while also being major energy consumers. A key area of research within Inbatt therefore focuses on how future battery production can become more flexible, energy-efficient and adaptable to an energy system undergoing rapid transition.

Through research into digitalisation, flexibility and intelligent control, Inbatt aims to develop production systems that use energy more efficiently, can adapt to changes in the electricity system and are less vulnerable to disruptions in the energy supply. This will become particularly important as electrification increases and industry's demand for fossil-free electricity grows.