Dutch parties join forces around battery technology development

A series of Dutch companies, knowledge institutes and industry associations are joining forces in the Battery Competence Centre. Through this innovation programme, the parties want to build up knowledge and competences around battery technology. In this way, they want to strengthen the competitive position of the Dutch manufacturing industry.

The organisations call innovative battery technology 'indispensable' for the success of the energy transition. Several Dutch parties have been fully committed to electrifying vehicles and vessels for some time. These include DAF Trucks, VDL Groep and Damen Shipyards. They join forces with knowledge institutes and startups in the field of battery technology and related production processes. Think startup ELEO Technologies, the knowledge institutes TNO Traffic & Transport and Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), the economic development agency Brainport Development and industry associations RAI Automotive Industry NL and Netherlands Maritime Technology (NMT). Many of the parties involved are based in the Brainport Eindhoven region.

The Battery Competence Centre is to eventually assemble battery packs in the Netherlands. This should increase economic opportunities for Dutch OEMs and startups. The parties involved speak of a unique partnership. The parties involved pool knowledge and work together to develop battery packs for buses, trucks and ships. The aim here is to develop these packages in such a way that the vehicle or vessel improves.

The parties are also joining forces to increase the companies' purchasing power. In this way, they want to make the Netherlands less dependent on foreign suppliers.

The first project of the Battery Competence Centre is the REACT-EU project. Its aim is to accelerate the development of technical competences. The parties also want to build a supply chain through public-private cooperation by developing battery packages and systems, conducting tests and simulations, and assembly and production activities.

The project should concretely result in improved battery packages and pilot assembly lines with a view to serial battery production starting in 2023. In doing so, the REACT-EU project provides a foundation for developing the wider battery ecosystem of the Battery Competence Centre. The project was partly made possible by the European Regional Development Fund and the province of North Brabant under OPZuid.

The project should concretely lead to:

The initial focus here is on developing an ecosystem and business development. Here, companies in the Netherlands are connected and linked to parties abroad so that they can take on projects and challenges together.

Secondly, they are working on drawing up joint roadmaps and cooperation projects. In doing so, the parties work from different perspectives on dots on the horizon and keep each other informed of challenges and opportunities. This allows OEMs and developers of battery packs to anticipate new technologies in time. As an example, the parties involved mention the higher energy density of LionVolt's 3D solid-state battery, which allows for smaller and lighter battery packs.

Finally, the parties are exploring the realisation of shared R&D facilities. As battery technology is complex, frequent testing and pilot production is needed to prove that the technological assemblies work. From the Battery Competence Centre, the parties will invest in shared facilities, with which they aim to realise cost savings at companies in the Dutch battery chain. The R&D facilities include test equipment, cleanrooms and (pre-)pilot production lines.

Author: Wouter Hoeffnagel
Photo: Pixabay / Michael Jamro