IDTechEx forecast the Li-ion battery market for electric vehicles to reach US$380 billion by 2034. With this huge increase in value, the safe and reliable operation of these (sometimes combustible) assets while maximizing the performance extracted from them becomes critical. The battery management system (BMS) plays a central role in the safe and reliable operation of Li-ion batteries but is somewhat overlooked with regard to its potential for also moving battery performance forward.

As the energy and industrial landscapes experience transformative shifts, the hydrogen economy stands at the threshold of sustainable growth. The envisioned hydrogen value chain will integrate production, storage, and distribution systems, supporting a wide array of applications that span industrial processes to various transportation sectors.

Thursday 19 October 2023 - Introduction to and working principles of redox flow batteries; Energy and power decoupling explained; Levelized cost of storage (LCOS) vs. Li-ion; Introduction to RFB chemistry benchmarking; Current and future market applications of RFBs; discussion on long duration energy storage; Membranes used in redox flow batteries and introduction to other components; Overview of market analysis and recent RFB installations made by key players; IDTechEx's outlook and conclusions

Over the last decade, redox flow battery (RFB) deployments have been sporadic and few compared to ever-growing Li-ion battery deployments for stationary energy storage applications. However, as the penetration of variable renewable energy (VRE) sources into electricity grids increases globally, so will the need to manage more uncertain and variable electricity supply.

Wednesday 11 October 2023 - Solid-State Batteries - Technologies, Challenges, Breakthroughs, and Beyond: Solid-state battery definition and fundamental concept; Value propositions; Potential for enhanced safety, energy density and performance; Technology types, challenges, improvements; Application and commercialization

2022 saw the aerogels market take a large leap forward with the success of electric vehicle (EV) batteries as an application. Historic growth has been steady for other applications, but with the growth fuelled by the EV market, there is the opportunity for several other applications to take advantage of the scaling production volume.

Thursday 28 September 2023 - Recent developments to Li-ion batteries for EVs; Trends in EV Li-ion chemistry; Li-ion pack technology developments; Innovation in battery management systems; EV markets beyond cars and trends in Li-ion batteries for different EV segments

Electrification in the US is at an earlier stage than other regions globally but has made huge progress over the last few years, with electric cars making up nearly 9% of new registrations in the first half of 2023. The pickup truck is a large portion of the US passenger vehicle market but is at an even earlier stage of electrification, with only approximately 5% of electric vehicles sold in the US in the first half of 2023 being pickup trucks.

Can digital and/or high throughput manufacturing be applied to circuit boards? Can stretchable electronics be produced without sacrificing processing capabilities? Flexible hybrid electronics (FHE) is an emerging manufacturing methodology that aims to resolve both of these questions.

Wednesday 20 September 2023 - Drivers behind the greater fire safety focus in EVs; Battery design and evolution impacting material selection; Aerogels compared to other fire protection materials; Key players in the aerogel market for EVs and market progress; Outlook for the future of aerogels in EV applications

The world is witnessing an electrifying revolution in the automotive industry. Electric vehicles (EVs) have emerged as a compelling solution to combat climate change and reduce our carbon footprint. As more and more individuals and businesses shift towards electric mobility, the demand for efficient and accessible EV charging infrastructure has skyrocketed.

The global market for Li-ion batteries in electric vehicles is forecast to reach over US$380 billion by 2034, driven primarily by demand for battery electric cars but with rapid growth to other sectors too, including electric vans, trucks, buses, 2-wheelers, and off-road vehicles. Electrification and emissions targets, improving battery performance, and an increasingly attractive total cost of ownership for some vehicle segments are driving this growth in demand for battery electric vehicles (EV).

Managing the sustainability of Li-ion batteries at end-of-life (EOL) will continue to become increasingly important as the demand for Li-ion batteries continues to grow in sectors such as electric vehicles, stationary energy storage, and consumer electronics.

The new report from IDTechEx, "Electric Vehicles in Construction 2023-2043", shows that there are many reasons to adopt an electric vehicle as a construction professional: they are quieter than diesels, they help with air quality in the construction site, they can be more precise and easier to operate, and so on.

There continues to be lots of excitement regarding new Li-ion anode technologies. The next generation of silicon anode materials are inching closer to commercialization with the promise of improved energy density and rate capability.

Aerogels have experienced steady market growth historically, reaching a market of just under US$450 million in 2022. Progress has been somewhat slower than some would expect; this has largely been due to competition with lower-cost incumbent insulation materials.

The market for nanomaterials, especially nanocarbons, continues to grow - reflecting the potential to unlock several next-generation technologies. Most notable for carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is incorporation in lithium-ion batteries, with production ramping up to fulfill demand, while major players are making acquisitions and expanding, leading to market consolidation.

In recent years, interest and activity in the hydrogen sector have accelerated, driven by governments recognizing hydrogen's role in the energy transition and companies worldwide capitalizing on emerging market opportunities through the supply of services, products, technologies, and projects.

Thursday 17 August 2023 - An introduction to FHE, including motivating factors; Discussion of recent innovations and commercial developments within FHE; Identification of technological gaps and potential solutions; A roadmap for how the industry will develop, spanning both technologies and applications.

Can electronics be additively manufactured and flexible without compromising on the capabilities of conventionally produced integrated circuits (ICs)? Often described as 'print what you can, place what you can't', flexible hybrid electronics (FHE) offers an enticing blend of capabilities, enabling rapid prototyping, flexibility/stretchability, and roll-to-roll manufacturing of circuits with conventional ICs.