Energy Storage

IDTechEx forecasts the Li-ion battery recycling market to grow to US$52B in value by 2045, given the increasing availability of retired Li-ion batteries over the coming decades. Key sources of feedstock will include electric vehicle batteries, and Li-ion batteries from energy storage systems, consumer electronics, alongside manufacturing scrap.

Wednesday 30 April 2025 - Sodium-Ion Batteries: Navigating the Path to Commercial Maturity. The following aspects will be addressed: Impact of historically low lithium prices on sodium-ion's economic viability; Alternative value propositions beyond cost, including material availability and application-specific advantages; Sodium-ion battery players and commercialisation efforts; and IDTechEx outlook for sodium-ion batteries by 2030

The lithium metal battery market is gaining ever-growing interest due to the enhanced energy density of lithium when compared with graphite anodes. This could be particularly important within one of the main applications for this technology, the electric vehicle market, which currently represents the largest sector for global battery demand.

Fire safety continues to be a key topic for electric vehicles (EVs) as the market continues to grow. In this article, IDTechEx discusses the different types of EV battery chemistry and its impact on thermal runaway safety.

Lithium-sulfur is already seeing development across multiple continents and is expected to achieve mass production by 2033. IDTechEx predicts that by 2035, the lithium-sulfur market will exceed US$1.3 billion.

Battery raw materials are in the spotlight as lithium-ion demand surges alongside growing emphasis on sustainability. Variations in material emission intensities suggest that major decarbonization opportunities exist in raw materials sourcing.

Second-life EV battery assessments can be carried out using diagnostic tools and software, with some newer approaches taking just ten minutes instead of a few hours with regular cycling methods. Second-life battery repurposing and accurate battery health assessments will become increasingly important alongside the growing availability of end-of-life (EOL) EV batteries.

Solid-state batteries (SSBs) are heralded as a transformative innovation in energy storage (ES), offering numerous advantages over traditional lithium-ion batteries. These benefits position SSBs as a cornerstone of the next generation of battery technologies, with the potential to reshape industries reliant on ES.

The global market for Li-ion battery cells alone is forecast to exceed US$400 billion by 2035. This article highlights the importance of cathode materials and next-generation Li-ion technologies in improving battery performance and diversifying Li-ion battery material supply chains.