The Battery Report 2021
BatteryBits and Intercalation are proud to release the “Battery Report”!
This 130-page deck summarizes the most significant developments in the battery industry in 2021. We intend for this report to be a comprehensive and accessible overview of the current state of battery research, industry, talent, and policy; and we hope this report will help catalyze in-depth conversations on the state of batteries and its trajectory into the future.
Produced in collaboration with Intercalation, this report was generated as a community effort by a team of 40 experts from 34 organizations. The report’s authors, contributors, and advisors come from a wide range of institutions from well-known organizations to startups and research groups.
The Report considers the following key dimensions:
- Industry: Commercial milestones in battery development and manufacturing
- Research: Academic breakthroughs in fundamental battery science
- Talent: Supply, demand, and insights on talent working in the field
- Policy: Government targets, incentives, regulations, and their implications
- Predictions: Trends we believe are likely to happen in the next 12 months
Key themes in the 2021 Report include:
- Industry players are moving rapidly to pursue higher energy densities and lower costs in order to move carbon emissions to net zero. Technical directions include the development of silicon anodes and solid state battery technologies, increased adoption of LFP chemistries, the emergence of sodium ion, and the continued expansion of stationary storage.
- Significant trends include battery and auto manufacturers forming new joint ventures, large quantities of climate venture capital, SPAC exits for early-stage battery startups, and OEMs investing in the future of electric vehicles.
- Academic research efforts gravitated towards battery management systems in 2021, followed by studies in battery components in cathode, electrolyte, and the anode.
- Number of jobs in the battery industry is expected to 10x in the coming decade, with severe shortage projected for workers in the upstream value chain.
- A number of government policies globally are seeking to accelerate a healthy battery ecosystem and promote economic development.
Join us at the next Battery Brunch and discuss this report with the authors and other industry professionals.
About Us
Volta Foundation harnesses the power of community to advance the battery industry. A collective of 10,000 industry professionals representing 2,000 organizations, we produce monthly events (Battery Brunch), publications (Battery Bits), industry reports (Battery Report), and open communication channels (Battery Street).
For collaborations, partnerships, and speaking engagements, please reach out to us at editors@batterybits.com.
