European battery makers’ association Eurobat held an “election manifesto” event in Brussels to set out and explore the needs of the European battery industry. This is ahead of elections to the European Parliament in June.
It said in a statement the industry needs policies that foster:
- innovation
- a global level playing field
- circularity in Europe.
Eurobat President Marc Zoellner said in opening the event on Tuesday : “We are at a pivotal moment in the evolution of the battery industry, with unprecedented opportunities to accelerate the transition to sustainable energy systems in all types of battery applications.”
Eurobat has published a manifesto in which it set out its priorities. It wants innovation to boost all battery technologies (lead, lithium, nickel and sodium) and more funding for research and innovation to enhance the circularity of raw and secondary battery materials.
Initiatives like the Net-Zero Industry Act and REPowerEU are “indispensable” in accelerating the adoption of battery technologies in mobility, motive power and energy storage. Using standards will facilitate implementation of the Batteries Regulation, it said.
The association points out the European battery sector remains vulnerable to external factors such as access to critical raw materials and dependence on third countries. It said subsidies paid to manufacturers in foreign markets is a major concern and has a distorting impact.
Also on its wish list is the appointment of a commissioner for strategic autonomy to address such concerns. It said there is a pressing need for financial support for research and innovation, with a streamlined access process.
The association said 130+ people attended the event, including policymakers, key stakeholders, industry experts, EU bodies, NGOs and battery manufacturers.
A panel discussion with Inga Petersen of the Global Battery Alliance, William Roberts from Rho Motion, Céline Domecq from Platform for electromobility and Christian Rosenkranz from battery manufacturer Clarios rounded off the event.
Keynote speaker Peter Liese MEP of the Christian Democrats urged the EU not to introduce excessive regulation.
Photo: A panel discussion addressed European battery industry concerns
