Europe has been urged to develop a new industrial strategy to “champion” all batteries, including lead-acid.
The managing director of the International Lead Association (ILA), Dr Andy Bush (pictured), said the creation of a Batteries Alliance and a ‘batteries action plan’ for the EU, has been “one of the successes of the European Commission”.
However, Bush said it was a “weakness” for EU policymakers to “focus predominantly on one battery technology, omitting to support Europe’s existing strengths in this area and the jobs it generates in our societies”.
“The irony is that the EU already has at least one sustainable home-grown battery success story of its own— an industry that is self-sufficient in raw materials and manufacturing capability,” the ILA chief added. “The lead battery industry supplies around 75% of the world’s rechargeable battery energy storage and this volume is set to grow as demand soars over the coming decades in response to climate change.”
Bush said the EU is rapidly looking for a new industrial strategy to “match the perceived power and influence of a resurgent China”.
“Whether or not that threat is real, the case for an industrial strategy that supports the EU’s industrial strengths must be a priority for the newly mandated European Commission following elections to the EU Parliament in May,” Bush said. “Not only to counter unfair competition, but also to facilitate industrial decarbonisation, and the opportunities it brings.”
