The lead-acid battery industry is under siege from the marauding armies of alternative chemistries and technologies, delegates at this year biennial ELBC conference in Malta heard.
Speakers seized upon the comparison between knights defending Malta from the invading Ottoman empire and the current situation lead-acid finds itself in‑ especially against lithium-ion and emerging markets.
However, managing director of the International Lead Association (ILA) Andy Bush was quick to point out that the battle may be raging, but the war was far from over.
Bush told around 700 delegates from 50 countries: “Let’s not lose sight of things, the lead-acid battery market is still growing and will continue to grow in the foreseeable future.
“It still offers a unique combination of performance, low cost, safety and sustainability. No other battery technology can match it.”
He added: “We must work together as one. The Knights of Malta realised the only way to win was to stop fighting among themselves, and that’s what we need to do to, to beat lithium-ion and all the other technologies that claim to have the solution to energy storage needs.
“We must work together and work strategically. The whole production chain needs to work together. Ultimately, only by working together and thinking strategically, can we fully capitalise on our full potential.”
Earlier this year the ILA took over management of the Advanced Lead Acid Battery Consortium (ALABC) after its members unanimously approved the collaboration.
ALABC remains a research body of the association, focusing strictly on fundamental research and battery science.
It provides a mechanism by which all members of ILA will fund ALABC activities via their membership fees.
It means all ALABC funding goes directly to battery research rather than splitting moneys between R&D and costly (yet successful) demonstration projects.