CIC energiGUNE, the Basque research center of reference in battery storage, thermal energy solutions and hydrogen technologies, and member of the Basque Research & Technology Alliance-BRTA, has started work on the development of new solid-state halide batteries that will facilitate the take-off of electric aviation. This work is part of the European Project HELENA, whose kick-off meeting is being held since yesterday at the headquarters of CIC energiGUNE with the attendance of the 15 entities that, under the leadership of the Basque center, are part of the initiative.
“In five to ten years, electric aviation will be ready to take-off and it is urgent for the sector to have an energetic alternative that offers safety and efficiency”, has said Pedro López-Aranguren, coordinator and Principal Investigator of the project. “HELENA proposes a disruptive technology to design solid-state batteries with optimized performance at high currents and stable cycling that will allow the adoption of these batteries in the electric vehicles and, specially, in airplanes”, he has assured.
Specifically, HELENA’s objective is to develop safe and efficient solid-state batteries with high energy density and potency, based on a high voltage active material, a high capacity lithium-metal anode and a conductive lithium halide electrolyte. With this development, the final user will be able to take advantage of improved performace in long distances electric mobility and fast battery charging. Moreover, the scaling of the technology will allow a cost reduction in the manufacturing of these storage devices.
