From electric vehicles to stationary energy storages: There has never been so much battery. This is also reflected in our current “2023 Battery Monitor” which forecasts an annual growth of 34 % for the global market between 2020 and 2030. Also increasing significantly is the competitive pressure for Germany - from new European and US companies as well as massively expanding Chinese enterprises. It is therefore high time to prepare for a new sustainable and lucrative market - with own specialists and joint projects.

For this reason, the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research had planned an earmarked funding of 180 million euros for new projects from 2024. After a good ten years of intensive development work, Germany has finally reached a decisive point in time: Major projects such as the Fraunhofer Research Institution for Battery Cell Production (FFB) have been launched. Gigafactories for battery production and recycling plants with efficient recovery processes are being built, and collaborations between industry and science are producing promising technological approaches.

So, the next goal is upscaling? Apparently rather low stacking. Because the budget freeze imposed on the Climate and Transformation Fund, of all things, is hitting battery research funding with a vengeance. Suddenly, there was talk about a 75-% cut in funding - whereupon numerous researchers rushed to warn the German government of the drastic effects: on the fight against shortage of skilled workers, while battery-related jobs are already the most difficult to fill in the technology sector - and on the competitiveness of key German industries, which spend up to 50 % of the costs in funded research projects, meaning the real loss of investment is even higher.

After all, the government has listened. Up to 70 million euros are to be invested in battery research this year. A handful of new projects are thus possible. But real progress is being slowed down while global competition continues at full speed. Around 60 battery factories are currently planned in Europe and 50 in North America - compared to 150 in Asia. Due to significant taxes on battery imports to the USA, the major Chinese players are concentrating on the European market. What we can offer to counter the experience advantage of Asian manufacturers are innovative manufacturing technologies for an efficient and sustainable battery production.

Which brings us back to political decisions. With initially the right direction and then the wrong signals. If we ultimately want to be among the winners, our country has to invest first. Germany must be able to afford this. Without education, there is no expertise. Without expenditure, no income. Without input, no output.