SOLVE: The European project coordinated by CIDETEC advances firmly towards the battery of the future

The Gipuzkoan research centre CIDETEC leads this European consortium working on the development of safer, more efficient and more sustainable solid-state batteries for mobility applications.

The development of solid-state batteries (SSB) is a major strategic challenge for Europe, in geopolitical, industrial, climate and technological terms. This disruptive technology offers the prospect of high performance and safer batteries, thanks to the absence of flammable liquid electrolyte, higher energy density and greater durability, thus meeting the key needs of electromobility, stationary storage and the energy transition. It is also an essential lever for strengthening the competitiveness of European industry vis-à-vis Asian players and securing the supply of critical technologies, in a context of high dependence on imports of battery cells and their components.

Aware of these challenges, the European Commission has made significant efforts to structure and accelerate the development of solid-state batteries in Europe. Through funding programmes such as Horizon Europe, it supports collaborative research and innovation projects, such as SOLVE, coordinated by CIDETEC Energy Storage, aimed at overcoming the scientific, technological and industrial barriers associated with this new generation of batteries.

Started in June 2024, one of the challenges of the project was to create a genuine working team and consolidate cooperation between the various academic, research and industrial organisations from different countries in order to share the issues encountered and find solutions together. This collaboration has already yielded its first results, as a key milestone—the definition of a list of key performance indicators and the definition of materials and components specifications and corresponding testing protocols for SSB cells has been completed. Work has also been done to establish an eco-safe and sustainable design framework for the development of SSB components and cells. Finally, Life Cycle Assessment identified all potential challenges for the recycling of SOLVE SSB cells and its components. In parallel, several recycling concepts were defined to be tested and validated in the project.

At the same time, several activities are underway that require the cooperation of multiple members (academics, researchers, and industry representatives), such as: development and up-scaling of different materials and cell components for two types of SSB cells (Li-metal and anode-free), and the development of SSB cells. Battery testing activity and modelling work has already begun to facilitate the entire solid state battery development and manufacturing process.