We know that tackling climate risks and accelerating the transition to Net Zero is now a priority for CEOs and company boards.
But to reach our common goal, we must work together. It’s not only about our individual companies or governments, the scale and reach of the transformation is so substantial. Therefore, collective action is critical. This goes for policymakers, consumers, technology providers, and innovative business partners.
These conversations have resulted in ONS and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) coming together and jointly hosting three roundtables/panel discussions. Here we bring together committed industry leaders interested in collaboration, to address the many challenges ahead.
The second in the series was virtually held 19 May 2022 and asked the questions: How do we build sustainable battery ecosystems?
We presented industry leaders and experts from the battery industry and technology development, in addition to academia. Among the topics was the need for battery passports, transparency across the value chain and if we have the necessary people and competence to make this happen.
Main points from discussion:
The battery industry should be circular from scratch.
We need all sectors of the economy to solve the issues involving batteries – regulators, consumers, industry and community needs to collaborate.
Global Battery Alliance, with its 100 members, are making it policy to build responsible and sustainable battery ecosystems.
A common EU regulation will be more effective than to make individual states enforce regulation – hence the Battery Passport.
In 2020 the world produced 350 gwh of batteries. By 2040 the demand and expected production will reach towards 21 000 gwh.
The demand will incite local growth and employment opportunities in many areas.
By 2025 we will need 2000 new battery engineers – 6000 by 2030. This will demand new study fields and places on universities.
It is important to secure local and independent supplies for our energy and cyber security.
Social responsibility regarding mining and and raw materials is as important as the environmental responsibility.
The progress we make in Europe and the US in localizing the energy production and using renewable sources to make batteries and store energy can also be implemented by developing countries to ensure their energy security. This will build competence and stronger economies world-wide.
“Even though, as of late, the world seems to regionalize and secure themselves and become smaller, this is not the way forward. We are in this boat together, so we need to keep working with our partners globally.”
We want to thank all the panelists that joined us in this webinar; Hege Marie Norheim, EVP HR, Sustainability and Communications at Freyr, Odne Stokke Burheim, Professor, Department of Energy and Process Engeneering at NTNU, Torstein Freund, Head of Project Management Office Battery Passport at Global Battery Alliance, Euginio Longo, Sustainability Director at TCS Europe and Tilmann Vahle, Co-Lead, Circular Mobility Platform at SYSTEMIQ. Also a big thank you to our own Communication Director at ONS, Inger Johanne Stenberg, for moderating the event.