Technology & Innovation - Building a Battery Cell Factory in Europe

Recording of Monday, June 22, 2026 | The smarter E Europe Conferences 2026 | Language: English | Duration: 9:28 .

Building a Competitive Battery Industry in Europe

Batteries are essential for the mobility and energy transition, reducing grid pressure and facilitating renewable resource integration. Europe's battery demand is expected to quadruple in the next decade, underscoring the need for local manufacturing to drive economic growth and job creation, with projections reaching double-digit billions of euros. PowerCo SE, backed by the Volkswagen Group, aims to enhance European battery technology by implementing standardized cell designs that allow flexibility in chemistry while promoting efficiency. The organization has initiated production at its site in Salzgitter, Germany, with plans for additional factories in Valencia, Spain, and St. Thomas, Canada, having established partnerships for a European supply chain. A robust workforce exceeding 2,000 employees is complemented by a commitment to sustainability and innovative recycling solutions. Efficient sourcing, guided by ESG principles, relies on strong partnerships and careful planning. A holistic approach is crucial for industry growth, emphasizing collaboration across all facets from research to recycling to ensure cost competitiveness and industry resilience.

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Speaker

Céline Combé
Head of Business Development ESS
PowerCo SE
Germany

Talk of session: Quo Vadis Energy Storage? Key Developments, Challenges and Future Paths for Europes Battery Manufacturing and Integration

The European market for battery cells is currently heavily focused on the automotive sector. Companies therefore continue to rely predominantly on Asian production sites for stationary battery storage. The recent bankruptcies of European cell manufacturers are further exacerbating this dependency, while new players are entering the market, both with conventional lithium-ion technology and with alternative cell chemistries. At the same time, the first European governments are initiating subsidy programs for stationary battery storage systems that require a minimum quota of European components. Will this approach prevail across Europe?While the expansion of storage capacities is being promoted politically, there are also countervailing trends, such as the discussions in the German Federal Ministry of Economics about a possible restriction of the expansion. This session highlights key developments, challenges and future paths for the European storage market.

Further Talks of this session: