EVENTS

International Flow Battery Forum June 27 – 29 Brussels, Belgium

The International Flow Battery Forum (IFBF) promotes flow batteries as a crucial technology within the electrical energy storage sector. We believe this is timely and relevant; there is a real need to educate and inform a wide audience of the attributes, features and benefits of flow batteries.

The International Flow Battery Forum is the major international conference covering all aspects of flow battery research, development, technology, manufacturing and commercialization.

Contact

The International Flow Battery Forum E: info@flowbatteryforum www.flowbatteryforum.com

The Battery Show Europe June 28 – 30 Stuttgart, Germany

Join the leading meeting place for the advanced battery and H/EV technology community. Meet manufacturers, suppliers, engineers, thought leaders and decision-makers for a conference and trade fair focused on the latest developments in the advanced battery and automotive industries.

Contact

Informa Markets E: thebatteryshowcs@informa.com www.thebatteryshow.eu/en/Home.html

Battery Cells & Systems Expo and Conference June 29 – 30 Birmingham, UK

Battery Cells & Systems Expo will bring together automotive manufacturers, electric utilities, battery system integrators, cell manufacturers and the entire manufacturing supply chain. A truly unique showcase, companies from around the world will use the show to launch products and demonstrate their technology to an audience of over 4,000 professionals.

Contact

Event Partners www.batterysystemsexpo.com

European Fuel Cell Forum July 5 – 8 Lucerne, Switzerland

The 15th EUROPEAN SOFC & SOE FORUM addresses issues of science, engineering, materials, systems, applications and markets for all types of Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC), Solid Oxide Electrolysers (SOE) and Solid Oxide Electrochemical Reactors.

Additionally the more and more established issue of CO2 emission reduction and reuse is addressed as well.

The Forum is the largest international meeting on Solid Oxide Technologies building the bridge from science to application. Business opportunities will be identified for manufacturers, industry, operators and investors.

Contact

EFCF www.efcf.com

International Automotive Recycling Congress — IARC July 5 – 7 Basel, Switzerland

IARC 2022 is the international platform for discussing the latest developments and challenges in automotive recycling, bringing together more than 250 decision-makers in the ELV recycling chain such as car manufacturers, metal and plastic scrap traders, recyclers, shredder operators, policy-makers and many more.

Contact

ICM AG www.icm.ch/iarc-2022

PlugVolt Battery Seminar July 12 – 14 Plymouth, MI. USA

Day 1 of 2022 event will feature multiple technical tutorials presented by industry subject matter experts and world renowned professors from Top 50 US universities, followed by Days 2 and 3 focusing exclusively on Automotive and Stationary/Grid storage applications respectively.

Day 2 will also offer attendees an opportunity to tour INTERTEK battery test labs, and participate in an evening reception for industry networking.

Contact

PlugVolt JC Soman E: juratesoman@plugvolt.com www.plugvolt.com/seminars/

Future Energy Asia July 20 – 22 Bangkok, Thailand

The exhibition and summit will convene Energy Ministers, Policy Makers, Energy Majors including NOCs and IOCS, Power Generation authorities, midstream gas and LNG players, EPCs and Project Consultants and renewable energy developers. The conference will advance innovation and collaboration with the participation of key energy stakeholders, project developers, policy makers and Ministers.

Participate in Future Energy Asia for direct access to top-level networking events and multi-billion dollar project investment.

Contact

DMG Events E: info@futureenergyasia.com

World Battery Industry Expo August 9 - 10 Guanghzhou, China

Committed to promoting global market trade and battery industrial chain, WBE has developed into a professional exhibition with the largest number of exhibitors in battery enterprises and the highest participation of professional visitors and foreign buyers. Relying on its worldwide influence and thousands of overseas buyers, WBE provides exhibitors with high-quality buyers resources to help enterprises get more business opportunities.

Contact

Guangdong Grandeur International Exhibition Group E: grand@grahw.com www.battery-expo.com

Guanghzhou, China

THE LINK BETWEEN STORAGE AND PV

South America’s Hot Spot for Batteries and Energy Storage Systems EXPO CENTER NORTE, SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL

Oslo, Norway

Oslo Battery Days August 22 – 23 Oslo, Norway

The 4th OBD Battery Conference will meet to discuss and provide a platform for technological innovations and business opportunities with the latest updates in that fields in Norway and abroad. The conference is held every second year and is the leading Battery conference in Norway, bringing together participants from leading private and public companies, start-ups, investors, academics and businesses that are interested in the battery revolution.

Contact

Schive AS Erik Schwings Hagelien Tel: +47 90 73 91 59 E: post@schive.no www.oslobatterydays.com

The Solar Show Africa August 23 – 24 Johannesburg, Africa

As Africa’s’ largest energy conference & exhibition, The Solar Show Africa brings together government ministries, utilities, power producers, municipalities, regulators, large energy users, project developers, investors and solution providers to allow new business opportunities and valuable connections to be made.

For 23 years, delegates have flocked to the conference to gain first-hand knowledge on upcoming projects, investment opportunities and innovations across the continent that will help utilities deliver energy.

Contact

Terrapinn www.terrapinn.com/exhibition/solar-showafrica/index.stm

ees South America August 23 – 25 Sao Paulo, Brazil

The special exhibition “ees South America” is the industry hotspot for suppliers, manufacturers, distributors and users of stationary and mobile electrical energy storage solutions.

Covering the entire value chain of innovative battery and energy storage technologies – from components and production to specific user application - it is the ideal platform for all stakeholders in the rapidly growing energy storage market.

The focus at ees is on energy storage solutions suited to energy systems with increasing amounts of renewable energy sources attracting investors, utilities, installers, manufacturers and project developers from all over the world.

Contact

Solar Promotion www.intersolar.net.br/home

PCIM Asia August 31 – September 2 Shanghai, China

PCIM Asia offers a chance to see the latest developments in power electronics components and systems. The strong link between conference and exhibition guarantees the high quality of the show. This unique combination fosters the fast and easy exchange between industry and science, for which PCIM Asia is famous.

Contact

Messe Frankfurt www.pcimasia-expo.cn.messefrankfurt. com/shanghai/en.html

Intersolar Mexico September 6 – 8 Mexico City, Mexico

Intersolar Mexico serves as the industry’s go-to source for invaluable technology trends and premier B2B contacts in the promising Mexican solar market.

Representatives of leading companies and organizations in the solar market will comment on the development and prospects of both the solar thermal and photovoltaic sectors. Among the topics to be addressed are: project financing, energy storage, business models and innovations in distributed solar generation, the regulatory situation, decarbonization in the industrial sector.

Contact

Solar Promotion www.intersolar.mx

Mexico City, Mexico

The Battery Show North America September 13 – 15 Novi, MI. USA

The Battery Show brings together engineers, business leaders, top-industry companies, and innovative thinkers to discover ground-breaking products and create powerful solutions for the future. From raw materials to components, find what you need to power your next project.

Contact

Informa Markets www.thebatteryshow.com

International Congress for Battery Recycling — ICBR September 14 – 16 Salzburg, Austria

ICBR 2022 is the international platform for reviewing the challenges faced by the Battery Recycling Industry on a global basis. For 26 consecutive years, ICBR has brought together the international community of experts and decision makers of the entire Battery Recycling value chain, including battery recyclers and manufacturers, collection organizations, OEM’s, policymakers, materials and services providers and many more.

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to get valuable industry insights and engage in the most inspiring discussions and unrivalled networking opportunities amongst the leading experts in the field of battery recycling!

Contact

ICM AG E: info@icm.ch https://events.icm.ch/event/0ed92807-fd1d452a-8d20-d24ba90095aa/summary

Expo for Decarbonised Industries September 20 – 22 Düsseldorf, Germany

Messe Düsseldorf’s program includes the world’s leading trade shows for the energy-intensive industries of glass, plastics and metals. The network of these three events already offers great potential for target-group-specific visitor promotion for decarbXpo: it comprises around 7,000 exhibitors and 339,000 visitors. New business potential and high-class decision-maker networking around three megatrends of the energy transition: Decarbonization, energy storage and hydrogen.

Contact

Messe Dusseldorf www.decarbxpo.com

Automotive Supplier Summit October 10 Wolfsburg, Germany

Meet the key players of the automotive industry at the B2B Management Conference with accompanying exhibition in Wolfsburg - the home of the worlds biggest Automotive OEM.

Discuss the current challenges of the automotive industry and the future of the automotive supply chain industry.

Take the chance to connect with experts and executives at B2B meetings, and in the exclusive tradeshow that accompanies the summit.

The Automotive Supplier Summit @ IZB2022 will take place as a hybrid event, both in Wolfsburg and online.

Contact

IPM AG www.automotivesuppliersummit.com

Batteries Event October 18 – 21 Lyon, France

Batteries 2022 will cover all aspects of the battery circular economy, beginning from the production of the battery through raw materials, battery manufacturing, battery use and safety, management and applications, going through market trends, research and development, new technologies and finally closing the loop with a focus on recycling, second life and regulations.

Contact

Avicenne Energy • www.batteriesevent.com

Lyon, France

Future Battery Forum November 3 – 4 Berlin, Germany

The management conference brings together the entire value system of battery technologies: Across various industries more than 300 users, battery system and cell manufacturers and their suppliers will spend two days exchanging information, making new contacts and enriching each other.

Contact

IPM AG • www.futurebattery.eu

Global Automotive Components and Suppliers Expo November 8 – 10 Stuttgart, Germany

Tier 1, 2 and 3 automotive component manufacturers from around the world will be at the expo to display their very latest technologies and products. Plus numerous other exhibitors will be on hand to discuss how they can participate in cost reduction within supply chains, and how they can offer new, alternative, cost-effective manufacturing and supply solutions. Furthermore, international associations, pavilions and specialist components manufacturers will be participating from the Middle East, Asia, the Americas and Europe, so this is a truly global supplier-sourcing opportunity in one compact location.

Contact

UKi Media & Events www.globalautomotivecomponentsandsuppliersexpo.com/en/

Salzburg, Austria Wolfsburg, Germany Stuttgart, Germany

Inflation and other factors are contributing to price increases for manufactured goods writes Jeremy Furr for Stryten Energy.

How commodity price hikes will spill over to the manufacturing sector

Costs are rising everywhere — from the gas pump to the grocery store. The annual inflation rate in the US as defined by the Consumer Price Index, is at 7.9%. This is the highest since January 1982. Many expect price increases to correspond with inflation, but there are many different factors that contribute to the price you pay.

Commodities typically respond to changes between import prices and the US dollar. Commodity prices are also susceptible to natural disasters that don’t necessarily correspond to inflation.

The pandemic led to widespread supply chain disruptions, as well as product and labour shortages. In addition, last year’s hurricane season was the third most active year, causing more than $80 billion of damage.

Commodity prices greatly impact manufacturing costs. For many companies, increasing their prices is not about increasing profit margins. It is simply the unfortunate fact that they cannot absorb the increases and continue to stay in business.

Supply constraints

When supply cannot meet demand, price increases typically follow. The lead battery industry competes with a wide variety of other sectors for component materials.

The electrolyte, a mixture of water and sulfuric acid, is a key component of a lead battery. The cost of sulfuric acid has risen over 38% in the past 12 months. While commonly used in the industrial sector, sulfuric acid is also important in the agricultural sector. The fertilizer industry accounted for more than 60% of total global consumption in 2020.

The US is the second-largest producer of sulfur, generating approximately 8.1 million tonnes annually. In normal times, there is plenty for both industries. Today, sulfuric acid is heavily in demand and harder to come by.

Costs of metals have also increased significantly. In lead batteries, tin and antimony are commonly used for mechanical strength and to improve electrical properties. Steel is used for the casing of industrial batteries.

In 2018, tariffs caused steel prices to jump from $0.30/lb to $0.48/lb, and then with the pandemic prices topped out at $1.25/lb. While prices have since come down, it is important to note there was no shortage back in 2018, and it still took 18 months for prices to decrease.

It may take as long as two to three years with no further disruptions to continue that downward trend. Other events such as foreign wars could have an impact on this outlook as the government could allocate steel to the defence industry or supply chains could be further disrupted.

Materials shortages

Several other raw materials are also in short supply. Polypropylene is the second-most widely produced commodity plastic, used in manufacturing automotive components, packaging and labelling, medical devices, construction, and more.

The lead battery industry utilizes poly resin in the casing and covers for automotive batteries. A number of factors have led to supply shortages of poly. As a petroleum-based product, supply is dependent on the oil industry. Shortages are primarily due to how that industry allocates resources — to gas, poly or other petroleum-based products. Scaling back on oil production affects the price at the pump, but also any company that uses poly resin.

Lead is also in short supply, even though lead batteries are one of the most recycled consumer products. The shortage is primarily due to a deficit between recycling facility capacities and overall demand. US battery manufacturers source about 73% of the needed lead from domestic lead battery recycling.

Over the past 12 to 15 years, environmental restrictions have led to many companies closing facilities, leading to a significant shortage in capacity. The market has not been able to recoup from these shortages from other, costeffective sources.

The decrease in battery recycling facilities also impacts the supply of polypropylene. In addition to lead, battery recycling facilities also collect the plastic from the casings. The crushed poly is washed, dried and sent to plastic recycling facilities. After additional processing, plastic pellets are sold to manufacturers of battery cases. Without the first stop at the battery recycler, there is no plastic for the next round of recycling.

Labour costs

There are also higher non-material costs that impact pricing. Diesel fuel costs are up 77% over the past two years, resulting in higher freight expenses. Utilities are also higher, which impacts the facilities. Rates are up about 30%-40%, and those costs are also being passed along.

Labour costs are also a factor. While industry recouped over 60% of the 1.4 million manufacturing jobs lost during the pandemic, the remaining 570,000 were still unfilled by the end of 2020.

Companies report that finding and retaining quality talent is a top challenge. The skills gap in manufacturing could lead to over 2 million unfilled jobs in the US by 2030. This drives more competition and higher wages for skilled workers.

Jeremy Furr: vice president of strategic sourcing for Stryten Energy

A BUMPY ROAD AHEAD

The Federal Reserve has increased interest rates for the first time in three years in an effort to combat inflation. As pandemic conditions continue to ease, supply chain pressure may also ease. However, with the early forecast for the 2022 hurricane season having a 65% chance of aboveaverage activity and almost 80% of manufacturers expecting to have difficulty in hiring and retaining employees, the road ahead may be a bumpy one.

This May’s annual BCI Convention and Power Mart in Naples, Florida was regarded as one of the most successful in recent years.

An underpinning of excitement

The traditional Sunday night reception before the early morning start “This has clearly been the best BCI I’ve attended in — at least — the past 10 years! The content has been superb and there’s a different mood in the air to doing business.”

This was all the more surprising a statement to hear from a delegate given that the annual convention is most frequently a forum for general moaning about anything and everything. And never just about the convention.

But it was clear from the opening address by Chris Pruitt, head of the BCI and CEO of East Penn that he was expressing a general feeling of optimism coming from a mixture of fronts.

The first, and most obvious one, was the general sense of relief that the pandemic was over and it was back to business as normal. “The past year was a year of recovery … our industry has fared better than most thanks in large part to our strong domestic manufacturing base and our strong domestic supply chain,” he said,

But it was Pruitt’s remarks about BCI’s Energy Storage Systems Initiative (ESSI) that attracted the most attention. He talked about an industry first with the Lead Battery Research Technical Advisory Group meeting jointly hosted by Argonne National Laboratory, the Department of Energy, BCI and attended by 20 industry companies.

Attendees met to help DOE assess the technical innovations on the horizon that have the potential to revolutionize lead batteries

“When you’ve got Argonne and the Department of Energy wanting to talk to us and suggesting programs that they would like to participate in with us, you can sense a sea-change in the energy storage environment,” one attendee told Batteries International.

“The federal government finally seems to be taking the lead battery business seriously. The presentations on the third day showed exactly how far we had come … and to be frank how much further we still have to go.”

BCI is the leading voice on leadrelated regulatory efforts at the EPA and OSHA and their state counterparts, Pruitt said. “Last year, BCI was in discussion with EPA officials across the alphabet soup of agencies to address air quality, emissions and pollution control standards, chemical reporting,

CHARITY FOR UKRAINE

One relatively unknown aspect of how the BCI community works can be found in the way that member bodies have reacted to the unfolding catastrophe in Ukraine. “It is worth everyone knowing,” said Pruitt, “that BCI members have contributed some $430,000 to a variety of charities supporting the country.”