Key Highlights:
Advanced Battery Weekly Summary: th For the December 26 issue of NAATBatt’s Advanced Battery Weekly, we highlight recent sector activities. The NAATBatt and U.S. Indices each increased 4.3% w/w, while the Asia Index was down 3.7% w/w. The Russell 2000 and S&P 500 Indices were up 5.4% w/w and 4.5% w/w, respectively. Executive Director James Greenberger writes that the potential of lithium-ion batteries to displace petroleum in light vehicles is a question about which there has been much speculation over the years. Optimism has led to pessimism which seems to be leading back to new optimism. A panel of four experts on lithium-ion technology will discuss the true potential of lithium-ion batteries and the implications for electric vehicles at the NAATBatt 2015 Annual Meeting & Conference. Read “Understanding the True Potential of Lithium-ion Technology” in the Executive Director's Notes section of the newsletter below. A special Guest Editorial this week by Raymond Verhelst and Ralph Brodd suggests that new safety regulations governing the transportation of lithium-ion batteries may lead to a renaissance in the domestic, U.S. manufacture of such batteries. Read “New Battery Transport Regulations Add Opportunity to Domestic Cell Manufacturing” after the news section in this newsletter below. Key Highlights: The Japanese government is considering the allocation of 50 billion yen ($415 million) to subsidize installations of storage systems for solar power. The plan is to help utilities and solar power producers install systems as part of a supplementary budget for the fiscal year ending st March 31 . Under the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Smart Grid Investment Grant (SGIG) program, six utilities evaluated operations and customer charging behaviors for in-home and public electric vehicle charging stations. The findings include (i) average power demand to charge most vehicles was 3 to 6 kilowatts (kW) and the load from one electric vehicle (EV) could be as much as 19 kW. CODA Energy has announced the full interconnection and operation of a lithium-ion (li-ion) energy storage system in the Los Angeles basin. The 1,054 kilowatt-hours (kWh) / 510kW system was developed under a contract with South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD) and co-funded through California’s Self-Generation Incentive Program (SGIP). Scania has become the first company in Sweden to test a wirelessly charged electric bus (ebus). The ebus will start operating on the streets of Södertälje, Sweden, in June 2016 as part of a research project into sustainable vehicle technology. The Volvo 7900 Electric Hybrid bus has commenced operation in Hamburg coinciding with the opening of the Innovation Route 109. The route will be used by the public transport company in Hamburg, the Hamburger Hochbahn AG (HOCHBAHN), to run comparative tests of innovative drive technologies under the strict everyday conditions of scheduled services. Seeo has developed an experimental lithium ion (li-ion) battery based on material developed at a U.S. DOE lab. The battery stores 2x as much energy as batteries used in most electric cars and if commercialized, could provide a range of over 200 miles per charge. © 2014 NAATBatt International • Advanced Battery Weekly • All Rights Reserved December 26, 2014 Vol. 5 No. 52 Advanced Battery Weekly Gentherm intends to expand its production capacity in the fast growing Asia market by opening a new manufacturing facility in Vietnam close to the capital city of Hanoi in the northern part of the country. The facility will be approximately 220,000 square feet in size and is tentatively scheduled to open in 4Q15. Siemens has unveiled the first electric series production vehicle with the central electronics and software architecture RACE (Robust and Reliant Automotive Computing Environment). The technology replaces the entire control system with standard hardware and an "operating system for automobiles” which could reduce the development time for vehicles. A Few More Details: The Japanese government is considering the allocation of 50 billion yen ($415 million) to subsidize installations of storage systems for solar power. The plan is to help utilities and solar power producers st install systems as part of a supplementary budget for the fiscal year ending March 31 . The government th will release a set of economic stimulus measures on December 27 . Source: Yomiuri and Bloomberg The electric power industry expects a 400% growth in annual sales of EVs by 2023, which could increase electricity usage and peak demand in high adoption areas. Under the U.S. DOE SGIG program, six utilities evaluated operations and customer charging behaviors for in-home and public charging stations: Burbank Water and Power (BWP) Duke Energy (Duke) Indianapolis Power & Light Company (IPL) Madison Gas and Electric (MGE) Progress Energy (now part of Duke Energy as a result of a merger in 2012) Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) The six SGIG projects evaluated more than 270 public charging stations in parking lots and garages and more than 700 residential charging units in customers’ homes. Exhibit 1 provides a summary of the key project experiences from the six projects. © 2014 NAATBatt International • Advanced Battery Weekly • All Rights Reserved December 26, 2014 Vol. 5 No. 52 Advanced Battery Weekly Exhibit 1: Summary of Key Project Experiences Source: Dept of Energy CODA Energy has announced the full interconnection and operation of a li-ion energy storage system in the Los Angeles basin. The 1,054 kWh / 510kW system was developed under a contract with South Coast AQMD and co-funded through California’s SGIP. The company began installations at the beginning of the year. Source: CODA Energy Scania has become the first company in Sweden to test a wirelessly charged ebus. The vehicle will start operating on the streets of Södertälje, Sweden, in June 2016 as part of a research project into sustainable vehicle technology. As shown in Exhibit 2, the bus can be wirelessly charged at one of its stops via a charging station located under the road surface (1). A receiver, mounted in the bus floor, absorbs electric energy (2) and charges the battery (3). © 2014 NAATBatt International • Advanced Battery Weekly • All Rights Reserved December 26, 2014 Vol. 5 No. 52 Advanced Battery Weekly Exhibit 2: The Scania Wireless Ebus Source: Scania The Volvo 7900 Electric Hybrid bus has commenced operation in Hamburg coinciding with the opening of the Innovation Route 109. The route will be used by the public transport company in Hamburg, the Hamburger Hochbahn AG (HOCHBAHN), to run comparative tests of innovative drive technologies under the strict everyday conditions of scheduled services. The city of Hamburg has established the target: from 2020, only emission-free buses should be acquired by the city. Source: Volvo Seeo has developed an experimental li -ion battery based on material developed at a U.S. DOE lab. The battery stores 2x as much energy as batteries used in most electric cars and if commercialized, could provide a range of over 200 miles per charge. The company’s solid state battery uses a solid electrolyte comprised of two polymer layers; one that is soft and conducts ions and another that is hard and forms a physical barrier to protect against dendrites. Source: MIT Technology Review Gentherm intends to expand its production capacity in the fast growing Asia market by opening a new manufacturing facility in Vietnam close to the capital city of Hanoi in the northern part of the country. The facility will be approximately 220,000 square feet in size and is tentatively scheduled to open in 4Q15. The facility will be dedicated to the production of the full line of seat comfort and industrial products, and is expected to provide jobs for up to 1,500 people. Source: Gentherm Siemens has unveiled the first electric series production vehicle with the central electronics and software architecture RACE. The technology replaces the entire control system with standard hardware and an "operating system for automobiles” which could reduce the development time for vehicles. The company and electric car manufacturer StreetScooter have equipped a series production vehicle with RACE technology. Development time for new vehicles has now been reduced by up to 30% due to the capabilities of RACE. Source: Siemens © 2014 NAATBatt International • Advanced Battery Weekly • All Rights Reserved December 26, 2014 Vol. 5 No. 52 Advanced Battery Weekly Exhibit 3: Indices Performance (From January 7, 2013) Exhibit 4: Indices Performance Index Dow S&P 500 NASDAQ Russell 2000 AMEX Cleantech Index Close on 12/22/2014 17,959.4 2,078.5 4,781.4 1,201.9 1,258.6 52-Wk High 17,991.2 2,079.5 4,810.9 1,213.6 1,447.1 % of 52-Wk High 99.8% 100.0% 99.4% 99.0% 87.0% Performance LTM YTD 10.7% 33.9% 14.0% 42.1% 15.6% 53.6% 4.4% 37.6% (5.7%) 23.3% Week 4.5% 4.5% 3.8% 5.4% 4.3% Source: Bloomberg and ThomsonOne © 2014 NAATBatt International • Advanced Battery Weekly • All Rights Reserved December 26, 2014 Vol. 5 No. 52 Advanced Battery Weekly Exhibit 5: Supplier Performance (From January 7, 2013) Source: Bloomberg Exhibit 6: Commodity Prices Commodity LME Copper (Cash, $ per tonne) LME Lead (cash, $ per tonne) LME Nickel (cash, $ per tonne) Price on 12/22/2014 6,362 1,862 15,370 Price on 12/15/2014 6,555 1,963 16,655 Price on 11/21/2014 6,790 2,060 16,445 1 Week Change (2.9%) (5.1%) (7.7%) 1 Month Change (6.3%) (9.6%) (6.5%) Source: LME © 2014 NAATBatt International • Advanced Battery Weekly • All Rights Reserved December 26, 2014 Vol. 5 No. 52 Advanced Battery Weekly Exhibit 7: Natural Gas and Crude Oil (From January 3, 2013) Source: EIA © 2014 NAATBatt International • Advanced Battery Weekly • All Rights Reserved December 26, 2014 Vol. 5 No. 52 Advanced Battery Weekly Guest Editorial NEW BATTERY TRANSPORT REGULATIONS ADD OPPORTUNITY TO DOMESTIC CELL MANUFACTURING By: Raymond Verhelst, Raymond Verhelst & Associates Ralph Brodd, PhD, Broddarp of Nevada In 2010, a UPS Boeing 747 cargo plane crashed near Dubai with the reported cause being a fire initiated by Lithium-ion batteries in the hold. Tragically, the crew of two died. More recently, there has been much debate following a number of well covered documented incidents where Lithium-ion batteries have potentially contributed to disastrous accidents in the cargo holds of planes, trucks and ocean containers. As of the beginning of December, IATA (International Air Transport Association) has published new rules and guidelines on the transport of Lithium-ion batteries. This comes on the heels of the most recent NTSB report showing the failure in the cell design as the primary cause of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner incident. These new policies and guidelines are designed to potentially enhance the safe transport of quantities of class 9 hazardous materials, of which Lithium-ion batteries fall under. In reality, while these rules are dedicated to the safety and increased restrictions on the shipping of unregulated, and often poor quality batteries, the truth is that these new guidelines will further restrict the types of transport, control the volume of lithium that can be shipped in a single cargo hold and increase the oversight and verification of the mandatory certifications. It’s fair to assume that these changes are going to increase the cost to import Lithium-ion batteries and dramatically choke the volume coming from overseas. Consumers will eventually see the increases in pricing on portable electronics, leading to the adage that “Safety comes at a price.” From the glass half-full model this can actually have a positive effect on the North American resurgence of domestic rechargeable cell manufacturing going forward. Some History Starting back in the early 1970’s the US research community developed the commercial technology behind Lithium batteries and chose to shun their future practicality under the guise that the cell production costs were too high and timelines for recovery of cost savings were too long for a reasonable ROI. As Japan launched its commitment into advanced portable Lithium battery technology in the early 1990’s and the common inclusion of these rechargeable cells into the breath of consumer and commercial electronic devices, it became a losing proposition for US domestic electronics manufacturers who couldn’t deliver a complete and competitive solution were forced to fold their tents. Fast forward to today. As with all globalization models, as costs rise in one market, companies seek lower sources for labor, taxes and logistics, requiring outsourcing to remain competitive and profitable. This is what happened when Lithium cell automated manufacturing eventually transitioned from Japan to South Korea and intern, migrated into China. Ironically, China manufacturers are actually finding incentives to outsource to Vietnam. In perspective, at one time the US had more than three hundred battery manufacturers and today there are less than fifteen. © 2014 NAATBatt International • Advanced Battery Weekly • All Rights Reserved December 26, 2014 Vol. 5 No. 52 Advanced Battery Weekly From the perspective of a consumer device manufacturer who requires advanced rechargeable batteries to make their products work harder and last longer, they are required to use Lithium-ion technology and subsequently source these cells from Asia where 99.9% of all rechargeable Lithium batteries are produced. This has meant that to be cost effective in production, they needed to locate device assembly near to the power source suppliers, which aided in the export of manufacturing jobs away from North America. Ironically for Nevada, with the Tesla/Panasonic commitment, the mineral resources within the state such as Lithium, Magnesium, Vanadium, Copper and Sulfur are ramping up to meet the increased demand. The same is true in Idaho for Cobalt and Canada for Graphite. All of which will allow battery cell manufacturers to source raw materials on the continent through an infusion of new companies within the supply chain to process and prepare for production. It also means more jobs in the mining industry. While it’s simplistic to assume that consumer electronics manufacturing in large scale will return to the US for lower costs, there are new needs to support the domestic model. Both electric vehicles being built in North America and large stationary demands for energy storage in wind and solar installations and local grid supplements will require cells and packs that are sourced locally. Even as gas prices decline, local commercial delivery routes and residential commuters can still find significant savings of as much as 98% even on $2.00 per gallon switching to a plug-in vehicle. As a benchmark reports indicate that a Tesla Model S costs an average of $7.95 for a full charge, which provides 265 miles. That’s $0.03 cents per mile. Today’s Challenges The new IATA regulations are designed to address these lithium battery mishaps and logistic loopholes. Part of which is the lack of documentation verification and certification enforcement. As consumer and commercial electronic-based product development goes through its sourcing requirements, it’s fair to assume that buyers are seeking lowest bids for parts and assemblies, while balancing in quality. Like virtually all products, there are companies offering ranges of lower quality and extremely low pricing to higher quality at premium rates. This applies to batteries too. It is also important to note that not every cell coming off a production line is perfect, leaving manufacturers to offer various grades. While Japan’s battery production has been considered at the premium level with companies such as SONY, Panasonic/Sanyo, GS Yuasa, Hitachi and NEC are producing consistently high quality cells, South Korea’s Samsung SDI and LG Chem and have developed similarly high quality but often at more competitive pricing. China on the other hand, built their battery industry to primarily service the 1.3 billion residents in the domestic market and feed the electronics manufacturing supply chain. Even the largest brands in China such as BYD, A123/Wanxiang, Lishen, BAK and Tenergy built massive factories to produce greater than 80% of their cells for domestic products and often set quality standards to reflect the mainland consumer appetite. China’s implantation of international safety standards, certifications and manufacturing practices developed more slowly and only as export demands increased. As global buyers sought suppliers within China, more than two hundred companies over a period of the last ten to twelve years, grew into a major industry for the mainland. Located predominantly in Guangdong province, this collective is made up of a wide range of cell producers, distributors, brokers, re-packagers and pack builders. © 2014 NAATBatt International • Advanced Battery Weekly • All Rights Reserved December 26, 2014 Vol. 5 No. 52 Advanced Battery Weekly China’s industry growth has not been without growing pains and there have been a number of major consumer incidents where domestic battery products caught fire, exploded, leaked or inflated and eventually burst, to where individuals where hurt. There were reports of major safety issues ranging toxic air pollution in mining to factory explosions with personnel injuries, and even an electric taxicab that caught fire and killed a passenger. Today, many China and Korean manufacturers have reached the capability to produce a top quality cell at very competitive pricing levels. By no means is this commentary meant to single out one country or one supplier over another as being the source of questionable cells. The majority of the lithium battery manufacturing and distribution network are extremely concerned about quality and safety. As international buyers sought out alternative suppliers, when approached many of these Chinese domestic manufacturers added international sales as a business segment and started promoting through B2B and B2C websites (Made-in-China and Alibaba) globally. The challenge for many is that to secure these sales, battery samples would have to be produced and shipped. Typically, small quantities travel by air and larger quantities go by ocean cargo. In the early years, prototype and “Sample” quantities managed to avoid volume transport regulations and certifications, but this loophole rapidly closed as the abuse of the sample quantity terminology climbed from a dozen to hundreds and into thousands. Having stated this, there are still suspected companies who circumvent certain safety regulations by associating existing UNDOT38.3 (United Nations Department of Transportation) certificates with alternate or different sized cells, suggesting that the shipment has actually passed safe shipping tests. Customs officials are not aware of the technical details and often gloss over the differences. In other instances suppliers depend on third party shipping and logistics providers who tack on premium service fees in exchange for taking the risk. The fine if caught in the US is $50,000.00. Regulations for the transport of Lithium-ion batteries strictly forbid cargo shipments on passenger aircraft into, within or out of the United States. Electronic devices where the official battery pack for the device is already installed (within the equipment) may be shipped with the proper certifications and packed to weight limits. Lithium-ion batteries can be transported on cargo flights, in rail cars, trucks and vessels who have expressly outlined their own packaging requirements and volume limitations. According to post accident reports from the NTSB, most often investigations show that the cells have not been packed safely enough to avoid short circuits, which intern causes overheating. Lithium cells expand under high heat and pressure and eventually leak gaseous chemicals and in some cases explode causing fires. Known as “Thermal Runaway” the real risk is when a large number of cells are packed in single containers or pallets. The thermal reaction of one can easily create a chain reaction to one or more cells sitting directly adjacent. Testing and Certification For further clarification, by law to transport Class 9 hazardous materials, specifically Lithium-ion batteries, both the individual cells as well as the complete pack (which is often made up of a number of identical cells itself) must go through the UNDOT38.3 certification process and pass a barrage of safety tests. These tests evaluate altitude pressure, stacking, shock, puncture, drop, stress under temperature, overcharge and purposely shorted. They also tested against associated temperature such as when a battery overheats. There has been a greater demand for independent testing labs, which has forced the growth of these © 2014 NAATBatt International • Advanced Battery Weekly • All Rights Reserved December 26, 2014 Vol. 5 No. 52 Advanced Battery Weekly facilities throughout Asia. Companies such as Pony Testing Labs in China who offer UNDOT 38.3 transport testing and certificates have expanded. A challenge has been for the customers who are not willing to foot the bill at the prototype and testing stage, first for the certification of the individual cells and then eventually the certification for the assembled pack. There is a tug of war that goes on between the supplier and the buyer over the cost responsibility during the early stages and there is little incentive for the Asian battery source to automatically certify simply because a majority of the lower price/quality suppliers don’t really consider the certifications of value. For them transport throughout Asia to the majority of their customer base is not a problem. How this relates to a potential benefit for US based battery and electronics manufacturing is where the confluence of increased labor costs, materials, transport and logistics may mean that potentially, manufacturing consumer and commercial electronics can become more cost effective, in the U.S., especially when automation assembly is involved. The value for greater volume in battery manufacturing in North America allows battery assembly and certification to be done in close proximity to electronic device production centers and once inserted into the finished product, can be more easily transported to distribution and retail centers throughout the country using traditional truck transport. Tesla and Panasonic’s goals are to transport finished battery packs by rail to the Fremont assembly plant just hours away. Because the US places a much higher value (as well as the penalties for failure to comply) on the certification process for transport, chances are that North American finished goods will exceed international regulations, which allow for greater export acceptance. As for additional incentives, US based battery and electronics manufacturers who earn GSA, ITAR and other vendor certification programs that allow the sale to city, state, and federal agencies, will find new markets certainly not available to Chinese suppliers. Staff Training Companies involved in the manufacturing, distribution, consumer sales and service of products that include Lithium-ion batteries must have their shipping staff complete hazardous goods shipment training and certification and renew every three years. They must also be trained in the proper packing and labeling methods. Both the staff training and cell transport certification process are important potential revenue streams and integral to the resurgence of the Lithium-ion battery business here in North America. Hence the need for US technical schools, community colleges and universities to teach practical aspects of the Li-Ion technology for job training and creation. Research and Development As public and private academic research centers, paired with the industry continue to seek both higher energy density and safer cell chemistry, the US is losing its lead in these efforts, but not by much. Besides the implementation of safer transport regulations, we need to push forward on the development of future rechargeable energy storage with a special emphasis on the use of domestic minerals and processing that can still be competitive in a global market. Like Japan did in the late twentieth century where both the government and private sector banded together to develop this new and important industry into a commercial success, the US must do the same. There is a small window of opportunity to © 2014 NAATBatt International • Advanced Battery Weekly • All Rights Reserved December 26, 2014 Vol. 5 No. 52 Advanced Battery Weekly recapture and “InSource” some of what was lost and raise technology manufacturing into these new and important markets. With automated production processing and large production facilities, such as the Tesla/Panasonic facility, the US is capable of competing with Asian manufacturers. Numerous entities such as Nissan and Johnson Controls are proving that high quality, safe Li-Ion cells can be produced in the US at an equivalent cost. For this to happen, government, universities and the private sector will need to work together to provide the technology, training and market for high quality Li-Ion cells and batteries. #### © 2014 NAATBatt International • Advanced Battery Weekly • All Rights Reserved December 26, 2014 Vol. 5 No. 52 Advanced Battery Weekly Executive Director’s Notes UNDERSTANDING THE TRUE POTENTIAL OF LITHIUM-ION TECHNOLOGY Will lithium-ion batteries ever be able to compete with gasoline in powering light vehicles? Ten years ago, many optimists said yes. But the last ten years of working with lithium-ion technology created many pessimists. They discovered that there is no Moore’s Law for lithium-ion batteries. And they realized that there are scientific limits on the amount energy that a lithium-ion battery can store, which they were told does not even come close to that of gasoline. Over the past several years, the pessimists have taken much of the air out of the electric vehicle bag. But the optimists may be making a comeback. Recent estimates suggest that the price of large format lithium-ion batteries may fall from about $1,800/kWh in 2009 to less than $200/kWh by 2020. Just this week Tesla Motors announced that unspecified upgrades in the lithium-ion battery pack of the Tesla Roadster are going to increase its range from 244 miles to 400 miles, a nearly 2x improvement. Moreover, at nearly every battery conference these days, some analyst displays a chart showing the “breakeven” point for lithium-ion batteries just a few years in the future. Suddenly, the optimists of 10 years ago are not looking so overly optimistic. So what is the real story about the potential of lithium-ion batteries and, by implication, the potential of electric vehicles? NAATBatt International has decided to get to the bottom of this question. At the NAATBatt 2015 Annual Meeting & Conference in Phoenix on February 16-19, 2015, NAATBatt International has invited four of the greatest minds in the world in lithium-ion battery technology to talk about the true potential of lithium-ion technology and its ability to compete with gasoline. No more analysts and charts predicting the future: This will be the real deal. The four experts are: Dr. Stan Whittingham, distinguished professor of chemistry and materials at SUNY Binghamton and one of the original inventors of lithium-ion battery technology; Dr. Khalil Amine, Manager of the Advanced Battery Technology programs at Argonne National Laboratory and five time recipient of the R&D 100 Award; Dr. Michael Thackeray, a Distinguished Fellow and senior scientist in the Electrochemical Energy Storage Department in the Chemical Sciences and Engineering Division at Argonne National Laboratory and inventor of several lithium-ion compounds used in advanced automotive batteries today; and Dr. Karim Zaghib, who has published 131 papers, 85 patents, and served as editor or co-editor of 11 books, many on lithium-ion technology and serves as the Administrator, Energy Storage and Conversion at Hydro-Québec Research Institute (IREQ), which owns the rights to lithium iron phosphate technology worldwide. Drs. Whittingham, Amine, Thackeray and Zaghib will discuss what is really possible to do with lithium-ion technology and, by implication, with electric vehicles. While it might be an overstatement to say that this © 2014 NAATBatt International • Advanced Battery Weekly • All Rights Reserved December 26, 2014 Vol. 5 No. 52 Advanced Battery Weekly will be the definitive word from the scientific community as to the future of lithium-ion technology, it might not be that much of an overstatement. We will leave considerable time after the panel discussion for Drs. Whittingham, Amine, Thackeray and Zaghib to take questions from the audience. This will be a great opportunity for industry and for energy storage consumers, such as automakers, utilities, IPP’s and solar PV installers, to really get to the bottom of the lithium-ion value proposition. The opportunity to speak with our four distinguished panelists at one place and one time about the true potential of lithium-ion batteries will be unprecedented. Don’t miss it. I hope you will be able to join us in Phoenix this coming February for this and other important parts of the NAATBatt 2015 Annual Meeting & Conference program. James J. Greenberger Executive Director December 26, 2014 © 2014 NAATBatt International • Advanced Battery Weekly • All Rights Reserved December 26, 2014 Vol. 5 No. 52 Advanced Battery Weekly NAATBatt International Membership Applications for 2015 _________________ Membership Applications and Dues Structure NAATBatt International is accepting applications for membership from companies engaged in the business or applications of advanced electrochemical energy storage technology. Annual membership dues for 2015 are $7,500 for Platinum Members, $5,000 for Gold Members $2,500 for Silver Members, $1,000 for Research Institution/Government Members, and $500 for individual scientists and researchers. Affiliates of Platinum Member companies may join as Silver Members for the special price of $1,000 per year. Applicants may choose their level of membership based on their desired participation in NAATBatt International. Membership runs for 12 months from the month in which an application is accepted. For details about our membership structure, including a list of the benefits of each class of membership, and a membership application, please click here. Why Join NAATBatt International? NAATBatt International is a not-for-profit trade association of companies, associations and research institutions commercializing advanced electrochemical energy storage technology for emerging, high tech applications worldwide. Our mission is to promote the commercial interests of our members by supporting developments in the science of and markets for advanced electrochemical energy storage technology consistent with the goals of enhancing energy efficiency, reducing petroleum dependence and enabling carbon-free electricity generation. Our members include advanced battery, ultracapacitor and electrode manufacturers, energy materials suppliers, vehicle makers, electric utilities, equipment vendors, service providers, universities and other research institutions. We are a membership-based organization focused on delivering the following benefits to our members: Strategic market intelligence Access to new and emerging electrochemical energy storage technology Networking and building name recognition within the industry NAATBatt International conducts multiple programs for its members over the course of the year. One of our most popular programs is our Members’ Site Visit meetings. At these meetings, one NAATBatt member hosts all other members for a tour of the hosting member’s business and production facilities. These tours give participants an unprecedented opportunity to learn about the needs and capabilities of individual member firms. Past hosts of these programs include General Motors, Cabot, EaglePicher, Duke Energy, EnerDel, Cabot Corporation, S&C Electric, Magna Steyr, DNV-GL, Grafoid and HydroQuebec. These programs are open to NAATBatt members only. NAATBatt members also get exclusive information about new products and new opportunities in the market. Each year, NAATBatt runs an Energy Storage Innovation Summit in conjunction with our annual meeting and conference. At the meeting, 20 jury selected emerging companies developing market-ready energy storage-related technologies make presentations directed to companies looking for licensing and acquisition opportunities. The Summit is the culmination of an industry-wide survey and solicitation for © 2014 NAATBatt International • Advanced Battery Weekly • All Rights Reserved December 26, 2014 Vol. 5 No. 52 Advanced Battery Weekly new technologies. NAATBatt members have the exclusive opportunity to participate in the selection process and get a first look at these new technologies. NAATBatt members have access to ABC PatentEdge™, a database of patents and patent applications covering advanced batteries and ultracapacitors developed by NAATBatt in cooperation with the research firm IP Overviews. The database, and the quarterly reports summarizing developments in the database, provide NAATBatt members with deep insight into where advanced battery and capacitor technology is going and where the major players in that market are really making their R&D bets. NAATBatt, as the only international trade association focused on advanced electrochemical energy storage, is a frequent resource for companies looking for products or services involving advanced battery technology. NAATBatt routinely receives inquiries for products and services, which NAATBatt forwards, exclusively, to NAATBatt member firms. For example, NAATBatt recently received and transmitted to its members a solicitation for batteries from a California municipality looking to electrify its bus fleet. This inquiry was transmitted to NAATBatt members well before non-NAATBatt members learned of the opportunity. If you think that NAATBatt membership costs money, think about what not being a member costs. NAATBatt is the pre-eminent networking organization for professionals and companies working in the advanced battery industry. NAATBatt believes that good business relationships are founded on good personal relationships. From our members-only networking dinners, to our Advanced Battery Golf and Tennis tournament, to our annual meetings held at four and five-star resorts, we are dedicated to ensuring the development of strong personal and social relationships among professionals working in the industry. NAATBatt membership is meant to be fun, but it is fun with a serious purpose: Helping our members build bigger and more profitable businesses. NAATBatt is a not-for-profit trade association qualified under Section 501(c)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code and works for the benefit of the entire advanced battery and ultracapacitor industry. Every dollar spent on NAATBatt memberships and programs goes to recouping program costs and to supporting activities intended to benefit the entire advanced battery industry. At a time when it seems that the only people making money on lithium-ion technology are professional conference organizers, the advanced battery industry needs to take control of its own market and its own future. Electrochemical energy storage is the most important technology challenge of our time. Solving the problem of how to store more electricity in a smaller mass is fundamental to progress in vehicle technology, the Smart Grid, robotics, consumer electronics, unmanned aviation, fuel efficient maritime systems, electricity-based weapons systems, medical devices, monitoring systems and many of the other technologies that will shape human society in the 21st Century. Join us in our mission. We are helping to store the energy that will power the world.™ © 2014 NAATBatt International • Advanced Battery Weekly • All Rights Reserved December 26, 2014 Vol. 5 No. 52 Advanced Battery Weekly Contact Information: NAATBatt International 122 South Michigan Avenue, Suite 1700 Chicago, Illinois 60603 (312) 588-0477 www.naatbatt.org Officers Steve Vechy Chairman [email protected] Zak Kuznar President [email protected] Davion Hill President-Elect [email protected] Randy Moore Chairman Emeritus [email protected] Ralph Brodd Chief Technology Officer [email protected] Rayna Handelman Director of Development [email protected] Dan Cass Vice President [email protected] Sandy Kane Chief Financial Officer [email protected] Michael Lew Head of Communications [email protected] Jim Greenberger Executive Director [email protected] © 2014 NAATBatt International • Advanced Battery Weekly • All Rights Reserved December 26, 2014 Vol. 5 No. 52
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