| Por Elixabete Ayerbe | Team Leader del Equipo de Modelización y Postmortem Analysis |
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| This movement is further supported by the digital wave, where automation, artificial intelligence, and data analytics contribute to the acceleration of new developments. In this regard, CIDETEC Energy Storage has long been committed to the development and implementation of digital solutions to advance battery technologies. Recently, it launched the digital platform PROTEO, which accelerates cell development and marks a significant milestone in innovation and efficiency within the energy sector. PROTEO, based on multiphysics models, artificial intelligence, and a dynamic database, offers a revolutionary approach to the construction, testing, and optimization of cells. The platform consists of three modules: PROTEO Design, based on thermo-electrochemical-mechanical models, allows users to virtually design and optimize cells from scratch, providing insights into cell design, identifying optimal conditions for SEI formation, and detecting potential failure modes throughout their lifespan PROTEO Prediction, supported by AI, predicts the lifespan of a battery cell based on electrode characteristics, cell design, and usage profiles, accelerating the testing and validation phase PROTEO Data Analytics, which automatically collects data from various sources for efficient management and visualization. |
The Department of Sustainability of the Gipuzkoa Provincial Council and CIDETEC, in collaboration with the NATURKLIMA Foundation, will launch in the Eskuzaitzeta industrial area:
• A Laboratory for Characterizing Recycled Materials from Used Batteries.
• Implementation of a State-of-the-Art Energy Microgrid in the Eskuzaitzeta Business Environment. Oscar Miguel, Deputy Director of CIDETEC Energy Storage, tells us the general lines of this agreement that positions the territory at the forefront of the circular economy and energy transition.
Gipuzkoa is positioning itself at the forefront of the circular economy and energy transition by signing two strategic agreements for the implementation of innovative projects in Eskuzaitzeta.
With a total investment of 400,000 euros, the Department of Sustainability of the Gipuzkoa Provincial Council and CIDETEC, in collaboration with the NATURKLIMA Foundation, will launch a material characterization laboratory for batteries and a state-of-the-art energy microgrid in the Eskuzaitzeta industrial area.
Jose Ignacio Asensio: “The Eskuzaitzeta Energy Microgrid and the Battery Material Characterization Laboratory significantly accelerate the energy transition in Gipuzkoa, creating a new niche for quality employment and leading an emerging industry around battery recycling”.
Javier Rodriguez: “The proliferation of batteries challenges us to manage them effectively. CIDETEC will leverage its knowledge and experience to make Gipuzkoa a leader in battery recycling”.
This morning, José Ignacio Asensio, Deputy for Sustainability and President of Naturklima, and Javier Rodríguez, General Director of Cidetec, signed two collaboration agreements between the Department of Sustainability of the Gipuzkoa Provincial Council, Naturklima, and Cidetec, amounting to 390,000 euros.
The signing of these agreements highlights the commitment to innovation, sustainability, and decarbonization, marking a decisive step in Gipuzkoa’s comprehensive strategy to create a new industrial ecosystem centered on the emerging battery sector. José Ignacio Asensio, Deputy for Sustainability and President of Naturklima, stated: “The expected enormous growth in battery evolution not only highlights the opportunity for growth and employment in a new sector but also underscores the urgent need to address the end-of-life of these batteries and thereby accelerate the main challenge of renewable energies: storage.”
According to official data from the FHG ISI Cell Production Database, battery production in Europe will surge in the next decade, increasing from 120 GWh in 2024 to over 750 GWh by 2030, accumulating a total of 1 TWh throughout the 2020-2030 decade. This vast expansion presents a crucial challenge: sustainably managing batteries at the end of their lifecycle. Therefore, repair, remanufacture, reuse, and recycling are essential concepts to address this issue.
For this reason, the Department of Sustainability of the Gipuzkoa Provincial Council, together with NATURKLIMA and CIDETEC, launched the ZIRKULAR BAT Forum in 2022, a hub that already brings together twenty companies aiming to create synergies and generate opportunities around batteries.
“ZIRKULAR BAT is just the beginning of a mid-term strategy that will allow us to have an industrial and technological ecosystem in Gipuzkoa around batteries, enabling us to respond to future energy and environmental challenges,” emphasized Deputy Asensio. “The signing of these two agreements allows us to launch two new projects that will significantly accelerate the energy transition in Gipuzkoa, create a new niche of quality employment, and lead an emerging industry around battery recycling.”
The two projects agreed upon are:
A Laboratory for Characterizing Recycled Materials from Used Batteries: This will be located in Cidetec’s new facilities in the Eskuzaitzeta industrial area. The laboratory will advance the research and development of battery recycling technologies, optimizing the reuse of valuable resources, marking a significant step towards creating a pilot battery recycling plant by 2027. This space will be equipped with devices provided by the agreement and additional equipment from CIDETEC, coinciding with the inauguration of CIDETEC Energy Storage’s new facilities in Eskuzaitzeta.
Implementation of a State-of-the-Art Energy Microgrid in the Eskuzaitzeta Business Environment: This microgrid will utilize second-life battery energy storage systems and integrate distributed renewable generation systems, waste heat, electric vehicles, and advanced storage systems. The initiative aims to establish an energy community promoting the energy autonomy of Eskuzaitzeta industries and integrate an energy microgrid combining photovoltaic panels, waste heat generation, electric vehicles, and second-life batteries to optimize the energy activities of businesses in the area. This project is developed as a Living Lab, a living laboratory to co-generate knowledge about the network’s operation and co-create solutions to optimize systems. “These projects not only create a new niche of quality employment but also position Gipuzkoa as an international benchmark in the circular economy of batteries and renewable energies,” said Deputy Asensio.
- The launch will take place with a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at Cape Canaveral in June 2025.
- The new CIDETEC spin-off will thus validate its new high energy density modular batteries using the Orbital Transfer Vehicle (OTV) platform called OSSIE provided by UARX Space..
LANZO Batteries, CIDETEC’s new spin-off, will validate a new battery technology designed for the aerospace sector with a launch to be held in June 2025. The battery will provide back-up power five times a day, activating once every three orbits. This mission will evaluate all of the battery’s characteristics in orbit, travelling aboard UARX Space’s Orbital Transfer Vehicle (OTV) platform.
According to Jesús Marcos, CEO of LANZO Batteries, “with this launch, LANZO batteries will be qualified in orbit, ensuring the reliability of our products for future space missions”. The LANZO battery will be integrated with the OSSIE OTV satellite platform made by the company UARX Space OSSIE, which serves as a testbed for a variety of experiments, making it the perfect scenario for testing the effectiveness of LANZO’s new high power density modular batteries.
The launch will take place from Cape Canaveral using a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The mission, which will reach an altitude of 500-600 km, will remain in orbit for at least six months and could be extended up to two years depending on the results. During their stay, the batteries and battery management system (BMS) will be monitored to assess their performance in the space environment.
“We are very pleased to be able to work alongside LANZO, giving us the possibility to provide with our OTV not only the capability to deploy satellites, but also to offer the in-orbit validation service for products that want to achieve their heritage in space as required by their batteries”, said Federico Perazzo Business Development Manager of UARX Space.
Since LANZO batteries use commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components, the main objective is to ensure that there is no reduction in performance during their lifetime in space environmental conditions. This will demonstrate the functionality and reliability of the system, underlining LANZO Batteries’ ability to safely maintain flight elements.
Celebrated at CIE Automotive facilities
The BATSS consortium, coordinated by CIDETEC Energy Storage, held a productive General Assembly at the CIE Automotive facilities in Spain, marking a significant milestone in the project’s first six months. This meeting brought together partners to review progress, discuss advancements, and plan future activities.
During the assembly, the consortium reviewed the progress made in the areas of thermal, mechanical, and electrical innovations, as well as safety and circularity concerns of the battery system. Key achievements included the definition of the battery system requirements by FPT Motorenforschung, as well as the completion of the cell electro-thermal preliminary model by IFP Energies Nouvelles, crucial milestones for the project’s development and success.
The meeting also provided an opportunity for partners to discuss and plan the next steps of the project, addressing potential risks to ensure awareness for the upcoming phases. The discussions included possible strategies for effective collaboration, industry challenges, and opportunities for further innovation.
In addition to the assembly, participants had the chance to visit the Fundación CIE Automotive engineering offices at the Automotive Intelligence Center, offering further insights into the practical applications and engineering excellence driving the project.
About BATSS:
BATSS (Safe Efficient BATtery SyStem based on advanced cell technology) is an EU-funded project aimed at developing a cutting-edge battery system that prioritises safety and performance. By focusing on innovative cell-to-pack modular concepts and addressing key industry challenges, BATSS strives to enhance battery technology for transport and mobile applications.
For more information about BATSS and its latest developments, visit our website and follow us on social media.
