"Battery Lab" to accelerate technology transfer into practice

23.03.2026

Source: E & M powernews

A new research platform for battery technologies is being launched in Berlin. The aim is to dovetail development and industrial application more closely.

With the "Berlin Battery Lab", three research institutions have launched a joint platform for developing and testing new battery technologies. The Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM), the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) and the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (HU) are involved. The facility is intended in particular to drive forward the development of resource-saving batteries with a focus on sodium-ion technologies and accelerate the transfer to industrial applications, as BAM announced.

The new research infrastructure will be used to develop materials, investigate cell chemistries and manufacture battery prototypes. The laboratory is also open to external partners from science and industry. The aim is to shorten the transition from basic research to application.

The participating institutions contribute complementary expertise. BAM is working on battery safety and energy materials, among other things. The HU conducts research in the field of sodium-ion batteries. HZB has experience in lithium-sulphur batteries and operates BESSY II, an X-ray source for analyzing battery chemical processes.

The Battery Lab brings together basic research, material development, cell production and safety tests at one location. The platform is intended to close the gap between research and industrial implementation. Technology-oriented companies and start-ups in particular should benefit from the opportunities for cooperation.
2.4 million euros from European funds

"Battery research is a key technology on the high-tech agenda. The Berlin Battery Lab strengthens Germany's technological sovereignty by reducing dependencies on critical raw materials and increasing the resilience of central value chains," said Berlin Senator for Science Ina Czyborra. The SPD politician said that the state of Berlin would provide the Battery Lab with an additional 2.4 million euros from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) between 2026 and 2028.

Ulrich Panne, President of BAM, pointed out that many new battery technologies were being significantly researched in Germany, but were not finding their way into application quickly enough. "This is exactly where the Berlin Battery Lab comes in: We are bringing together research, development and cell construction in Berlin," said Panne.

Author: Manfred Fischer