Are solid-state batteries finally ready to live up to the hype?

Harvard researchers have made a solid-state battery that charges in ten minutes and lasts for 30 years, but the much-hyped technology remains a long-horizon solution for the energy transition.

Can solid-state batteries revolutionise the battery industry?

Overall, solid-state batteries have the potential to revolutionise the battery industry by offering improved performance, safety and longevity compared with traditional lithium-ion batteries.

Are solid-state batteries a problem?

“The current challenge of solid-state batteries is implementation and scale-up, rather than getting something even better at the cell level,” says Lombardo.

Can solid-state batteries be recycled?

One benefit of solid-state batteries is that they can theoretically exploit bipolar stacking, which would significantly reduce the number of current collectors (e.g. metals and non-active material in batteries). However, this has yet to be demonstrated. A few studies have suggested solid-state batteries may be easier to recycle.

Can solid-state batteries be made anode-less?

If solid-state batteries can be made anode-less this may not be case. One benefit of solid-state batteries is that they can theoretically exploit bipolar stacking, which would significantly reduce the number of current collectors (e.g. metals and non-active material in batteries). However, this has yet to be demonstrated.

Can solid-state batteries be used for EVs?

“Because of their high energy density, solid-state batteries will be most appropriate for EVs rather than [stationary] energy storage systems, and can really be a key contributor to the electrification of heavy transport,” says Teo Lombardo, an energy modeller for transport at the International Energy Agency (IEA).