India’s first lithium-ion cell fabrication workshop concludes in Pune
Indian battery manufacturers import single cells to make batteries of different capacities. Workshops like these will help them further localisation levels.
India’s first-ever Li-ion fabrication workshop concluded in Pune on Thursday.
Speaking about the workshop, Rahul Walawalkar, President of India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA), said, “Lithium-ion batteries have become the preferred technology in many battery storage applications due to its relatively high energy and power density as well as fast charge discharge capabilities. Assembling of Li-ion battery packs is a dynamic industry in India and is growing at a healthy pace. It is high time for Indian industry to take up R&D and advanced cell manufacturing so that we reduce our dependence on other countries.”
The two-day workshop was jointly organised by IESA and the Centre for Materials for Electronics Technology (C-MET). It included both lab and classroom sessions on pouch cell fabrication and battery testing.
Walawalkar stressed the need for domestic manufacturing of lithium-ion batteries and compared it with the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak in China, which is incidentally one of the world’s largest lithium-ion battery pack manufacturers.
He said, “The recent pandemic related to COVID-19 has highlighted the importance of domestic manufacturing considering the risk of global supply chain disruptions. Energy storage and EVs are important for national energy security and we should learn from the recent events and accelerate our efforts for building domestic capabilities.”
The workshop was designed to impart the latest technology trends and to understand the fundamentals of cell manufacturing. Ten participants from companies working on battery manufacturing, automotive component manufacturing, and ESS (energy storage system) technology, participated in the workshop. Investment companies were also a part of this initiative.
It also included presentations on cell manufacturing, chemistries and performance characteristics, and next-generation lithium-ion technologies.
Lithium-ion battery fabrication workshops have previously been held only in developed countries like Germany and the United States.
This initiative will not only help companies reduce their operating costs but also help the industry get a better appreciation of the R&D facilities available within India.
India’s shift to electric vehicles will see lithium-ion batteries play a pivotal role.
The government’s push towards electric vehicles has seen a growing number of battery pack manufacturers assembling high-capacity packs in India to meet the needs of fast-evolving automotive players and stationary storage market.
(Edited by Javed Gaihlot)
