A new overarching strategy to help ensure lead batteries remain the product of choice in automotive and industrial energy storage applications received significant support at the recent ALABC General Assembly meeting in Valetta, Malta.  The strategy plan follows the agreement among Consortium members at the previous GA meeting in May that ALABC, in its 2016-18 program, identify and fund the highest impact work that would result in tangible benefits in lead battery performance.

The strategy contains four work areas: two technical research programs (one for automotive and one for industrial energy storage) and two programs focused on technical communication (automotive and energy storage).  The goals of the technical research programs are:

• AUTOMOTIVE: To ensure that advanced lead batteries in 12V and 48V applications continue to be capable of delivering equivalent fuel and CO2 savings at lower cost than alternatives
• INDUSTRAIL ENERGY STORAGE: To ensure that advanced lead batteries continue to deliver required performance with lower lifetime cost than alternatives

This will include quantifiable targets that will be set to ensure future R&D projects deliver on the overall goal of the consortium.  These are currently in draft form, but the full membership will be consulted for input shortly. The targets for the automotive program will specifically focus on improving DCA (dynamic charge acceptance) and lifetime at a partial state-of-charge (PSoC).  Similarly, the technical R&D program for industrial and energy storage applications will set targets on improving cycle life at PSoC and longer deep-cycle life.

The two technical communications programs will also be split into automotive and energy storage applications and will concentrate on “information transfer” aimed at communicating the current technical benefits of lead batteries to end users. 

• AUTOMOTIVE: Involves analyzing and communicating the results to car manufacturers of previous vehicle demonstration programs and the performance of advanced lead batteries in 12V and 48V applications
• ENERGY STORAGE: Documenting the technical parameters that demonstrate the superior performance that lead batteries compared to other battery technologies can bring to renewable energy storage and utilities applications

As ALABC is managed by the International Lead Association, the Consortium’s new strategy will now become a key component of the larger ILA strategy — a three-pronged approach that involves communication, regulatory defense and product development.

“We believe that this new strategy will enable ALABC to deliver on its overall goals,” said Dr. Alistair Davidson, ILA Director for Products and Sustainability.  “The technical program is always the main focus of ALABC work, but we believe the technical communication programs are also vital to ensure that the current benefits of lead batteries are properly communicated to car manufactures and end user specifiers for utilities and renewable energy storage.”

ALABC Program Manager Dr. Boris Monahov added: “The strategy gives us a clear line for future development work for this three-year period, and will ensure that we fund exciting R&D projects going forward.”

Download the full presentation by Dr. Davidson and Dr. Monahov here.