Battery Innovation

Energy Innovation Program – Battery Industry Acceleration Call: Closed

Why we are working on battery innovation

Why we are working on battery innovation

Batteries play an important role in the ongoing energy transition. They are one of the few clean energy technologies that have already directly offset carbon emissions from internal combustion engine vehicles and indirectly offset fossil fuel-powered electricity generation.

Battery innovation is needed to help meet global demand for battery electric vehicles, which exceeded 10 million in 2022, representing 14% of passenger vehicles sold worldwide. In the same year, global stationary storage capacity increased by 68% and is expected to grow 23% annually.

To support this growing market, batteries must become more affordable and sustainable. Canadian innovators and firms are developing promising battery technologies, but gaining a competitive foothold in the global market requires targeted investments for emerging technologies. Investing in research, development, and demonstration across the battery value chain will help establish a stable, sustainable, and affordable domestic and international battery supply.

How far we’ve come

Canada has a long history of battery innovation, from producing the world’s first commercial rechargeable Li battery in the 1980s to developing some of the dominant lithium-ion battery chemistries used today.

Across Canada, battery research and innovation activities are actively taking place in small, medium, and large-scale industry, universities, and governments. With funding from the Energy Innovation Program, a map of the battery ecosystem was developed and is available through Accelerate.

OERD’s Battery Innovation Investments

High Energy Density Energy Storage for Automotive Applications

Improved Fluxless Aluminum Brazing Materials and Process Technology for Manufacturing of Advanced Battery Cooling Heat Exchangers

Development of Thick Film Electric Heaters for Thermal Modulation of Battery Systems

Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Demonstration Program:

Repurposing Used Large-Format Heavy-Duty Transit Bus Batteries for Electric Vehicle Rapid Charging

Vehicle to Grid Demand Response (V2G-DR)

Nova Scotia Vehicle Grid Integration Pilot

EV Charging Infrastructure in Apartment, Commercial/Office and Retail Store Environments

Arctic Charging and Heating Stations for EV’s Tethered to Islanded Hybrid Diesel-Renewable SmartGrid

Sky Smart Electric Vehicle Charging Station

Electric Vehicle Automatic Parking

Decreasing Transactional EV Charging Costs and Enhancing Grid Efficiency

Women in Cleantech challenge: Amanda Hall of Summit Nanotech awarded the $1M grand prize

Green Infrastructure Smart Grid Program:

West 5 Smart Grid Project

Lac Mégantic Microgrid

Slemon Park Microgrid Project

Collaborative Grid Innovation for Atlantic Smart Energy Communities

Waterton Energy Storage Project

Charging the Future, challenge: Toronto-based e-Zinc was awarded the $1-million prize for Commercialization of Lowest-Cost, Long Duration Energy Storage Systems. Runners-up include:

Salient Energy: Safe and Long-Lasting Zinc-Ion Batteries for Energy Storage

Agora Energy Technologies: Metal-Free Rechargeable CO₂ Flow Battery

Calogy Solutions: Nordic Battery Pack with Advanced Thermal Management and Data-Driven Battery Management System

GBatteries: Reducing the Cost of Lithium-Ion Battery Manufacturing

Power Forward Challenge: Alba Nova Project: A Smart Grid Pilot Using Advanced Battery Storage

Energy Innovation Program:

Ultra-fast charging of lithium-ion cells for the mass global adoption of electric vehicles

Where we’re going

The expansion of the battery ecosystem in Canada provides an opportunity to differentiate Canada’s industry on a global scale through a deliberate approach tailored to Canadian battery innovation. OERD has developed a strategic approach to battery innovation, which builds on two of its missions: improving energy efficiency and processes to reduce emissions from energy end-use, and accelerating electrification and maximizing benefits to renewable heat and power.

This approach highlights key domains for future funding calls, challenges, and other non-funding supports like creating connections among the Canadian battery ecosystem, government, laboratories, and industry.

Value Chain Decarbonization, Security, and Competitiveness

Promote leadership in full value chain decarbonization

Target innovation in critical battery applications that reduce reliance on insecure supply chains

Support innovation-led domestic commercial growth to create long-term economic benefits for Canada

Innovation Infrastructure

Firms

Support Canadian innovation infrastructure at each stage of the supply chain

Support the “missing middle” in infrastructure to support expensive, high-risk innovation activities

Support battery workforce growth and transition

Promote local-to-global awareness and collaboration

Support innovative companies, particularly in areas where Canada has natural advantage or innovation addresses unique Canadian use case

Grow/encourage connections between Canadian companies, academics, industry associations, adopters, federal labs

Support Canadian IP development and retention

Increase the value for companies to stay in Canada

Promote Canadian innovators

Importantly, this work will continue to be informed by OERD’s collaboration with industry and other government departments.

Funding Activities

The Energy Innovation Program – Battery Industry Acceleration Call will support technologies that accelerate battery value chain decarbonization, security, and competitiveness for Canada. It will also contribute to federal efforts to strengthen the network of Canadian battery innovators to help grow world-class Canadian firms in the battery value chain.

To learn more or apply for funding through this call, please visit the Battery Industry Acceleration Call page.

In the Spotlight

On September 28, 2023, Natural Resources Canada announced a $500,000 federal investment in Accelerate Alliance Inc., an industrial alliance of Canada’s Zero Emission Vehicle actors.

This investment supported the development of Accelerate’s Battery Innovation Roadmap, which advances a shared vision of success and strategies to support Canadian battery innovation.