Recharging the UK's battery industry

At four years old, the laptop on which I’m writing this would probably be considered middle-aged. It’s beginning to show: it takes longer to start, the screen anti-reflection coating has patches of wear, and the clever lithium-ion battery (LIB) that keeps my laptop alive now barely lasts a morning without connecting to the mains. As I hover the mouse cursor over the system icons a warning sign pops into view reminds me of the battery’s condition: ‘replace soon’.

Batteries are everywhere, quietly doing their thing, keeping our digital, mobile and ever-connected world running. Usually they only get our attention when they’re running flat or filling headlines after bursting into flames – but they’re poised to make an even bigger impact on our lives as we tackle the transition towards a lower carbon economy and gradually wean ourselves off fossil fuels and oil.