Within the new research platform, BAM, HZB and HU are jointly developing and testing resource-efficient battery technologies, with a focus on sodium-ion batteries. Together, they are designing new materials, researching innovative cell chemistries and manufacturing battery prototypes. The Berlin Battery Lab’s research infrastructure is also open to external partners from academia and industry and is intended to shorten the path from research to application.
In recent years, Berlin has developed into a leading centre for battery research. In particular, sustainable alternatives such as sodium-ion or lithium-sulphur batteries are increasingly coming into focus.
Against this backdrop, the Berlin Battery Lab forms a central platform that strategically brings together the complementary expertise of the participating institutions: BAM possesses internationally recognised expertise in battery safety and the research of innovative energy materials. HU is one of the leading academic research institutions in the field of sodium-ion batteries. HZB brings many years of experience in research into lithium-sulphur batteries and, with BESSY II, has one of the world’s most powerful X-ray sources for investigating battery chemical processes.
With the Berlin Battery Lab, BAM, HU and HZB are creating a research environment in the capital that systematically brings together basic research, materials development, cell manufacturing and safety testing at a single location. In doing so, the Berlin Battery Lab closes a significant gap on the path to industrial application. Start-ups and technology-oriented companies in particular are set to benefit: the laboratory is open to collaborations and aims to provide significant support for the development of locally produced, sustainable battery technologies.
At the inauguration, Dr Ina Czyborra, Senator for Science, who was present, stated: “The Berlin Battery Lab exemplifies Berlin’s strength in bringing together cutting-edge research and technological needs in a targeted manner – through close cooperation between three outstanding players and via a direct path from research to application. Battery research is a key technology in the high-tech agenda. The Berlin Battery Lab strengthens Germany’s technological sovereignty by reducing dependencies on critical raw materials and increasing the resilience of key value chains. These national tasks can only be tackled through close collaboration – with a clear joint commitment from the federal states and the federal government, including through appropriate funding instruments. The State of Berlin is delighted to support this goal and is making an additional €2.4 million available to the Berlin Battery Lab from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) for the years 2026 to 2028.”
Prof. Dr. Ulrich Panne, President of BAM: “Much of the research into new battery technologies is being carried out in Germany, but these technologies are not finding their way into practical application quickly enough. This is precisely where the Berlin Battery Lab comes in: we are bringing together research, development and cell manufacturing in Berlin, whilst taking safety aspects and regulatory requirements into account, in order to put sustainable innovations into practice.”
Prof. Dr Julia von Blumenthal, President of HU: “Batteries are a key technology for a sustainable energy supply in the future. The Berlin Battery Lab now brings together the expertise of three outstanding research institutions in this field in Berlin. The Berlin Battery Lab will cover the entire research chain, facilitate collaboration with companies and accelerate processes right through to practical application. The Berlin Battery Lab drives innovation and thus makes an important contribution to solving one of the central challenges of our time.”
Prof. Dr Bernd Rech, Scientific Director of HZB: “At the Berlin Battery Lab, we are bringing our diverse expertise together to accelerate development and technology transfer to industry. To this end, we are establishing a new pouch cell laboratory for sodium-ion batteries at HZB and providing the latest characterisation methods at BESSY II.”
As part of the inauguration, Prof. Dr. Philipp Adelhelm (HU), alongside Dr. Tim-Patrick Fellinger (BAM) and Prof. Dr. Yan Lu (HZB), one of the three scientific directors of the Berlin Battery Lab, was awarded a Wilhelm Ostwald Fellowship by BAM. Named after Nobel laureate Wilhelm Ostwald, the award recognises Adelhelm’s contributions to the physical chemistry of batteries, particularly in the field of sodium-ion technology. The fellowship facilitates deeper scientific collaboration between HU and BAM and strengthens interdisciplinary exchange within the Berlin Battery Lab.