The first FME BATTERY Consortium was both well received and well spent.

We began our two-day programme in Trondheim in November with a recap of the many achievements from our first year. “While we’ve seen some setbacks and headwinds within the Norwegian battery industry, we’ve also witnessed renewal,” said Hanne Flåten Andersen, Centre Director.

The recap was followed by an inspiring example from our “bigger brother” centre in the UK: the Faraday Institution. The Director for Innovation shared how, over several years, they have successfully worked to bring research ideas into universities and institutes and seen innovative results emerge.

Although the Faraday Institution’s annual budget is around twenty times larger than that of FME BATTERY, many found it reassuring to see that our centre is structured along similar lines to leading international initiatives. “We have a strong framework to build and expand upon in the years ahead, and that is quite comforting to see,” said Professor Burheim, Deputy Centre Director.

Encouragement and progress reports

Feedback from the Faraday delegate after the conference was equally encouraging. It was great to hear that we have made such a strong start and are already well integrated between user and research partners at an early stage.

The morning session concluded with insights into how the IPCC and its transport chapter operate, and how we can all contribute. This was both informative and inspiring.

After lunch, several industry partners shared updates, demonstrating that the light at the end of the tunnel is visible. Many reported progress in their businesses, while others hinted that major announcements are just around the corner.

Meeting the graduate candidates of FME BATTERY was an inspiration too, as all could learn more about the directions and output of the next few years.

Building joint visions

This first full consortium gathering also provided time to explore each other’s interests and plans ahead. Discussing future research priorities, near and long term, is vital for centres like ours. Understanding capabilities and creating opportunities are key to building shared visions and strengthening collaboration.

For some, these discussions may have felt a little early, but everyone is now engaged and beginning to shape their vision for FME BATTERY as a research centre and collaboration hub for many years to come.

Download:

• Presentation files here (for FME BATTERY members via Teams)
• More photos from the FME BATTERY Consortium Meeting (open access via NTNU FotoWare)