Whether smartphones, electric cars or a household photovoltaic system, the latest technologies now cannot manage without modern batteries. It is hard to imagine that the first battery was invented back around the year 1800. The Italian physicist Alessandro Volta made it out of copper, zinc and textiles soaked in acid. Batteries become more important in the 20th century when the first automobiles were produced. A mature battery market has only existed since the end of the 20th century, but from that point onward everything has moved very quickly. This is demonstrated, for example, by lithium-ion batteries: according to the study entitled "Energy Storage Revolution" (German Engineering Federation and Roland Berger), the worldwide market volume of lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles will probably be $9 billion in 2015 and $50 billion in 2020. Industry meeting-point at BATTERY+STORAGE 2013 in Stuttgart "The battery industry has come a long way worldwide since its beginnings and has attracted more attention in the energy industry in the last few years. Due to advances in the efficiency of the technologies, the industry has enjoyed a great upswing. Batteries are becoming increasingly more important for storing electricity from renewable energies", said Sengül Altuntas, Project Manager for BATTERY+STORAGE. The International Trade Fair for Battery and Energy Storage Technologies will be held in Stuttgart for the second time from 30 September to 2 October 2013. "The innovative capacity in the area of modern battery storage systems, especially the use of batteries as storage media for regenerative electricity, was clearly shown at our trade fair in 2012. We are therefore eager to see what world innovations will be presented at BATTERY+STORAGE 2013", added Altuntas. Since the energy and battery storage industry is booming globally, the trade fair in Stuttgart will be even more international this year. Sengül Altuntas: "In particular, the Asian market is very attractive for us. We were therefore represented in the German Pavilion at Battery Japan this spring. A large number of Asian companies expressed an interest in our trade fair in Germany." The market volumes in Asia, but also in the USA and Europe, show that the energy and battery storage market is one of the main future markets with impressive growth figures. Global players in the South Pacific The Asia-Pacific region is following the global trend by expanding renewable energies. Especially in industrial areas, it can therefore be assumed that energy storage projects will increase significantly in the near future. In particular, Japan, Australia and South Korea are paying close attention to new storage technologies in order to permanently maintain the stability of their energy supply. A study by the market research company Pike Research reveals the enormous potential of the market volume, which is expected to rise to $12 trillion by the year 2022. Experts predict that China and Japan will become the driving forces on the market in the next few years. The newly industrialising country of India will also probably follow the trend: demand is now already increasing there due to lower costs. Above-average growth in the USA Some industrial nations can only dream about this: last year the American government invested $120 million in energy storage technologies in the full knowledge that the energy storage market in its own country will break records in the next few years. The highest growth is predicted in the area of energy storage technologies. According to the latest survey of Environmental Business International (EBI) on the American energy market, the market volume of the sector amounts to more than $3 trillion and is likely to pass the $5 trillion mark next year. The industrial sector of energy storage technologies in the USA has been driven, for example, by the expansion of the fleet of electric vehicles, but especially by the construction of large solar and wind parks all over the country. Market in Europe being promoted by political decisions The signals which have emanated from the EU Commission in Brussels since last year are very clear: industry in Europe must reduce its CO2 emissions in future. A drastic reduction in the current figures will be attained primarily through increased use of regenerative energy generation systems and efficient storage of renewable energies. Political resolutions, for example the recent decision by the German Federal Government to make a sum of €25 million available for the programme in connection with the market launch of electricity storage systems, will also greatly promote developments in the area of energy storage technologies in future. The European battery industry was therefore in favour of the EU initiatives regarding the promotion of renewable energies, sustainable mobility and resource efficiency which gave the industry additional impetus. Since European industry must comply with the stricter political regulations of the EU regarding production with low CO2 emissions, higher demand for industrial batteries is anticipated in the battery industry in the next few years. In 2012 a sum of almost $750 million was invested alone in the area of industrial lithium-ion batteries in Europe. The market volume will probably reach a figure of $1.7 billion by 2017. High figures are also being seen on the market for hybrid and electric vehicle batteries in Europe: the market volume here will rise to €20 billion (A.T. Kearney Study "E-Drive Batteries 2025") by 2025. Industrial lithium-ion batteries: will Europe become the leader? It will not be possible to overtake China on the market for lithium-ion batteries before 2016 - the economic giant has a market share of almost 40 per cent. However, there is more competition on the market for industrial lithium-ion batteries where the USA will probably be the leading player up until 2016. Analysts from Frost & Sullivan are convinced that the USA will be overtaken by Asia and Europe after 2016. The driving-force behind European market domination will be development in Germany, which is being promoted by the change to alternative energy sources. WORLD OF ENERGY SOLUTIONS BATTERY+STORAGE, the fuel cell forum f-cell and the e-mobil BW TECHNOLOGIETAG will be held for the second time in 2013 under one roof - and for the first time under the shared motto: WORLD OF ENERGY SOLUTIONS. The claim "WORLD OF ENERGY SOLUTIONS" reflects the extensive exhibition programme that will be on offer during the trade fair and conference. The platform will be extended in future as a central marketplace, an industry driving force and a think tank for the further development of battery and energy storage technologies, hydrogen and fuel cell applications, and innovations from the area of e-mobility. Stuttgart Trade Fairs
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