INSIDE THE RACE TO MAKE BATTERIES BETTER

AS DEMAND FOR ENERGY STORAGE TECHNOLOGIES SURGES, THERE IS INCREASED URGENCY TO MAKE THESE PRODUCTS LAST LONGER AND PERFORM BETTER

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A TEN-NINE TECHNOLOGIES researcher handles advanced battery material samples during laboratory testing and evaluation. Photograph by Andrew Saliga. courtesy of TenNine Technologies.

BATTERIES MAY HAVE ONCE BEEN forgettable things tucked inside remote controls and toys, but now they're powering cars, data centers, and even entire energy systems. As the push for electrification continues, demand for more powerful, longer-lasting batteries is growing rapidly. According to the International Energy Agency, the global lithium-ion battery market surpassed $150 billion in 2025, a 20% increase from the year prior.

“It's definitely difficult to wrap your arms around everything, because there's so much going on,” says Jeff Reeves, an executive at Battery Council International, which represents battery manufacturers across North America. He adds that while electric vehicles get a lot of attention, there's enormous growth for industrial battery uses, including renewable energy and heavy machinery.

SOLVING BATTERY CHALLENGES