Participant case studies

Adapting to Rapidly Evolving Battery Cell Design Trends: A Manufacturer Perspective

Battery cell design and manufacturing decisions now sit at the centre of competitive strategy in the electric vehicle industry. As automakers push for higher energy density, faster charging, and stronger safety margins, cell makers must weigh which formats and chemistries to build, and how much it costs to switch. This case study follows a South Korean cell manufacturer weighing two very different expansion paths in the United States.

Assessing the Acquisition of the Northvolt Battery Gigafactory Assets in Sweden

The Northvolt gigafactory acquisition sits at the heart of a wider question: why so many European battery plants have struggled, and whether a failed site can be turned into a viable manufacturing platform. In this case study, a US battery company, referred to as X-BC, has bought the production site and equipment of Northvolt in Skelleftea, Sweden, following the company's 2025 bankruptcy. Its chief executive must decide whether the inherited manufacturing strategy needs to change to support expansion into Europe.

At the Crossroads: A European Heavy-Duty EV Truck Maker's Global Expansion

Heavy-duty electric truck market entry sits at the intersection of engineering, regulation and geopolitics. In early 2025, a European manufacturer of fully battery-electric heavy-duty trucks began evaluating a move beyond its home market, weighing entry into China, the United States, or both. Because its portfolio was entirely battery-electric, lithium-ion systems were both its main differentiator and its biggest source of regulatory complexity.

Battery Foundry Concept: Powering the Future

The battery foundry concept borrows an idea from semiconductors: build central, large-scale cell manufacturing hubs in North America and Europe while letting startups focus on design and new chemistries. This case study evaluates whether such a model can tackle the structural gaps in the US lithium battery industry, and whether it makes economic sense compared with traditional manufacturing. The reader takes the role of a company manager deciding whether to build a battery foundry.

Battery Recycling in Europe: A Location Decision Driven by Feedstock, Cost and Risk

Battery recycling in Europe has moved from a strategic aspiration to a concrete investment question, but the harder problem is not whether it matters, it is where and in what form to build. This case study follows a Swiss recycling infrastructure fund, backed by European automotive players, weighing a capital-intensive recycling platform. The shortlist narrowed to Germany as the benchmark, alongside France, Hungary, Poland, and Spain, with the whole decision turning on feedstock, cost, and risk.

Battery Recycling Industry in Malaysia

The battery recycling industry in Malaysia is drawing attention from investors who see Southeast Asia as the next region to build lithium-ion recycling capacity outside China. This case study frames the opportunity through the eyes of a Singapore-based venture capital firm weighing a 100 million US dollar investment in a Malaysian recycling startup, and it examines whether the location, technology, and policy environment can support a bankable operation.

Battery Value Chain Techno-Economic Analysis

A battery value chain techno-economic analysis brings together the technology and the economics of every major step in lithium-ion production, from active material synthesis to recycling of production scrap. This case study follows a plant manager who has mapped the most cost- and energy-intensive stages of a facility and needs practical routes to improve them. It spans cathode production, electrode manufacturing, cell and pack assembly, and end-of-life recovery.

Behind-the-Meter BESS Potential in Telco Networks

Behind-the-meter BESS in telco networks turns backup batteries at cell towers and data exchanges into assets that can earn revenue rather than sit idle. Telecom operators run thousands of sites that need reliable power, and this case study examines whether upgrading those sites to lithium-ion and aggregating them into virtual power plants can lower energy costs and open new income. The reader plays the head of network optimisation and energy management deciding which market to enter first.

BESS as Virtual Power Lines: Is Battery Storage a Viable Transmission Solution

Building new transmission lines is slow, expensive, and often blocked by permitting. That reality has pushed grid operators to ask whether battery storage can do part of the job instead. BESS as virtual power lines, known as virtual transmission in Australia and GridBooster in Germany, uses battery energy storage systems placed along the network to inject or absorb power and mimic line flows. This case examines whether a transmission system operator should choose batteries over conventional overhead lines.

Battery Energy Storage Systems for AI Data Centers in the UK

BESS for AI data centers in the UK addresses two problems at once: keeping compute-critical facilities online and making better use of a strained electricity grid. Even brief power disruptions can cause costly downtime and threaten AI operations, and battery energy storage provides instantaneous backup, smooths fluctuations and manages peak loads. This case study examines the business case for co-locating large-scale storage with AI data centers, and the socio-techno-economic, technology and policy factors that decide whether it works.

BESS in Smart Cities

BESS in smart cities is emerging as a practical answer to the energy strain that dense, fast-growing urban areas place on their grids. This case study follows the head of sustainable development at a city environmental agency weighing whether to back a battery energy storage pilot, using Barcelona as a working example. The question is whether integrating storage into a smart city grid is technically sound, financially sensible and worth the long-term commitment.

BESS Investment in ASEAN Countries

BESS investment in ASEAN is drawing serious attention as grid operators across Southeast Asia add renewable capacity and search for ways to balance intermittent supply. This case study places the reader in the position of a manager at a battery energy storage manufacturer deciding whether to enter the region for grid-scale applications, and if so, which country to target first. The analysis weighs market size, regulation, pricing volatility and entry risk.

BESS Microgrid Integration for Remote North American Communities

A BESS microgrid for remote communities offers a practical path away from expensive, high-emission diesel generation. This case study designs a clean energy microgrid for a remote Canadian community with a peak demand of 10 MW that currently relies on diesel. Battery energy storage systems (BESS) combined with solar generation can cut fuel costs, improve reliability and give communities greater control over their own power. The analysis began with a comparison of the United States and Canada and selected Canada for its supportive conditions.

BESS Permitting and Fire Safety: Megapack Deployment

BESS permitting is one of the hardest hurdles between a battery energy storage project and its first revenue. This case study examines how a project origination team selects new locations for Megapack-class battery energy storage system (BESS) investments, weighing permitting complexity and fire safety across two mature but demanding markets: California in the United States and Germany in the European Union. The aim is not a single answer but a framework for de-risking deployment.

BESS Pilot Market Assessment in Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Malaysia, Germany and the UK

A BESS pilot market assessment helps an investor decide where to prove a battery energy storage thesis before scaling it across borders. This case study takes the role of a credit advisor to a global investor-developer weighing five markets, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Malaysia, Germany and the United Kingdom, for a first-of-its-kind, replicable BESS deployment. The goal is not a simple ranking of returns but a directional tool balancing commercial return, bankability, execution transparency and scalability.

Building a European Battery Advantage Through AI-Driven R&D

Europe's battery industry sits at a strategic crossroads. Demand for energy storage is rising fast, yet Asian manufacturers still dominate on scale, cost, and supply chain integration. This case study asks whether a European start-up can build a durable European battery advantage by deploying artificial intelligence to learn faster, cut waste, and sharpen development and manufacturing decisions, rather than trying to erase a structural cost gap it cannot close.

Building a Profitable New Battery Recycling Factory in the EU

Planning a battery recycling factory in the EU means solving a business problem before an engineering one. Feedstock supply, battery chemistry, process selection and plant location all shape whether a plant earns a return or stalls. This case study follows a process manager tasked by an investment fund with designing a profitable European recycling operation, and it maps the decisions that determine viability.

Challenges of Lithium Supply for the Indian Battery Market

Lithium supply for the Indian battery market has become a strategic bottleneck as the country tries to scale its electric vehicle industry without a secure domestic source of the metal. Demand is climbing far faster than mines can be developed, processing is concentrated in a single dominant country, and prices swing sharply on short-term deficits. This case study examines how India is trying to navigate a lithium supply chain it does not control.

Circularity in EV Batteries

Circularity in EV batteries describes the shift from a linear make-use-discard model to one built on reuse, lifetime extension, and recycling of lithium-ion packs. As electric mobility scales, the industry must avoid overconsuming raw materials and creating waste, which makes closing the loop both an environmental and an economic priority. The challenge is that neither recycling nor second-life reuse is yet fully developed, so the path to a genuine circular economy remains under construction.

Cloud-Based Battery Management Systems for Electrified Vehicles

A cloud-based BMS extends the vehicle's onboard battery management system with a remote platform that processes fleet-scale data to improve battery life, performance and safety. As electric vehicle sales climb, the battery remains the most expensive component of the drivetrain, so squeezing more reliability and range from it carries real commercial value. This case study places the reader as the technology chief of a Tier 1 supplier's power division, deciding whether and how to enter the cloud-based BMS market.

De-Risking BESS Deployment Across Two Continents

BESS deployment has become one of the defining infrastructure opportunities of the decade, yet it is also one of the most technically demanding. This case study follows an infrastructure fund that has approved up to 500 million dollars for grid-scale battery energy storage across the United States and Europe. The central argument is that returns are lost through execution risk, not market risk, so the framework centres on de-risking every stage of delivery.

Decoupling the Battery Industry from China: Building a Resilient Supply Chain

Building a resilient battery supply chain has moved to the top of the agenda for Western manufacturers as governments try to reduce reliance on Chinese imports. This case study places the reader in the role of a senior corporate strategy executive at EnergyCo, a European battery maker setting up its first gigafactory in Germany with an eye on both European and North American sales. The board wants to understand how emerging protectionist measures reshape the industry, and how EnergyCo should respond.

Deploying Mobile BESS for Remote Digital Displays

Mobile BESS for digital displays opens a way to place digital billboards where grid electricity is unavailable, unreliable, or too expensive to extend. This case study examines whether battery-powered outdoor displays can become a growth driver for a mid-sized media agency. The director of strategy and operations is tasked with assessing both the technical feasibility and the financial viability of deploying remote digital displays powered by battery energy storage.

Deployment of Grid-Scale BESS in the Middle East: Technical and Economic Perspectives

Grid-scale BESS in the Middle East is being shaped as much by climate and civil engineering as by market economics. Governments across the region are committing to more renewable energy, with battery energy storage systems needed to integrate solar and wind into the grid. This case study examines how a global BESS developer evaluates entry into Middle Eastern markets, comparing technical and economic factors to find the best deployment approach.

Direct Lithium Extraction from Oilfield Brines

Direct lithium extraction from oilfield brines is emerging as a way for oil and gas producers to enter the lithium market using the brine streams their existing wells already produce. This case study places the reader on the investment committee of a major oil producer with assets in Europe and North America, weighing whether to invest in DLE technology as part of a wider move toward a diversified energy business.

Disruptive Gigafactory Masterplanning or Not?

Gigafactory masterplanning is the discipline of laying out a battery cell plant so it can scale, stay safe, and keep costs down. This case asks a pointed question: is the standard approach of duplicating identical production lines really the best way, or could a layout borrowed from the automotive industry cut capital cost, reduce risk, and shorten time to market? The client, a European battery start-up planning a 60 gigawatt hour facility, needed an answer before committing.

EV Battery Recycling vs Reuse: Investment and Lifecycle Management of Li-Ion Batteries

EV battery recycling vs reuse is one of the sharper investment questions in the battery value chain, because both routes address the same wave of retiring packs in very different ways. This case study places the reader in the seat of an investor choosing between a lithium-ion recycling plant and a battery lifecycle management business, both based in Germany. The decision turns on market conditions, technology, policy and the balance of risk and return.

Electrification of Off-Highway Vehicles

The electrification of off-highway vehicles is one of the least understood frontiers of the energy transition. Transport moves and lifts the world's people, goods, and raw materials, accounting for around 24 percent of global energy use and close to 30 percent of carbon dioxide emissions. Much of the attention has gone to passenger cars, yet a large share of transport happens off the highway, in mining, construction, agriculture, and ports, where the battery industry has so far served customers poorly.

Electrolyte Degradation Factors Affecting eVTOL Air Taxi Battery Performance

Solid-state batteries for eVTOL air taxis are seen as a route to longer flights and heavier payloads, but their promise depends on controlling how their electrolytes degrade. Electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft demand extreme power at take-off and reliable operation across a wide temperature range, and today's cells fall short. This case study examines the degradation factors that limit solid-state battery performance and the strategies that could extend cell life for aviation.

Empowering EU and North American Battery Makers to Become Competitive with China

Battery manufacturing competitiveness has become one of the defining industrial questions for Europe and North America. Chinese producers hold roughly 70 to 75 percent of the value across the entire lithium-ion cell chain, from raw material mining to cell assembly, and they do so at the lowest cost in the world. For a Western battery company, the central challenge is whether cost parity is achievable at all, and if so, where and how to build.

Empowering Resilient Microgrids: BESS as an Overlooked Asset for Grid Congestion

Battery energy storage systems for microgrids are emerging as a practical answer to one of the energy transition's least visible problems: grid congestion. As electrification and renewable generation strain transmission and distribution networks that have hit their limits, industrial sites increasingly cannot get the grid capacity they need. This case study shows how a battery energy storage system can let an industrial park serve new demand without an expensive connection upgrade.

Energy Reduction in Battery Cell Manufacturing: Drying of Anode and Cathode

Battery cell manufacturing energy is one of the largest levers a producer has for lowering cost, and much of it is concentrated in a single stage: electrode coating and drying. For a European company scaling a proven cell technology toward commercialisation, reducing energy in the drying of the anode and cathode is a direct route to competitive manufacturing costs. This case examines whether alternative drying methods can cut energy use without harming the finished electrode.

European Gigafactory for Heavy Machinery

Planning a European gigafactory for heavy machinery batteries means answering hard questions about chemistry, location, partners, and how to enter a market with minimal intellectual property and supply chain dependencies. This case study follows the board of a long-established European tier one supplier to the automotive, mining, construction, and material handling industries as it runs a feasibility study on entering battery production under the mission to build the most European, green gigafactory possible.

Evaluating the Business Model of BESS

Evaluating the BESS business model means deciding whether battery energy storage can generate reliable returns in a market without the long, fixed contracts that once made renewable projects bankable. This case study follows Frontier Corp., a developer weighing whether to enter the storage business and, if so, in which country and with which technology. The core tension is that storage revenues are harder to forecast than the feed-in tariffs the company relied on before.

Circular Economy of Batteries: Exploring the Potential of Second-Life Battery Solutions

The shift from combustion engines to electric vehicles is producing a wave of batteries that will reach end of first life after eight to ten years of use. Projections point to roughly 1.7 million tonnes of cell-equivalent battery waste by 2030, and Europe alone could see 6,000 kilotonnes of end-of-life batteries by 2040. Second-life battery solutions, which repair or repurpose packs that still hold around 80 percent of their capacity, offer a way to turn that waste stream into value while making the battery economy more circular.

Fast Charging for Electric Vehicles: Electromobility 2.0

Fast charging for electric vehicles is often described as the missing link between EV adoption and mass-market confidence. This case study puts the reader in the position of an advisor to an EV charger startup deciding whether to enter the market with a pulse-based fast charging technology, and it works through the demand, the engineering trade-offs and the funding questions that decision involves.

Strategic Entry into Africa's Battery Value Chain: Feasibility Assessment of South Africa and Morocco

The global shift toward electric mobility and renewable energy is intensifying competition for secure battery supply chains, and the Africa battery value chain sits at the centre of that contest. This case study assesses where a company can most viably enter, comparing South Africa's mineral strength against Morocco's fast-growing downstream manufacturing base across refining, precursor production, battery assembly, recycling, and battery energy storage system (BESS) deployment.

From Europe to Africa: Stellantis Investment in Battery Circularity in an Emerging Market

Battery circularity in Africa is emerging as a strategic frontier for the global EV supply chain. The continent holds abundant reserves of critical minerals including cobalt, lithium, manganese and graphite, and as Europe and the United States work to de-risk their raw material supply chains away from China, Africa's position strengthens. This case study examines how Stellantis, the global automaker formed by the 2021 merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Groupe PSA, could invest in battery reuse and recycling capabilities in an emerging market.

Future-Ready EV Battery Testing: Technology, AI Diagnostics and Workforce Strategy for TIC Multinationals

EV battery testing has moved from a routine quality check to a strategic function in the electric vehicle industry chain. As power batteries turn from ordinary components into high-risk energy systems under tightening regulation, independent testing, inspection and certification services now sit at the centre of safety, lifespan and compliance decisions. This case study follows a global testing, inspection and certification (TIC) company as it plans where and how to build battery testing capability over the next decade.

Has the Time Come for Giga-Scale Investment into Na-Ion Cell Manufacturing?

Sodium-ion batteries have moved from laboratory curiosity to serious commercial contender, and this case study asks whether the moment has arrived to commit giga-scale capital to them. The reader plays a US cell maker producing lithium-ion cells at 3 GWh capacity, holding 50 million US dollars from a funding round, and must choose between expanding existing LFP production or building sodium-ion capacity to reach an emerging market and spread technology risk.

Health-Aware Optimal EV Charging Strategies

Electric vehicle adoption is climbing fast, with more than 2.6 million EVs registered in Europe in 2022, roughly 23 percent of all new car sales. Yet EV charging strategies still sit at the centre of a difficult trade-off: drivers want shorter charging times, while high currents accelerate lithium-ion battery degradation. This case study examines how charging infrastructure gaps and health-aware charging protocols can be addressed together to support continued growth.

How Policy Can Advance the Circular Battery Economy for EVs

Building a circular battery economy for EVs depends as much on smart policy as on technology, especially in developing economies balancing tight capital against competing priorities. This case study takes the perspective of a multi-disciplinary government committee tasked with designing a regulatory framework to drive the circularity of electric vehicle batteries, spanning supply-side and demand-side measures, incentives, enforcement, and standardisation.

In-Line Characterisation for Improving Cell Quality

In-line characterisation for cell quality is becoming a priority as battery makers move from batch production to gigafactory scale, where even small defect rates translate into large financial losses. This case study follows a pouch cell manufacturer deciding which quality control technology to buy in order to raise yield, produce more grade A cells, and cut scrap through an early predictive approach.

Investing in EV Charging Infrastructure in India

Investing in EV charging infrastructure in India means backing the physical backbone of one of the world's fastest growing electric vehicle markets. This case study puts the reader in the role of a corporate strategy manager at a charging network operator setting up its first station in southern India. The task is to judge whether the current shortage of charging stations, set against a fleet of more than 2.8 million electric vehicles, represents a durable investment opportunity.

Investment Analysis of Britishvolt

This investment analysis of Britishvolt looks at what an individual investor should weigh before backing an early-stage battery manufacturer. Britishvolt aimed to build the United Kingdom's first gigafactory for lithium-ion cells, and its story offers a clear lens on how leadership, marketing, legal exposure and funding can decide whether an ambitious startup survives. The case is set in November 2022, when the company was reportedly close to administration.

Investment Case in Lithium-Ion Batteries in ASEAN: Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam

Lithium-ion battery investment in ASEAN has become a live strategic question as Southeast Asia embraces electric mobility and localises battery production. This case study frames a global battery leader, Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited (CATL), weighing where to enter the value chain across three markets: Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam. The goal is to identify the stage of the supply chain, from mining to recycling, where investment best supports long-term growth.

Investment in Front-of-the-Meter BESS Applications

A front-of-the-meter BESS investment turns grid-scale battery storage into an income-generating asset, but returns depend heavily on where the project sits and how its revenue is structured. This case study puts the reader in the position of an investor evaluating the opportunity, comparing six markets and weighing supplier selection, regulation, operations and revenue streams. Front-of-the-meter systems are large megawatt-scale batteries built for the grid, not for peak shaving or solar self-consumption.

Large-Scale BESS Deployment Under REPowerEU: Eastern European Countries Entering the BESS Market

The Eastern Europe BESS market has become one of the most closely watched storage opportunities in the European Union. As REPowerEU and its companion packages push renewable integration and energy independence, countries that built their grids for baseload coal and gas are racing to add flexibility. This case study follows a Netherlands-based renewable developer weighing how to enter these markets while balancing speed, stability and risk across Poland, Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary.

Lithium Sulfur Batteries: An Alternative Option

Lithium-sulfur batteries are among the most discussed alternatives to conventional lithium-ion cells for electric vehicles, promising higher energy density, lower material cost, and improved safety. As demand for electric cars climbs, with the United States alone projected to sell 17.5 million by 2030, the industry is looking for chemistries that ease range anxiety and reduce dependence on scarce, geographically concentrated metals. Lithium-sulfur, or Li-S, is one of the leading candidates, though it carries real limitations.

Lithium-Ion Battery Investment by CATL in the US and EU Markets

CATL lithium-ion battery investment decisions carry unusual weight because the company is the largest EV cell producer in the world. This case study places the reader in the role of a principal investment manager at Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited (CATL), assessing two Western targets: a US lithium mining and processing firm and a Swedish cell producer. The task is to weigh opportunity, supply chain fit, and regulatory limits, then propose a plan of action.

Long Duration Energy Storage: Technology Readiness, Markets, and Financeability

Long duration energy storage is emerging as a core requirement for grids that run on high shares of wind and solar. This case study examines what long duration energy storage (LDES) is, the technologies competing to deliver it, the electricity market and policy conditions shaping its rollout, and the reasons most LDES projects are not yet bankable. It sits at the meeting point of technology readiness, market design, and finance.

Making Chinese Battery Investment in Europe a Win-Win Collaboration

Chinese battery investment in Europe has become one of the defining strategic questions of the energy transition. As European policy pushes to localise the battery supply chain from mining to recycling, Chinese manufacturers with the world's most integrated battery ecosystem are looking abroad for growth. This case study follows a leading Chinese lithium iron phosphate (LFP) producer as it plans a 20 GWh factory in Europe, backed by a two billion dollar investment, and asks how that expansion can benefit both the company and its host region.

Maximising the Profitability and Operational Efficiency of Grid-Connected BESS Projects

Grid-connected BESS profitability has become a moving target as electricity markets mature at speed. Battery energy storage systems (BESS) are increasingly central to modern grid infrastructure, absorbing and injecting power within milliseconds to keep supply and demand in balance as variable renewable generation grows. This case study takes the perspective of a BESS project developer deciding how to enter grid-connected services in a maturing market while optimising both profitability and operational efficiency.

Maximizing Cell Production Yield Rate

Cell production yield rate, the share of usable defect-free cells a factory produces, is one of the strongest levers on the financial health of a battery plant. As electrification scales across mobility, grid storage and industry, manufacturers must grow output while holding quality and margin. This case study places the reader as the industrial director of a French startup preparing a 5 GWh cylindrical sodium-ion gigafactory in France by 2030, tasked with designing a line that delivers competitive yield from day one.

Mobile Energy Storage on Demand

Mobile BESS offers a way to deliver stored electricity to sites where demand exists but grid supply is limited, delayed, or too expensive to extend. This case study asks whether mobile battery energy storage can grow from an interim workaround into a standalone energy infrastructure business. The protagonist, a newly appointed head of energy solutions at an established mobility and construction equipment company, is tasked with studying the market and building a strategy for an Energy Storage as a Service model.

NMC Pre-CAM Development in Australia: The Case for Nickel

NMC Pre-CAM development in Australia sits at the meeting point of mining wealth, clean-energy demand, and investor risk. Australia has abundant nickel yet processes little of it into battery-grade material, which raises a clear question for anyone assessing the sector: does building precursor cathode active material capacity locally deliver an acceptable return? This case study weighs the investment case for nickel in Australia from the perspective of an ETF research manager advising a high-net-worth client.

Business Cases for Power Storage with Batteries in Micro Grids

Battery storage in micro grids is emerging as one of the practical answers to a power system under strain. As electricity demand climbs and renewable generation swings with the weather, stationary batteries offer a way to bridge the gap between when solar and wind produce and when consumers actually need power. This case study examines the commercial logic behind that shift and where the strongest business cases now sit.

Process Considerations for Resilient and Flexible Battery Cell Manufacturing

Battery cell manufacturing sits at the centre of the electric mobility transition, yet the process itself has not advanced as quickly as the cells it produces. This case study asks what the next generation of cell production should look like to stay economic, sustainable and ready for rapid scale-up. With forecasts pointing to more than four terawatt-hours of needed cell capacity and over 300 gigafactories by 2030, the stakes for getting the process right are high.

Prospects and Challenges of Second-Life Batteries

Second-life batteries offer a way to keep electric vehicle packs working long after they leave the car, easing pressure on a recycling system that today handles only a small fraction of lithium-ion units. This case study puts the reader inside a fast-growing EV manufacturer that believes reuse, not immediate recycling, is the better route to extending battery lifetime and revenue. The task is to map which applications make sense and what stands in the way.

Reusing Lithium Batteries for Microgrids

Reusing lithium batteries for microgrids sits at the intersection of two large problems: what to do with electric vehicle batteries at the end of their automotive life, and how to bring reliable power to communities the grid does not reach. This case study takes the perspective of an investor exploring microgrid services, and it assesses whether second-life lithium-ion cells can support off-grid electrification cost-effectively.

Revenue Stacking for Standalone Battery Energy Storage Systems: Comparing the UK, USA, Germany and Australia

BESS revenue stacking is becoming the deciding factor in where developers place their first standalone battery asset. As wind and solar penetration rises across the UK, the United States, Germany and Australia, batteries have shifted from pure grid-support tools into core assets that combine several income streams. This case study assesses those four markets from the perspective of an asset manager at a global power generation company preparing its first standalone battery energy storage system investment.

Rise of Sodium-Ion Batteries and Energy Storage Investment in the EU and USA

Sodium-ion batteries for energy storage are drawing serious attention as the grid-scale market grows and the limits of lithium-ion become harder to ignore. Battery energy storage systems are now central to meeting renewable energy targets, and the question of which chemistry powers them, and where to invest, carries real financial weight. This case study compares sodium-ion and lithium-ion for stationary storage and maps the investment landscape across the European Union and the United States.

Scaling Battery Swapping Networks for Electric Vehicles

Battery swapping networks offer a different answer to the slow-charging problem that still shapes electric vehicle ownership. Instead of waiting hours at a charger, a driver exchanges a depleted pack for a fully charged one in about five minutes, an experience close to refuelling a petrol car. The model is compelling on paper, yet outside China its adoption remains limited, which raises a practical question for any operator: is scaling the network worth the investment?

Scaling from Laboratory Innovation to Commercial Battery Manufacturing in the UAE

Moving from a laboratory breakthrough to commercial battery manufacturing is one of the hardest transitions in the energy sector, and this case study puts a UAE company at the centre of that challenge. Emirates Battery Technologies, founded in 2019 with backing from leading UAE investors, has proven advanced cathode materials at lab scale and now faces a decision that will determine whether it builds the Middle East's first major lithium-ion gigafactory or joins the many ventures that never cross the gap between research and production.

Scaling the Utility-Scale BESS Business Through US Market Expansion

Utility-scale BESS is one of the fastest-growing grid assets in North America, and this case study examines how an established infrastructure firm decides whether to scale that business through the United States. The protagonist, Aecon, is a Canadian infrastructure and development company fresh off completing Canada's largest battery storage project. The strategic question is whether to replicate that success in the volatile but lucrative ERCOT market in Texas, and how to structure the move.

Setting Up a Gigafactory in the North American Region

Setting up a gigafactory in North America has become one of the most consequential decisions in the battery industry, shaped as much by policy and geopolitics as by engineering. This case study follows a fictionalised Chinese cell manufacturer weighing a lithium-ion gigafactory in the southern United States, and it lays out the challenges, risks, and opportunities of that cross-border move. The analysis is a useful template for any company mapping capacity against a shifting incentive landscape.

Solid-State Batteries: Challenger or Game Changer for Liquid Electrolyte

The debate over solid-state batteries vs liquid electrolyte is one of the most consequential in the electric vehicle industry, because the outcome shapes where cell makers and suppliers place their research bets. This case study takes the view of the chief technical officer at a European liquid electrolyte supplier, weighing whether solid-state battery technology is a genuine threat, when it might arrive, and whether it will replace or complement the incumbent chemistry.

Strategic Next Steps for a Robotics Battery Business

The robotics battery market is entering a steep growth phase, and it rewards a different playbook than the electric vehicle sector. This case study looks at how a custom battery pack maker operating a high-mix, low-volume (HMLV) model should position itself as robotics adoption accelerates and United States industrial policy reshapes demand for domestically produced, traceable, and high-safety energy systems.

2026 5 min

Strategic Repurposing of an EV Gigafactory

EV gigafactory repurposing is fast becoming a survival question as electric vehicle demand plateaus and grid storage accelerates. This case study places the reader in the position of a chief executive at a North American joint venture cell plant, tasked with returning to the board in 60 days with a transformation roadmap. The plant, built for high-nickel automotive cells, must decide how to respond to a market that has moved elsewhere.

Strategies for a Complete EV Product: Infrastructure-Driven Differentiation by Market

A complete EV product strategy now depends on far more than the vehicle itself. As electric vehicle adoption deepens across regions, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are discovering that charging infrastructure, software and grid integration can differentiate a product just as strongly as range or price. This case study examines how a global battery electric vehicle (BEV) manufacturer could turn infrastructure, long treated as external to the car, into a strategic asset.

A Comprehensive and Integrated Approach to Sustainable LFP Battery Recycling

LFP battery recycling is becoming a defining challenge as lithium iron phosphate cells take a larger share of electric vehicles and stationary storage. This case study examines a sustainable, integrated approach to recovering these batteries, viewed from both a global and a regional lens, with particular attention to the United Kingdom and Europe. The central tension is that LFP chemistry is cheaper and safer, yet that same low material value weakens the incentive to recycle it.

The U.S. Battery Supply Chain: Building an Industry to Compete with China

The US battery supply chain has become a strategic priority as policymakers try to reduce dependence on Chinese manufacturing. This case study takes the view of an investment bank allocating client capital into the electric vehicle space, and asks how recent legislation, past government investment and private-sector competition should shape decisions about the American and Chinese markets.

Unlocking the Potential of Second-Life Batteries: Opportunities and Challenges

Second-life batteries take retired electric vehicle packs that can no longer meet automotive demands but still hold useful capacity, and redeploy them for stationary storage and grid support. As electric mobility scales, the volume of retired packs is rising fast, and this case study examines whether repurposing them is economically viable. Written for an investor considering entry into the market, it weighs opportunities against safety risks, performance variability and an incomplete regulatory picture.

Utility-Scale Battery Energy Storage System

A utility-scale battery energy storage system, or BESS, has become a central tool for integrating renewable power and stabilising the grid as solar and wind capacity climbs. This case study follows a legacy solar farm developer in the Netherlands evaluating a 10 megawatt, 20 megawatt-hour battery paired with a solar plant, and it works through the applications, monetisation strategies, and supply chain choices that decide whether such a project earns a return.

What Is Missing for the Adoption of Thin-Film Solid-State Batteries in Smartwatches

Thin-film solid-state batteries are among the most promising candidates for powering the next generation of wearables. They are ultra-thin, lightweight, flexible, and safe, which suits the compact and intricate designs of smartwatches well. Yet they have not displaced conventional cells in the market. This case follows a European microbattery maker weighing entry into the smartwatch sector and asks what still stands between the technology and mass adoption.

Which Region Is Most Supportive for Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling: Brazil, the EU or India

As electric vehicles, portable electronics, and grid storage age, lithium-ion battery recycling is moving from a niche activity to a core part of the battery economy. The global recycling market is projected to grow from about 3.73 billion dollars in 2023 to roughly 23.21 billion dollars by 2032. For an entrepreneur deciding where to build a recycling plant, the deciding factor is often not the technology but the regulatory landscape. This case compares Brazil, the European Union, and India on exactly that basis.