Manufacturing & Gigafactories Developed 2024 · C12 4 min
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.
Why Drying Dominates the Energy Bill
Making a battery cell involves a long sequence of steps, from mixing, coating, and drying through calendering, slitting, assembly, welding, electrolyte filling, and formation. Each consumes electricity, but the electrode manufacturing step stands out. Coating and drying account for roughly 14 to 15 percent of total cell manufacturing cost, and together with formation the figure rises to around 48 percent. In energy terms, the electrode step is the heaviest, and within it the drying process is the main culprit. Conventional convection drying heats air to evaporate solvent or water from the coated slurry, and heating that air with electricity is expensive. The by-products of drying also require further handling, adding infrastructure and energy on top.
The Alternatives Under Study
The case evaluates several ways to reduce this load. Alternative radiant methods, including infrared, near-infrared, mid-infrared, laser, and induction, can dry electrodes faster or with less energy, though most are early in development and currently need to be integrated into existing convection dryers rather than replacing them. Published work points to meaningful gains: multistage infrared drying of a water-based anode has shown a 60 percent higher drying rate at equal quality, and review estimates put potential savings from near-infrared or laser in the range of a few percent to over ten percent of total energy, which translates into far larger percentages if only the coating and drying step is counted. A second lever is process chemistry. Increasing the solid content of slurries reduces the solvent that must be evaporated, and switching cathodes from solvent-based to water-based processing could bring their power requirement close to that of the anode. A small binder-stabilising additive has been shown to lift drying rates sharply while preserving electrode integrity.
Dry Coating and Heat Recovery
The most disruptive option is dry coating, which uses little or no solvent and relies mainly on mechanical force. It promises greater energy savings and a smaller equipment footprint, but it is still in product development, and it is not yet clear how broadly or quickly it can be applied, or whether additional equipment will be needed to match conventional output. Alongside process change, the case highlights energy recovery. Warm exhaust air from dryers can be captured through heat exchangers and reused elsewhere. Switching from gas heating, which utilises only part of its energy, to electric heating or high-temperature heat pumps, which can produce several kilowatts of heat per kilowatt of electricity, offers both efficiency and lower greenhouse gas emissions.
What It Means for the Industry
The overall conclusion is encouraging: double-digit percentage reductions in drying energy look achievable using a mix of improved convection, radiant technologies, higher solid content, and eventually dry coating, sometimes with better cell performance as a bonus. None of these is a single silver bullet, and each carries trade-offs, from higher upfront equipment cost for laser systems to challenging process control for induction. The practical path is to examine every step of the process chain in detail rather than optimising one stage in isolation, and to align the chosen method with the chemistry and the future technology roadmap, including post-lithium systems.
Key Takeaways
Coating and drying make up roughly 14 to 15 percent of cell manufacturing cost, rising to around 48 percent when formation is included.
Drying is the most energy-intensive part of electrode production, driven by heating air to evaporate solvent or water.
Multistage infrared drying of a water-based anode has shown a 60 percent higher drying rate at the same quality.
Increasing slurry solid content and moving cathodes to water-based processing can cut drying energy significantly.
A small binder-stabilising additive can raise drying rates sharply while keeping the electrode structurally sound.
Dry coating promises larger savings and a smaller footprint but is still in development and may need extra equipment.
Reusing warm dryer exhaust and switching from gas to electric heating or heat pumps improves efficiency and cuts emissions.
Disclaimer: This case study was developed and presented by BatteryMBA participants as part of the Case Study Track. Views, analysis and recommendations are the authors' own. BatteryMBA does not take responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of the content and it should not be relied upon as investment, engineering or legal advice.
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