UK-India alliance could improve lithium battery capacity

A research partnership between the University of Huddersfield and Indian scientists is aiming to improve the size and capacity of lithium batteries to overcome disruptive power cuts in northern India. The alliance hopes the batteries will provide a reliable, environmentally friendly energy source for rural areas.

Dr Pooja Panchmatia, a Senior Research Fellow in the University of Huddersfield’s chemistry department, recently visited several Indian universities and the Indian Institute of Science to discuss the developments. She is working with Professor Aninda Bhattacharyya from the Indian Institute of Science to organise a major Indo-UK science seminar, which is planned to take place in December in Bangalore. The event is hoped to draw leading experts on lithium batteries from both countries.

“We are finding ways to scale up lithium batteries, moving them away from portable electronic devices to electric vehicles and rural electrification, and giving power to the people literally,” said Dr Panchmatia.

She said the new batteries could be used for grid storage, helping to overcome the problem of the recent power cuts that have plagued India.

“You could collect power from renewable sources such as solar energy and wind, store it during peak times and use it when you want,” said Dr Panchmatia.

The battery improvements could have a significant positive impact on electric vehicles and, in turn, carbon emissions in both the UK and India.