INTELLIBAT – Next-generation Solid-State Battery Innovation & Infrastructure for Industrial Transformation
The Intellibat project invests in the development of next-generation solid-state battery technologies and complementary infrastructure to strengthen the European battery value chain. Through state-of-the-art R&D, manufacturing, and testing capabilities, the project enables advanced material research, cell characterisation, and high-volume production pathways, supporting scientific progress and the industrial transition towards a resilient European battery industry.
About the project
The European battery industry is challenged by the massive migration from fossil to electric-based mobility, creating an an urgent need for capabilities and services in:
• Next-generation solid-state battery technologies that are safer, more cost-effective, and equipped with advanced management systems to boost performance and extend lifetime;
• Cell characterisation capabilities that bridge the gap between breakthrough lab-scale innovations (low TRL) and large-scale, commercially viable batteries (high TRL);
• Scalable cell manufacturing capabilities that address the growing supply–demand gap and ensure the development of battery-specific skills.
The Intellibat project directly addresses these needs by investing in complementary R&D, testing, and manufacturing infrastructure across Limburg and Flanders.
Together, SOLiTHOR, imec, and UHasselt combine their unique expertise to tackle above challenges, accelerate innovation, and strengthen the European battery value chain.
Objectives
1. Strengthen the European battery value chain by investing in advanced infrastructure across the full TLR spectrum (from R&D and testing to manufacturing and go-to-market) to meet the growing demand for solid-state battery innovation. Key activities include:
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SOLiTHOR: establish a European Centre of Excellence for solid-state batteries at its new premises in Sint-Truiden. The site will host unique R&D, testing, and manufacturing infrastructure, including advanced electrode manufacturing, cell assembly, and cell formation and testing capabilities.
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Imec: strengthen the battery lab at EnergyVille (Genk) with a thin-film deposition tool for solid-state battery materials and chemistry research (including novel electrode protective coatings) and nano-engineering innovations such as integrated miniaturized battery sensors.
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UHasselt: expand its R&D infrastructure with an X-ray diffractometer at its Diepenbeek campus and a glove-box at the EnergyVille Battery Lab, enabling advanced in situ material research aimed at developing longer-lasting and more reliable solid-state batteries.
2. Position Limburg and Flanders Europe’s leading battery hub by creating a sustainable consortium to translate European battery IP from research into commercial-scale manufacturing and contribute to the creation a highly skilled workforce to help support the high-volume production and commercialization of novel battery systems.
The unique R&D, testing, and manufacturing infrastructure is complementary across the different sites and will be made available for joint research projects. Please use the contact button below to get in touch with us to explore the possibilities.
Partners
Funding sources
The Intellibat project is an investment initiative funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) that enables the development of state-of-the-art R&D, testing, and manufacturing infrastructure in Limburg and Flanders to support the European battery value chain and next generation of solid-state battery innovation.