-
Sodium-ion battery momentum grows, but challenges remain
…BYD, the second largest producer, began construction of its first sodium-ion battery plant in January 2024, targeting applications in electric vehicles, grid-scale storage and industry. Hina, a smaller Chinese battery manufacturer and the first to power an electric vehicle using sodium‑ion batteries, also released an advanced sodium‑ion battery designed for electric cars last year.These investments are driven primarily by the goals of improving battery performance in cold climates and reducing exposure to lithium‑price volatility. Sodium‑ion batteries exhibit significantly better low‑temperature performance than lithium‑ion batteries, particularly lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistries. The latest generation of sodium-ion batteries…
-
Battery Circularity
…in the world and the technology categories receiving the most innovation attention.More than one in four cars sold globally in 2025 was an electric vehicle, reliant on lithium-ion or other modern batteries. But around 1.2 million electric vehicle batteries could reach the end of their lives in 2030 and 14 million in 2040, and today’s supply chains for battery minerals and components are highly concentrated. Battery circularity technologies - including recycling, reuse of batteries in vehicles and repurposing of batteries for new applications – can help solve these challenges and there is rising interest in the topic from…
-
Belgium
Belgium’s energy policy is focused on transitioning to a low-carbon economy while ensuring energy security, lowering costs for consumers and increasing market competition. Belgium has made progress on these goals, notably as a global leader in offshore wind. The country is also seeing a rapid uptake of electric vehicles. However, Belgium remains reliant on fossil fuels and more aggressive policies are needed accelerate emissions reductions, especially for the industry sector.
- Overview
- Energy mix
- Emissions
- Electricity
-
+ 5 pages
![Belgium Flag]()
-
Global battery markets are growing strongly – and so are the supply risks
…and expanding applications continue to drive rapid growth of demand for batteries across sectors. Battery uptake is expanding around the world amid falling costs Global lithium-ion battery deployment in 2025 was six times as high as in 2020. Electric vehicles remain the dominant driver of demand, with global sales reaching a new record and accounting for one-in-four cars sold globally. Electric vehicles account for more than 70% of total lithium-ion battery deployment. This is followed by battery energy storage at over 15%, reflecting the growing role of batteries in providing flexibility in power systems.The situation…
-
Copper prices have hit record highs, but smelters face mounting strategic pressures
…sector is showing increasing signs of stress, amid a surge in smelter capacity additions in China. Copper is set to face a major supply deficit of 30% by 2035 Copper – a highly conductive metal that is resistant to corrosion – is at the heart of a more electrified energy system. As the world enters an Age of Electricity, strong demand growth for copper is anticipated from a wide variety of sources, including grids, electric vehicles, construction, industry and data centres. However, despite the robust demand growth outlook, there are major challenges in increasing copper supply. Based on the current project pipeline…
-
The energy crisis creates even stronger impetus for EU electrification
…costs, and baseline energy prices. Countries with higher heating requirements and higher vehicle mileages see electrical technologies become competitive at higher price ratios, because the upfront costs of electrical technologies are offset by their lower operating costs if they have higher utilisation rates. Electric vehicles and high-temperature industrial heat need lower price ratios (usually between 1 and 2) to become cost-competitive compared with buildings and low-temperature industrial heat (usually between 2 and 3.5).Achieving cost parity alone is insufficient to drive uptake of electrical technologies. High upfront costs discourage investment in electrification across all sectors. Buildings…
-
How accelerating electrification could strengthen energy security in Southeast Asia
…For oil, imports are projected to account for around 80% of demand by 2035 based on current policy settings. Electrification can be a critical pillar of strategies to meet the region’s rising energy demand while mitigating these energy security risks. Efficient electric technologies, such as electric motors, heat pumps and electric vehicles, can deliver the same services while consuming less energy than fossil fuel-based alternatives. Shifting final energy consumption towards electricity generated from domestic and low-emissions sources can also reduce dependence on imported fuels, strengthen system resilience and reduce emissions.Electrification is already shaping energy trends across…
-
Artificial intelligence and EVs
…making it possible to train neural networks which can handle very complex tasks such as autonomous driving today.Autonomous vehicles typically employ a variety of sensors, such as cameras, radars and lidars, providing a 360° view of the surrounding environment. AI‑powered perception allows for accurate processing of large amounts of sensor data. AI algorithms are used to detect objects, as well as to create a coherent model of the environment using all available sensor data, and to make predictions about where objects will move next. Compared to humans, this allows for a more exhaustive view of the vehicle’s surroundings…
-
Ultra-fast charging batteries
…reduces them by 75%.An electric vehicle battery pack is composed of hundreds or thousands of battery cells, each typically operating at a voltage of around 3-4 volts (V). These cells can be connected in series or in parallel, with series configurations increasing the overall pack voltage to the required level. Most battery electric cars on the market today operate with battery systems of around 400 V, which has long been considered a suitable compromise between charging performance and battery pack complexity, cost and reliability. However, the increasing availability of ultra‑fast charging infrastructure, alongside improvements in battery and vehicle technologies…
-
Vehicle-to-grid technology
…charging, EV owners can reduce charging costs and, in some cases, generate revenue by participating in grid services, such as frequency regulation. Load shifting and vehicle‑to‑grid (V2G) capabilities provide substantial electricity system benefits, helping reduce peak demand and potentially limiting the need for future grid investment – benefits for which EV owners can be compensated. Vehicle-to-grid charging holds the promise of alleviating grid constraints but barriers remain The rollout of EVs is a major driver of global electricity demand growth. Residential EV charging can draw more power than any other single household load, including heating, cooling, lighting and appliances…
