The Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) will hold the 2018 Taiwan-Germany Joint Workshop on Advanced Lithium-Ion Battery Technologies on December 11th and 12th. The cooperation between MOST and the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) has launched the Taiwan-Germany Joint Research Program on Battery Technologies, which aims not merely to improve the performance and safety of lithium-ion batteries for use in renewable energy systems and electric vehicles (or scooters) but to make Taiwan a green-energy homeland.
Combining German technology to promote R & D, upgrading Taiwan battery industry chain
Taiwan has established a good foundation in materials, assembly, and system testing of lithium-ion batteries. If combined with the German system- integrating technology and renewable energy and electric vehicle markets to strengthen research & development (R & D), there will be an opportunity to promote battery production in Taiwan to form a cluster of industrial chains and create a competitive industry like the semiconductor in Taiwan. Compared to lead batteries, nickel-hydride batteries, nickel-cadmium batteries, and other rechargeable batteries, lithium-ion batteries gain competitive advantages in high energy and power per unit volume and weight, gradually positioning themselves at the center of the battery map. Among the developed countries of the world, Germany emphasizes the pragmatism and security of their production technologies, and Taiwan’s cooperation with Germany is expected to achieve a major breakthrough in battery safety, which can bring enormous business opportunities to Taiwan's battery industry.
Investing 1-1.5 million Euros a year in R&D each side, incubating innovative battery design concepts and improving the performance of lithium-ion batteries
From 2017 until 2020, several universities and research institutes in Taiwan and Germany have cooperated to develop new materials for integration into lithium-ion batteries. These new battery design concepts are expected to improve the storage performance and reliability of lithium ion batteries. The program consists of three projects executed by three cross-border research teams. Both MOST and BMBF provide 1-1.5 million Euros of R&D funding per year for this cooperation program.
Bilateral research cooperation successfully leading to the substantive technology exchange between Taiwan and Germany
In October 2017, Most and BMBF, after many audits and recommendations, formally supported three outstanding teams to conducted projects to jointly develop a new type of lithium-ion battery with high performance and safety. On November 22-24th, the project kick-off meeting was held in Münster, Germany, to implement substantive cooperation and interaction between the research teams of the two sides. Thanks to Taiwan's research teams are working closely with the industry, a number of Taiwan battery-materials companies have been exchanging information with some German institutes since the launch of this program. This international cooperation has conducted innovative research and the teams of the two sides will meet in the 2018 Taiwan-Germany Joint Workshop to showcase the breakthroughs in the battery research.
Dr. Herbert Zeisel, Head of Research for Digital Transformation, BMBF, once pointed out:note "I am convinced that a cooperation with Taiwan could benefit scientists on both sides. A strong battery research is fundamental for both countries. I am therefore glad that we could carry out the three promising projects." Professor Shawn Hsu, Director General of Department of Engineering and Technologies, MOST, said: “With energy generation, saving, storage, and system integration identified as the four main tasks, the Taiwan-Germany Joint Research Program on Battery Technologies is in line with the Taiwan government's active promotion of the Green-Energy Homeland policy”. This joint research program would build a solid foundation to interconnect the four tasks and create a win-win opportunity for Taiwan's environmental greening and industrial growth.
Media Contact:
Ms. Hwey-ying Vivien Lee
Department of International Cooperation and Science Education, Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST)
Tel : +886-2737-7150
E-mail: vvlee@nstc.gov.tw
