Research and development of advanced batteries and supercapacitors at the CSIR

Abstract

With the increasingly fast global uptake of clean and renewable energy sources like solar and wind power plants and the unprecedented use of smartphones, laptops and tablets, new high-performance electrical energy storage technologies are needed. The intelligent design of advanced energy materials remains the backbone for the development of the high-performance electrical energy storage technologies. Over the years, the CSIR has been engaged in the research, development and innovation of several such materials as part of efforts to advance the development of manganese oxide-based lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors for electric vehicles, portable electronics, home and grid-scale storage. South Africa is richly endowed with the key raw materials needed for the development of low-cost lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors, with manganese and titanium identified as key strategic minerals in the South African beneficiation strategy. Use of local raw materials in advanced energy materials could help create new industries. Ozoemena’s presentation will summarise some of the key developments in energy storage at the CSIR, and will set out the plans for the next 10 years.