NCPOWER is a Spanish manufacturer of batteries for electric vehicles that has made a strong commitment to sustainability, placing it at the heart of its business strategy. Since its founding in 2019, it has succeeded in developing innovative technologies aimed at reducing the environmental impact of the growing demand for energy storage systems for electric mobility.
Mario Nicolás, CEO and founder of NCPOWER.
The electrification of transport has become a key element in achieving sustainable mobility and is advancing by leaps and bounds. According to data provided by the Spanish manufacturer NCPOWERThe global demand for batteries for electric vehicles emissions will reach almost 3.5 GWh in 2030, 15 times more than today. In the framework of the European Mobility WeekSoziable has interviewed Mario NicolasThe CEO and founder of the company, who summarises the main challenges facing the development of sustainable energy storage solutions.
What technological innovations do NCPOWER batteries incorporate and what features differentiate them from other options on the market?
We have developed a proprietary technology, the NCPOWER System. This is a battery management system (BMS) that offers competitive advantages in battery performance, productivity and energy savings, extending battery life while enabling greater sustainability and energy and cost savings.
It is a system that is configured according to the application and characteristics of the device and customised according to the needs of each client, which increases performance and prolongs the life of the battery with more recharge cycles. Our system allows remote monitoring of all the parameters of each battery, offers a system of alerts and collects all the data relating to its actual operation.
"Our technology allows for greater sustainability and greater energy and cost savings.
Most companies in the sector present themselves as assemblers in the production of lithium batteries, emphasising their products or their assembly processes. However, NCPOWER is a battery manufacturer with its own technology. Our strong technological linkage and the differentiating features of our own battery management system (BMS) and the high customisation of our solutions give us a unique and clearly differentiating advantage.
What kind of customers are NCPOWER's systems aimed at?
Our target audience is manufacturers of electric vehicles, specifically light commercial vehicles for the transport of goods (vans, trucks, etc.), vans) and utility vehicles designed to move over all types of terrain.
We are currently developing a new production line that will cover industrial energy storage needs.
Our technology is present on three continents and in more than 12 countries around the world, including Portugal, the Netherlands, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Mexico, Germany, France, England, Sweden, Norway and Finland.
"Most of the raw materials for today's rechargeable batteries are classified as critical".
What are the main challenges in the development and manufacture of batteries for electric vehicles?
The International Energy Agency forecasts a global growth in the number of electric vehicles of 36 % per year, reaching 245 million vehicles by 2030. This rapid growth in demand is driving battery manufacturing and with it comes a number of challenges, such as the chemistry or raw materials used in batteries.
"The International Energy Agency forecasts a global growth in the number of electric vehicles of 36% per year".
Most of the raw materials for today's rechargeable batteries are either listed as critical (CRM) or are located in geopolitically compromised areas outside Europe. Therefore, efficient recycling strategies must urgently be developed to recover and reuse most of the materials and components, in particular the critical ones.
Furthermore, as there are currently very few recycling centres in Europe, the most expensive part of recycling is the transport of batteries to these centres and therefore many new centres should be established.
"The recycling of lithium-ion batteries is expected to secure the supply of raw materials".
Recycling lithium-ion batteries is expected to secure the supply of raw materials. In the face of such shortages, new chemistries and materials continue to be tested. However, the technological readiness of these technologies is low and new chemistries are still in the laboratory development phase.
On the other hand, the extraction of non-renewable natural resources has a negative impact on our environment. Sustainable battery design, reliable and responsible sourcing of raw materials and the entire battery production process must consider the environmental and social impact: from raw material extraction and waste treatment to battery disposal and recycling.
Once a battery has been declared unfit for use in its primary application, regulations are needed to promote and encourage battery reuse. For example, the recycling of lithium-ion batteries currently used in electric vehicles provides an excellent opportunity for companies to use the refined constituent materials to manufacture batteries to be used for energy storage systems (ESS).
"There are very few recycling centres in Europe, the most expensive part of recycling is the transport of batteries to these centres".
How does NCPOWER meet these challenges?
We have turned to the production of LifePo4 lithium batteries because of their excellent energy efficiency and high safety. A LifePo4 battery has a much longer life of approximately 5,000 cycles.
NCPOWER currently has a 'Battery Passport'. In other words, in addition to the traceability of each battery component, our manuals include instructions in terms of handling and disassembly procedures, battery management system (BMS) algorithms, life cycle assessment (LCA) data, monitoring of the charging, discharging and health status of each battery, etc. In this way, we have control over the status of each battery and can optimise its performance. The 'Battery Passport' allows us to access the health status, residual life and governing mechanisms of any battery, to identify the most appropriate second life opportunities.
What measures does NCPOWER take to reduce the environmental impact of its batteries?
Since our founding in 2019, NCPOWER has directed its efforts towards fully green innovation, providing the light electric vehicle market with more sustainable lithium batteries.
Electrification means zero emissions and represents an important pathway for the energy transition that many manufacturers are embracing by moving away from polluting fossil fuel sources. For NCPOWER, product design is central to this direction.
In addition to the NCPOWER System's own technology, the NCPOWER Data Center allows us to collect and store detailed information about the use and performance of the lithium battery and to monitor its health status accurately at any time. Furthermore, the BMS technology allows us to anticipate potential risks, damage, power requirements and even future optimisation of battery performance.
"Electrification means zero emissions and represents an important pathway for the energy transition".
What are your views on environmental legislation in relation to batteries for electric vehicles, and what aspects do you think should be improved?
The aim of the new regulation is to promote technological progress in the battery sector and to minimise the impact of battery production on the environment. To achieve this objective, a series of specific requirements, measures and activities have been introduced that operators who place any type of battery on the EU market must comply with.
The European Union has set itself an important new goal for the coming decades: to boost the circular economy, the sustainability of products and processes, and to support Europe's technological progress in the battery sector. To this end, it has decided to introduce the new so-called EU Battery Regulation and to give a clear direction towards a regulatory framework for batteries in Europe that can ensure the sustainability of the entire value chain in the long term.
For the first time, the new requirements aim to cover the entire life cycle of lithium batteries, from raw material extraction to production, design, labelling, traceability, collection, recycling and reuse.
The fact that there is an electronic record of each battery, a QR code in which we have a complete traceability of the components of each battery and a CE label, will guarantee the user that the safety requirements are being met, as well as the impact generated on the carbon footprint of the manufacturing processes of the batteries. This new regulation will allow NCPOWER to continue its differentiation process and will position us as a benchmark in the Spanish and European sector.
From May 2024, the new regulation requires that all batteries must be equipped with a Battery Management System (BMS) that provides up-to-date information on the battery's status and expected lifetime. In this respect, NCPOWER already has its own cell balancing and battery management technology (BMS), which is patent pending and is implemented in all our batteries.
"For the first time, the new European regulation aims to cover the entire life cycle of lithium batteries, from the extraction of the raw material to production, recycling and reuse".
How do you see the future of electric mobility, will it be a key element or will it be overtaken by other sustainable energy options?
The transition to electric vehicles is a global phenomenon that is here to stay. With the advent of increasingly affordable models, traditional combustion engine vehicles will soon be history.
There are other alternatives to lithium, such as sodium, hydrogen, graphene, etc. batteries. Each and every one of these energy options has its pros and cons. We do not know what the future will bring, but it is true that there is evidence that, as of today, lithium is the chemistry that is here to stay. For example, according to data published by the International Energy Agency, the percentage of lithium batteries continues to grow compared to traditional lead batteries, which is already a success in terms of sustainability and environmental protection.
"Electric mobility is an answer to the climate crisis and the progress is promising".
Increase and improve the recharging infrastructure is another key aspect. The Spanish government plays a crucial role in this area, most recently by accelerating the submission of the Strategic Project for Economic Recovery and Transformation (PERTE).
The need to move away from fossil fuels is a reality we all understand. Electric mobility is an answer to the climate crisis and, despite the challenges ahead, progress is promising.
At NCPOWER we continue to work hard to develop increasingly efficient and innovative lithium batteries, which are key to the present and future of electric mobility in Spain.
Read the original content here: The transition to electric vehicles is a global phenomenon that is here to stay.
