Register Now for NAATBatt 2026! NAATBatt International will hold its 17th annual meeting and conference on February 9-12, 2026 at the JW Tucson Starr Pass hotel in Tucson, Arizona. The annual meeting and conference is the principal program at NAATBatt each year. The coming program will feature annual reports by NAATBatt's Chief Science Officer and Chief Technology Officer, market reports on multiple sectors of the advanced battery market delivered by leading consulting and media firms, in-person meetings of all 18 NAATBatt industry committees, and the famous Member Update Presentations by most of NAATBatt's 380 member firms.

NAATBatt recently announced that Joern Tinnemeyer, Vice President Data Center Engineering at Amazon, will give the keynote speech at NAATBatt 2025. If you are interested in hearing from the largest operator of hyperscale data centers in the world about exactly what types of energy storage it is looking for, and why, you need to attend NAATBatt 2026.

Other expert panels presenting at NAATBatt 2026 will focus on raising capital in the advanced battery industry, securing supply chains for graphite, manganese and LFP, tracking and tracing requirements for lithium batteries in the U.S. and EU, and training the battery workforce. Leading market analysts will also present their forecasts for various sectors of the advanced battery market in 2026.

And of course, the networking. This year NAATBatt is bringing back the clay shooting competition to accompany the annual golf tournament. Your choice what kind of shooting you want to do, golf balls or clays. The meals, networking breaks, exhibit floor, spouses and companions program and other activities are all designed to make it easy to meet who you want to meet in the industry and to form good personal as well as business relationships. Don't miss it. For more information and to register, go to: https://nac.naatbatt.org/nac2026 .

Remember: Early registrants get priority in time assignment for their Member Update Presentations over later registrants of the same membership class. So don't delay. Register and make your hotel reservation soon!

NAATBatt recently formed its 18th discussion committee: the ESS and Data Center Committee. This committee will focus on the use of battery technology in all aspects of high capacity stationary energy storage, both in front and behind the meter. The market, technology and regulatory issues facing ESS developers will be discussed and studied. The committee will focus in particular on the energy storage needs and challenges of the rapidly growing hyperscale data center market. The new committee will be co-Chaired by Paul Charles of Charles and Associates and Michael Euripides of SIMBA Chain. Sign up for this committee, and any other NAATBatt discussion committees, at https://naatbatt.org/join-a-committee/. There is no cost and no commitment to signing up for NAATBatt committees. You will only get technology smarter and business wiser by participating in their discussions. NAATBatt discussion committees are the advanced battery industry's "water cooler".

On September 29, 2025, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) released the latest update of the NAATBatt Lithium-Ion Battery Supply Chain Database. This newly enhanced edition marks a significant upgrade from the February 17, 2025 version, now tracking 1,178 facilities and 1,022 companies across North America. Developed in collaboration with Avicenne Energy US, the database introduces several powerful new features, including real-time production data, detailed construction timelines, and expanded coverage across the upstream, midstream, downstream, and recycling sectors of the battery supply chain. It is accessible via an online interface or as an Excel download, allowing for easy integration into strategic planning processes.

Originally launched in 2021, the database remains the most comprehensive directory of North American companies involved in lithium-based battery manufacturing. It categorizes companies by product line and includes any firm that supplies goods or services used in the production of lithium-ion batteries. As of the February 2025 update, the database also includes professional service providers—such as law firms, consultants, accountants, HR specialists, and financial services firms—provided they are NAATBatt International members and serve clients in the battery industry. The database is updated twice a year. Companies not listed can submit their information via the online questionnaire. Corrections or feedback can be sent to LIB.SupplyChain@nrel.gov.

If your company is a NAATBatt member and would like to be included in the database, click here to submit your request to NREL. Please include your company name, name of the principal contact at your company, contact's e-mail address and phone number, type of professional service offered, and principal business address.

Exciting news! NAATBatt’s new website will be launching soon. The new website will, among other things, provide an exclusive portal with links to special resources for employees of NAATBatt member firms. Registration by those employees will be necessary to access the private portion of the new website. So please keep an eye on this newsletter and NAATBatt's LinkedIn posts for the official launch date and details on how members can access the new member portal. Stay tuned!

Reignite Your Engagement and Supplement Your Knowledge: Join a NAATBatt Committee Now!

Serving on a NAATBatt committee is one of the most impactful ways to contribute to the growth of the advanced battery industry while deepening your own professional development. Whether you are interested in policy, safety, workforce, recycling, or other key segments of the industry, NAATBatt's 18 active discussion committees offer a front-row seat to important industry developments and initiatives that will shape the future of battery technology and energy storage.

Joining a committee opens doors to meaningful networking and collaboration with peers, potential customers, and thought leaders across the battery ecosystem. You will gain early insights into industry trends, help guide programming and reports, and contribute to shaping NAATBatt’s direction. It is a rewarding way to engage with new and old colleagues and to make a tangible impact in the battery industry.

Find your fit - view NAATBatt's active discussion committees and join one or more of them today: https://naatbatt.org/join-a-committee/. If your employer is a NAATBatt member, there is no cost to join.

Upcoming Meetings:

• January 8, 8:00 a.m. PT | 11:00 a.m. ET – Track & Trace Committee
• January 13, 8:00 a.m. PT | 11:00 a.m. ET – Battery Recycling Committee
• January 14, 10:30 a.m. PT | 1:30 p.m. ET – Energy Materials Committee
• January 15, 8:00 a.m. PT | 11:00 a.m. ET – Military Batteries Committee 
• January 15, 11:30 a.m. PT | 2:30 p.m. ET – Cybersecurity Committee
• January 15, 1:00 p.m. PT | 4:00 p.m. ET – Battery Safety Committee

New Members

NAATBatt welcomes Platinum member SES AI, a global leader in advanced energy storage. SES AI specializes in AI-powered lithium-metal and lithium-ion batteries for demanding applications. It combines expertise in materials science, cell engineering, and software to enhance energy density, safety, and lifespan. Expanding into Energy Storage Systems (ESS) and data center batteries, SES AI uses AI-driven Battery Management Systems for real-time monitoring, optimized performance, and cost-effective solutions for critical infrastructure. Learn more at https://www.ses.ai/

NAATBatt welcomes Silver member ACT-ion Battery Technologies, Inc. (ACT-ion). ACT-ion manufactures high-performance, surface-engineered cathode active materials (CAMs) for lithium batteries. Its continuous, high-throughput, chemistry-agnostic process transforms low-cost raw chemicals and recycled black mass into high-performance materials, including LFP, LMFP, and NMC. By combining superior performance with lower production costs, ACT-ion provides a sustainable foundation for EVs, grid storage, and defense power solutions. Learn more at: https://www.act-ion.com

NAATBatt welcomes Silver member PPS Specialty Underwriters Inc. (PPS-SU), a Managing General Agent and Program Administrator providing insurance underwriting expertise, with a focus on niche and specialty businesses, such as utility-scale wind farms, solar farms, and BESS associated with renewable energy assets. PPS-SU is committed to delivering the best premium products and services to clients and business partners. For more information, visit: https://pps-su.com

Committee Pulse

Welcome to a New Year of Possibility

As we begin 2026, NAATBatt is looking ahead with excitement, energy, and a renewed commitment to advancing the North American advanced battery industry. The progress we make together – across technology, manufacturing, safety, workforce development, sustainability, and policy – happens because members step forward to share expertise, ideas, and leadership.

One of the most meaningful ways to connect and contribute is through NAATBatt committees. These member-driven groups shape programming, generate thought leadership, surface emerging issues, and build relationships across the ecosystem. Whether you are new to NAATBatt or have been engaged for years, there is a place for your voice.

The new year offers a special opportunity to get involved as we gather for the NAATBatt Annual Conference in Tucson, Arizona. On February 10, 2026, committee meetings will be held in person, giving members the chance to collaborate face-to-face, discuss priorities for the year ahead, and help guide NAATBatt’s work. These sessions are open to all Conference attendees, and your participation can make a real impact.

Committee involvement is also flexible and ongoing. Meetings continue virtually throughout the year, making it easy to stay engaged no matter your location or schedule. From technical deep dives to strategic initiatives, NAATBatt committees provide a platform to learn from peers, build valuable industry connections, and contribute to the advancement of a rapidly evolving market.

If you have been thinking about getting more involved, now is the perfect time.

We invite you to explore committee options and join the conversation at https://naatbatt.org/join-a-committee/. Together, we can continue building a strong, collaborative, and innovative advanced battery industry for North America.

We look forward to working with you in 2026!

Li-Bridge Corner

USABC Issues EV Battery RFPIs in Partnership with the U.S. DOE

The United States Advanced Battery Consortium (USABC), a subsidiary of the United States Council for Automotive Research (USCAR), announced nine Requests for Proposal Information (RFPIs) for the development of battery cells for use in electric vehicle (EV) applications. USABC is issuing these RFPIs as part of a nearly $90 million cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), including $60 million in federal funding provided under U.S. DOE Cooperative Agreement DE-EE0011268.

The RFPIs seek U.S.-based developers capable of industrial-scale, high-volume automotive battery development that meets or exceeds USABC’s commercialization targets. Focus areas include:

1. EV Cells: Development of advanced batteries for EV applications
2. High-Energy EV Cells: Development of advanced high-energy batteries for electric drive vehicle applications
3. Low-Cost, Earth-Abundant EV Cells: Development of low-cost batteries based on earth-abundant materials for EV applications
4. Active Materials: Development of active materials for cells used in automotive applications
5. Separators: Development of battery separators for EV applications
6. Electrolytes: Development of electrolytes for cells used in automotive applications
7. Inactive Materials: Supply chain R&D for inactive materials in commercialized EV batteries
8. Recycling: Battery recycling and enabling technologies to secure U.S. battery material supply chains
9. Prototype Cell Fabricators: Evaluation of prototype cell fabricators for the development of advanced, high-performance batteries for EV applications

Key requirements:

• Demonstration hardware and test results must be available at the time of submission
• Proposers must demonstrate commercial viability, manufacturing scalability, and automotive-grade engineering and testing capability
• Non-federal cost sharing is required
• Research organizations affiliated with relevant commercial businesses are eligible

Submission deadline: February 28, 2026.

Click here for more information.

Advanced Battery Industry News

Matrix Renewables has signed an EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) agreement with Tesla for a 500MW/1,000MWh (megawatt-hour) battery energy storage system (BESS) located in Eccles, Scotland. The company plans to add 3 GWh (gigawatt-hours) of additional capacity in the coming years. (Source: Matrix Renewables) 

LG Energy Solution has agreed to divest factory building assets at its Ohio electric vehicle (EV) battery joint venture (JV) to Honda Development and Manufacturing of America for $2.85 billion. Completion of the deal is targeted for end of February 2026. The move is aimed at improving operational efficiency within the JV. (Source: Just Auto)

NextNRG has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with A123 Systems to support the deployment of BESS manufactured in the United States. Under the MOU, the companies intend to evaluate further cooperation, including the potential development of a U.S.-based manufacturing facility, without requiring capital investment from NextNRG. (Source: A123 Systems & NextNRG)

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has completed grid connection of a 7.8GWh BESS project that spans 3 sites (Najran, Khamis Mushait and Madaya). Sungrow completed the manufacturing of over 1,500 PowerTitan 2.0 systems. (Source: Sungrow)

SoftBank Group (SBG) announced that it has completed an additional investment of $22.5 billion in OpenAI, bringing the total investment to $40 billion. The company’s aggregate ownership interest in OpenAI is now approximately 11%. In addition, SBG announced that it will acquire U.S. data center investment company DigitalBridge Group for about $4 billion to enhance its ability to build and finance infrastructure for AI services. The purchase is expected to close in 2H26. (Source: SBG & SBG)

Alphabet (Google’s parent company) announced an agreement to acquire Intersect for $4.75 billion. Google already owns a minority stake in Intersect which provides data center and energy 

infrastructure solutions that will enable data centers and generation capacity to come online faster. The deal is anticipate to close in 1H26. (Source: Alphabet)

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced agreements with 24 organizations interested in collaborating to advance the Genesis Mission, a national effort that will use the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to accelerate discovery science, strengthen national security, and drive energy innovation. The organizations that have signed MOUs have either expressed interest to DOE in response to an RFI or have active projects with DOE and the National Laboratories for activities related to the Genesis Mission. Any products produced for the Genesis Mission will be architecture-agnostic. The organizations include: Accenture, AMD, Anthropic, Armada, Amazon Web Services, Cerebras, CoreWeave, Dell, DrivenData, Google, Groq, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, NVIDIA, OpenAI, Oracle, Periodic Labs, Palantir, Project Prometheus, Radical AI, xAI, XPRIZE (Source: U.S. DOE)

China has lowered import tariffs on some products, including recycled black mass for lithium-ion (li-ion) batteries (to 3% from 6.5%), effective January 1, 2026. (Source: SMM & GuruFocus)

Zhejiang Leapmotor Technology will sell a 5% stake to FAW Group for 3.7 billion yuan ($527 million).

(Source: Caixin Global)

Lithium Chile announced it has entered into a definitive share purchase agreement with China Union Holdings for the sale of its Argentine subsidiary, Argentum Lithium S.A., for $175 million. (Source: Lithium Chile)

CATL announced it has signed a 3-year MOU with Shanghai Sieyuan Electric, targeting a cumulative cooperation volume of 50GWh in the energy storage sector. The companies plan to promote a market-oriented "dual-sourcing" procurement model for energy storage. (Source: CnEVPost)

Nuvve Denmark ApS (subsidiary of Nuvve Holding) and E&B Renewables ApS have entered into a non-binding MOU to deploy BESS in Europe. Under the MOU, the companies expect to develop a portfolio of stationary batteries that will be managed by Nuvve. The projects are expected to include battery power capacity from 2MW to 100MW that will be interconnected to the grid. (Source: Nuvve)

SKC has withdrawn plans to enter the cathode materials business after 4 years due to EV market demand. The company had initially established an investment plan of 5 trillion won ($3.5 billion) for 2021-2025, reported that its actual investment amounted to 4.4 trillion won ($3 billion). (Source: Korea Business)

LG Energy Solution has agreed to terminate a 3.9 trillion won ($2.7 billion) contract with Freudenberg Battery Power System (FBPS). The termination occurred as FBPS has decided to pull out of the battery industry. (Source: Korea JoongAng Daily)

L&F (South Korea-based) announced the value of its 2023 (February) deal with Tesla to supply high nickel cathode materials has shrunk to $7,386 (from an earlier projection of $2.9 billion) without providing reasons for the decline. The deal was from January 2024 through December 2025 with L&F supplying materials for Tesla's 4680 cells. (Source: Reuters)

Hawaiian Electric will begin construction of a load-shifting 40MW/160MWh BESS in Maui. The Waena system will enable the planned retirement of 4 generating units at the company's Kahului Power Plant. The BESS is expected to come online by 2027. (Source: Hawaii Electric)

U SWAP (subsidiary of U Power) has entered into a partnership agreement with Whale Logistics (Thailand) to promote the deployment of its UOTTATM EV battery-swapping technology for commercial electric trucks in Thailand. U Power has secured an order for 1,000 battery-swapping EVs with the delivery of the first batch is 30units and planned for April 2026. (Source: U Power)

Wärtsilä will deliver a 100MW/223MWh BESS for Flow Power. The Flow Power’s Bennetts Creek BESS order was booked in 4Q25. (Source: Wärtsilä)

Kit Carson Electric Cooperative has selected Nuvve New Mexico (subsidiary of Nuvve Holding) to deploy BESS under a Battery-as-a-Service model at 2 locations in New Mexico. Under the terms outlined in an executed term sheet, the company will develop two 5MW/20MWh battery systems designed to provide peak load mitigation, grid resiliency, and market participation through the Western Energy Imbalance Market via Guzman Energy and the PNM Balancing Authority Area. (Source: Nuvve)

International Graphite has signed a non-binding Letter of Intent (LOI) with Alkeemia. Under the LOI, the companies plan to collaborate on graphite purification using Alkeemia’s pilot plant infrastructure in Europe. The pilot plant is projected to initially process up to 200 tonnes per annum of graphite concentrate, with potential expansion to 1,000 tonnes. (Source: Proactive Investors)

Nova Andino Litio SpA (JV between Codelco and SQM) has commenced operations. The JV will develop lithium production in the Atacama Salt Flat and includes the incorporation of new technologies and process improvements aimed at increasing efficiency, reducing net brine extraction, and moving toward a water balance. (Source: Codelco)

bp pulse announced the opening of an EV charging hub located near Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD). The ORD hub features 40 charging bays equipped with a mix of 400kW (kilowatt) and 150kW DC fast chargers and CCS and NACS connectors. (Source: bp)

Dominion Energy has deployed its ‘Green Grid’ 90kWh mobile BESS that generates energy from solar panels on its roof and stores it in a li-ion battery. The units can be daisy-chained together for larger power demands. (Source: Dominion Energy)

Talon Metals (Minnesota-based) has signed a share purchase agreement with Lundin Mining (Canada-based). The deal combines Lundin's Eagle Mine and Humboldt Mill with Talon's Tamarack Nickel-Copper Project and exploration land package of over 400,000 acres in Michigan, including the Boulderdash discovery and Beulah Minerals Processing Facility. (Source: Talon Metals)

xAI has bought a 3rd building to expand its infrastructure, aiming to boost training capacity to nearly 2GW of compute power. The expansion underscores the company’s push to compete with OpenAI's ChatGPT and Anthropic's Claude. The company's supercomputer cluster in Memphis, Tennessee, known as Colossus, is touted ⁠as the largest in the world. (Source: Reuters)

Volkswagen is pulling the plug on its ID. Buzz EV in the U.S. in 2026, after the expiration of tax incentives. The company will continue to produce the vehicle for other markets. (Source: MSN)

The National Transportation Safety Board concluded that heavy weather and an improperly secured cargo of li-ion BESS units led to 2 fires aboard the cargo vessel Genius Star XI as it was transiting the North Pacific Ocean on Christmas Day 2023, causing $3.8 million in damages. (Source: NTSB)

CATL and SAIC Motor have joined the “All-Solid-State Electrolyte Pilot Production and Testing Validation Capability Construction Project” in Beijing. The effort is being led by Guolian Automotive Power Battery Research Institute and focuses on research, testing and validation of solid-state electrolyte materials. (Source: Car News China)

Executive Director's Notes

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