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PowerCo SE has entered a comprehensive cooperation with the University of Münster’s International Research School for Battery Chemistry, Characterisation, Analysis, Recycling, and Application (BACCARA). This partnership will support financing doctoral positions, training, and further education programs over the next three years. The collaboration aims to advance battery research, a critical component for Germany’s competitiveness in the automotive sector.
Key Highlights
- Comprehensive Cooperation: PowerCo SE and BACCARA will collaborate to finance research programs and doctoral positions, enhancing practical applications for students.
- Focus on Battery Research: The partnership emphasizes battery research to strengthen Germany’s position in the global market, particularly in the context of electromobility.
- Educational Support: PowerCo SE will support BACCARA in offering expert lectures, on-site projects, and advanced training for doctoral students.
- Long-Term Competitiveness: The cooperation aims to retain top talent in Germany, preventing an early move abroad and ensuring strong battery research capabilities.
In recent years, Germany has made significant progress in battery research, positioning itself among the world’s strongest research nations. This progress is linked to the rise of electromobility, which has highlighted the importance of battery research.
Sebastian Krapoth, Chief Human Resources Officer of PowerCo, emphasizes: “With PowerCo, we want to establish the battery cell as a key technology in Germany and Europe. To achieve this, we are relying on the brightest and most committed minds in the industry who want to work with us to build a sustainable, reliable cell manufacturer with European roots. By working together with Münster, we can make our contribution to ensuring that these minds can continue to be trained in Germany in the future and do not have to move abroad at an early stage. We need strong battery research with top researchers in order to be able to compete with our Asian competitors.”
Prof. Dr. Martin Winter, one of the two scientific directors of BACCARA, adds: “It is essential to further optimise the lithium-ion battery and to continue substituting critical raw materials. Research is also focusing on solid-state batteries and lithium-free systems such as sodium-ion batteries. This is because there will not be one universal battery technology of the future; rather, the market will become more differentiated.”
BACCARA trains 45 doctoral students at the highest level in science and research, including workshops in intercultural communication and programming languages. Participants benefit from the expertise of over 30 researchers involved in the program. The cooperation agreement will initially run for three years. The Ministry of Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia and the University of Münster have been funding BACCARA since 2020.
Prof. Dr. Martin Winter states: “With the support of PowerCo, we are now ensuring that in Münster top-level research and top-level training can continue to go hand in hand. The entire spectrum of highly qualified specialists will continue to come from Münster in the future. They will provide decisive impetus for battery research and industry both nationally and in Europe. Ultimately, PowerCo’s support also guarantees that the industry connection is ensured at the highest level.”
Dr. Julia Quante, Managing Director of BACCARA, explains: “The challenges of the energy transition are enormous. By providing industry-oriented doctoral training at the highest level, we can make an important contribution in the field of battery research. This is why the cooperation with PowerCo that is now beginning as part of the sponsorship of BACCARA is far-sighted and promising.”
PowerCo, founded by the Volkswagen Group in 2022, is responsible for developing and producing battery cells and integrating the value chain. It is currently building three cell factories in Salzgitter, Germany; Valencia, Spain; and St. Thomas, Canada, with a total volume of up to 200 gigawatt hours per year.
At BACCARA, young research talents benefit from the knowledge of over 30 professors and junior research group heads from various departments at the University of Münster. This collaboration is set to make a significant impact on the future of battery research and education.
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