‘Battery Stakeholders’ Meet’ held to foster academia-industry ties

Ludhiana: Batteries are playing an increasingly crucial part in our lives. From cars, two-wheelers, e-bikes to mobile phones, laptops, drones and much more, batteries are being utilised in unprecedented areas and scale. The concern for performance improvement and future of batteries brought together academia from reputed institutions and industry leaders at Panjab University regional centre at ‘Battery Stakeholders' Meet-2025' held recently. Technology enabling centre (TEC) of Panjab University, which works at and for exploring the intersection of industry and academia aligned with Punjab State Council for Science and Technology (PSCST) collaborated with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Chamber of Industrial & Commercial Undertakings (CICU) for the event.
Industrialists, academicians, and technology experts shared the challenges, requirements, expectations and the progress and innovations being made for improving batteries. The experts even shared new ideas for improving batteries to increase performance as well as reduce charging times. They also shared how additions like sucrose and graphene can enhance battery performance. They also discussed the applications of technologies carbon nano tubes for making new generation of batteries, and the need for adoption of such innovations and new approaches by battery manufacturers for creating improved and new products.
Prof Manu Sharma, coordinator from TEC, Panjab University, said their research about improving batteries and exploring new forms of batteries was being done worldwide. Since the Government of India is also pushing for electric vehicles as future of transformation in India, battery performance and rapid improvement in this field has become a key area of focus. That is why a special emphasis was laid on it during the Union Budget as well this year.
Technical sessions during the meet comprised emerging battery technologies, innovations in solid-state electrolytes, advancements in battery management systems (BMS), lithium-ion battery testing methods, and transformative potential of carbon nanotube (CNT) materials in energy storage solutions, an in-depth analysis of lithium-ion battery testing processes. Dr Dhiraj K Mahajan from IIT Ropar and Dr Mukesh Singh from Thapar University shared breakthroughs made in solid-state membranes and advanced BMS systems, respectively. Dr Kaustabh Kamble from Punjab Engineering College and Dr Anandita Roy from SIT Pune discussed solid-state electrolytes and battery cycle life testing through online participation. Presenting the industry perspective, Lokesh Jain, chairman, CII Ludhiana, stressed upon focused and regular industry-academia interaction, pointing out research and innovation must be focused to for effective solutions for industry.