Switzerland: Blue Solutions entrusts SIPBB with a battery research project
Bienne, Paris – August 11th, 2023. Switzerland Innovation Park Biel/Bienne (SIPBB) will be conducting three research projects for Blue Solutions on all-solid-state lithium batteries.
Blue Solutions, a Bolloré Group entity that has been designing and manufacturing lithium metal and polymer all-solid-state electric batteries for commercial vehicles on two continents (Europe and North America) for over 12 years, has signed a blanket agreement with Switzerland Innovation Park Biel/Bienne (SIPBB), a Swiss private non-profit organization that performs and supports industry-focused applied research and development.
Under this contract, the two partners plan to collaborate in three major areas of research:
- Automated disassembly of battery packs and modules, an essential stage in the second life of batteries, involving numerous risks and requiring specific electrical accreditations;
- Modeling of the cell and part of the production process through a digital twin project;
- Accelerated aging tests on cells.
The Swiss Battery Technology Center (SBTC), one of SIPBB’s four research centers, will be specifically involved in the collaboration with Blue Solutions. Alongside the Swiss Advanced Manufacturing Center, the Swiss HealthTech Center and the Swiss Smart Factory, it provides SIPBB with an organization that is unique in Switzerland for promoting interdisciplinary collaboration.
SIPBB works with national and international partners and is a member of the national and international network of the Switzerland Innovation Foundation, whose aim is to link universities and research institutes with companies in order to bring innovation projects to life and accelerate the translation of research outcomes into marketable products.
This partnership comes at the same time as the announcement of two other Blue Solutions collaboration contracts with Swiss academic institutions: the Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH) and the CSEM (Swiss Center for Electronics and Microtechnology) in Neuchâtel. Through this type of R&D partnership, Blue Solutions aims to develop the next generation of all-solid-state batteries, a key issue in the transition to all-electric vehicles.
Richard Bouveret, CEO and Chairman of Blue Solutions
“The close collaboration with SIPBB’s Swiss Battery Technology Center will enable Blue Solutions to strengthen the three pillars of its DNA – Safe, Clean and Smart solutions. This is possible through the joint development of accelerated aging tests for all-solid-state battery cells, the automatic disassembly of battery packs and modules supported by an artificial intelligence-enabled learning system, and the development of the Battery Twin Digital, which aims to optimize the efficiency and durability of battery use. This partner embodies the quality of the applied research structures in Switzerland, which we are proud to collaborate with.”
Christian Ochsenbein, Director of SBTC, Partner and member of the SIPBB Board
“Our R&D centers show how to put new technologies into practice, bridging the gap between research and industry. The type of partnership we are setting up with Blue Solutions gives us the opportunity to create an environment conducive to innovation and growth.”
About Blue Solutions
Blue Solutions is a global designer and manufacturer of all-solid-state electric batteries, based in Ergué-Gabéric (Brittany, France) and Boucherville (Quebec, Canada). Since 2011, Blue Solutions has been the only company in the world to mass produce all-solid-state batteries based on Lithium-Metal-Polymer (LMP®) technology to meet the growing demand for sustainable, low-carbon transport. The Blue Solutions production sites have ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certification. More information on www.blue-solutions.com
About SIPBB
Switzerland Innovation Park Biel/Bienne is a Swiss private non-profit organization that conducts and supports industry-related and primarily applied research and development. As part of the national and international network of the Switzerland Innovation Foundation, it aims to generate research investment from abroad, promote Swiss innovation performance and start-ups, and accelerate the translation of research outcomes into marketable products.
