TEESMAT: Innovation as collaboration

R&D is at the heart of the Sunlight Group and extroversion is one of our most significant pursuits. Both these aspects of our operation are reflected in the company’s participation as an implementation partner in a wide range of innovative research projects, to which we offer our expertise, state-of-the-art equipment, and facilities. We present and discuss such projects on this blog.

The TEESMAT Project

TEESMAT is an Open Innovation Test Bed (OITB) for Electrochemical Energy Storage Material. A platform on which information is uploaded regarding the material characterization of various types of batteries (Lead-acid, Li-ion, Na-ion, Printed Zn/Li, Metal-air, etc.).

A Horizon 2020 project, EU’s research and innovation funding programme, TEESMAT is being implemented across 11 European countries by over 20 partners, including scientific institutions such as CERTH (Centre for Research and Technology Hellas), technology companies, and other representatives of the energy storage sector. Financed by the European Commission with ca. €9m, the project began in January 2019 and is scheduled to finish in the fall of 2022.

Purpose of TEESMAT and services provided

Even after two centuries of battery development, the physical limits of their performance are still being explored – closely linked to their significant role in the energy transition process. This exploration includes the monitoring and assessment of the complex physio-chemical processes inside batteries, as well as the characterization and interaction of all materials involved in their functioning. The idea is that all parts comprising a battery can be improved if the extent of their processes and limits is measured and understood. This Open Innovation Test Bed offers a wide range of testing capabilities to address various aspects of battery operation and the potential of their improvement.

This is what informed the establishment of the TEESMAT platform, which aims to leverage input from various participants and facilitate access to advanced characterization solutions, which is considered key to accelerating innovation in the EU energy storage industry.

The OITB platform pools knowledge and resources from collaborating partners to offer:

• Materials database providing quality-controlled, reproduced, and standardized data that is easily and inexpensively accessible

• Materials models and simulations

• Support in identifying potential issues that battery developers or manufacturers might face

• Innovative, timely, cost-effective, and customized problem-solving services

 Sunlight Group and TEESMAT

Sunlight Group participates in the TEESMAT project as a service user, which means that the company submits the materials of its batteries and energy storage systems for characterization. Following that, Sunlight

• assesses the results;

• tests the platform developed;

• provides input on the business strategies considered; and

• evaluates the overall services provided.

The data is then uploaded on the OITB and can be made accessible to other participants.

As a TEESMAT partner, Sunlight contributes to furthering knowledge within the energy sector industry – true to its vision to power the world through knowledge and become a source of empowerment. We believe that collaboration among peers is key to innovation, supporting our sector, and maximizing the performance of our products.

The Team

The Sunlight Group Team working on this project comprises Aristoklis Karamanidis, Dimitris Bollas, Pelagia Alexandridou, Vaggelis Dinolazos, Dimitris Koutras, Stergios Pantazis, and Emrach Zoumpre.

Additional information

For more information, including success stories of innovative solutions already provided by TEESMAT, please visit www.teesmat.eu