Role in the project: The work in the consortium can help to improve the final devices and gain the competitiveness versus the far-east competition.

Relevant expertise: Team qualification in the field of proposal: VARTA Microbattery (VMB) is an internationally leading and globally active manufacturer of retail and OEM batteries and has been operating for more than 125 years. VMB employs nearly 750 persons in Germany and approx. 2,000 worldwide. The company headquarter is located in Ellwangen in the southern part of Germany where the entire research, engineering and production of the electrochemical cells are done. 150 VMB employees work in the Innovation Tower at headquarters in Ellwangen. This central Research and Development department focuses on developing new products and optimizing existing solutions. Particular attention is paid to material and structural research, converting and storing energy (light, heat, vibration, etc.), and nanotechnologies, fuel cells, and printed batteries. The product range of VMB contains small batteries for portable devices, car electronics and heat calorimeters. In the last years this portfolio was extended to storage batteries in the order of 5 – 13 kWh in the VMB Storage GmbH (VS). VMB also has developed a very small Lithium-Ion-Cell with winded electrodes. The overall volume is in the range of 0,5 – 2 cm³. The product is brought into market and received a large interest of the manufacturers.

Added value: More than 15 years of expertise in lithium-ion-technology, and knowledge and facilities for smart-textiles-based storage devices development.