The Ecobat project, which began on 1 January 2022, is now entering its final stage and will officially conclude on 31 December 2025. With less than three months remaining, the consortium is focusing on wrapping up research activities, finalising publications, and ensuring that all results are shared openly and responsibly.
Researchers are reminded that the final report is due by 30 June 2026, while continuous reporting (similar to the intermediate report) will remain open until 31 December 2027. A key task in these closing months is to ensure green open access for all scientific outputs by uploading publications to the official repository, as required by FRS-FNRS.
At the same time, the Ecobat team is preparing a new project video to showcase the project’s achievements, lessons learned, and the people behind the research. More details will be shared soon.
Reflecting on the Project’s Journey
At the closing meeting in September, partners took a moment to look back at how far the project has come. One theme that stood out was the growing connection between theory and experiment.
As one researcher shared, “I used to think that computer models were too abstract to reflect real systems accurately. However, I discovered that, with the right computational tools and input variables, these models can produce results that truly make sense in an experimental setup. It showed me how powerful the combination of theory and practice can be.”
This close interaction between modelling and experimentation has become one of Ecobat’s defining strengths. The theoretical teams gained valuable insights and developed new ways to interpret simulations, while the experimental teams benefited from more targeted and informed approaches.
Over the past three years, researchers have also seen tangible progress in performance. Compared to earlier research within Jan Fransaer’s group, the number of achievable battery charge–discharge cycles has increased significantly. Moving away from ionic liquids played a key role in this improvement. In the early stages, obtaining a stable metal deposit was already a breakthrough, but battery science has evolved. The next big challenge is ensuring that deposition and stripping can be made fully reversible, which is crucial for any viable battery technology.
At the same time, the consortium recognised that some goals were deliberately ambitious. One example was the attempt to remove fluorinated compounds from electrolytes. Although this idea is well aligned with environmental goals, it proved extremely challenging in practice. Fluorinated compounds are still important for maintaining salt solubility and electrolyte stability, especially on the anode side. Balancing sustainability and performance remains a central question in battery development.
Collaboration as a Driving Force
A strong sense of collaboration has been one of Ecobat’s key achievements. KU Leuven researchers emphasised how open and constructive the cooperation between partners has been, which is not always a given in large research consortia.
Access to the laboratories of Professor Alex Vlad at UCLouvain has been particularly valuable, allowing researchers to conduct experiments under highly reliable conditions. This combination of advanced laboratory capabilities, theoretical expertise, and teamwork has been essential to the project’s success.
As Ecobat approaches its conclusion, the project leaves behind not only scientific results but also a community of researchers who have learned from one another. The experience gained and the connections built will continue to inspire future collaborations in the search for sustainable and innovative battery technologies.