On 12 September 2025, the Ecobat consortium came together for its closing meeting, marking the end of three years of joint research on next-generation battery materials. The event took place at KU Leuven’s Department of Materials Engineering and gathered partners from KU Leuven, UCLouvain, the University of Bonn and UNamur.
The Closing Meeting served a double purpose. It offered a stage for the researchers to present their latest results and, at the same time, created space to reflect on project management and collaboration. Ecobat has managed to bring together experimental, theoretical and engineering expertise in one strong network. This approach has led to excellent scientific output, with more than ten papers already published and several more on the way.
Due to proactive participation of all the partners, the project remained on track despite some delays in specific work packages. Clear communication and continuous reporting across all partners proved to be key. The high number of joint publications shows how well the collaboration worked in practice, something that was repeatedly highlighted in the final discussion.
Scientifically, Ecobat has deepened the understanding of how light metals such as calcium, sodium and potassium can be deposited and stripped. The teams investigated new electrolytes, electrode materials and modelling approaches to tackle some of the most persistent challenges in energy storage. Difficulties remain, for example the dependence on fluorinated compounds and the sensitivity of S-block metals, but the project created valuable insights and tools that will guide future work.
The session on lessons learned, moderated by Prof. Koen Binnemans (KU Leuven), stressed the central role of collaboration. Access to specialised laboratories, complementary expertise and open exchange between partners made it possible to advance the field well beyond individual efforts.
Although the official project end is approaching, reporting and follow-up will continue until 2027. This ensures that Ecobat’s results will remain visible and accessible. The project stands as a clear example of how strong management and genuine collaboration can drive scientific progress in the complex field of battery research.
More information on Ecobat publications is available here.