Welcome address by Minister Mona Neubaur

The world of batteries has developed at a rapid pace. What was considered a future project just a few years ago is now a central component of our energy and mobility transition. North Rhine-Westphalia plays a key role in this: it is a hub for scientific excellence, industrial expertise, and a strong innovation network.

The battery cell research facility in Münster – FFB – plays a special role in the battery cell ecosystem, not only in North Rhine-Westphalia, but also in Germany and beyond. Following the commissioning of Pre-Fab 2024, construction work on the Fab has been progressing rapidly since October 2025.

Germany and Europe have made great strides in recent years – but the momentum worldwide is enormous: new materials, improved production processes, recycling methods, and approaches to the circular economy are rapidly transforming the field. This makes places for professional exchange and collaboration – places like this conference – all the more important. This is where ideas are born, networks are formed, and the future is shaped.

The Advanced Battery Power 2026 symposium symbolizes this new beginning. New cell chemistries, digital manufacturing, circular economy, and secure supply chains are no longer marginal issues, but core questions of economic resilience. It is particularly encouraging that start-ups and young researchers are increasingly becoming the drivers of this development. Their ideas combine sustainability, efficiency, and entrepreneurial courage – exactly what the transformation needs.

The battery of the future must not only be powerful, but also sustainable. Raw materials must be extracted responsibly, products must be manufactured efficiently, and materials must be recycled at the end of their life cycle. North Rhine-Westphalia is setting standards in this area – with research projects on the recovery of lithium, cobalt, and nickel, with pilot plants for second-life applications, and with political initiatives to promote the circular economy.

We are at the beginning of a development that will profoundly change our economy and our society. The battery is a key technology in this transformation. And it stands in a special way for the successful combination of climate protection, innovation, and prosperity.  Investing in research, education, and industrial scaling today means investing in the future of energy. That is precisely what this is all about: together, we are paving the way toward a sustainable, sovereign, and competitive battery industry in Europe.

With this in mind, I wish all participants at Advanced Battery Power 2026 an inspiring event that motivates them to make new leaps forward.

Best regards

Mona Neubaur

Minister for Economic Affairs, Industry,
Climate Action and Energy
of the State of North Rhine Westphalia