BESS: Spilling the TEA (Techno-economic analysis) – why performance matters more in a world of low-cost energy storage batteries

Monday, 11 May 2026

Oversupply of LFP cathode and cells, especially in China, has exerted significant downward pressure on global cell and system production costs and pricing.

As production costs fall, global cathode and cell producers are under significant pressure to continuously improve their products or face consolidation or even extinction in an increasing competitive midstream market.

During this talk I will discuss the implications of how these market dynamics are driving further innovations for lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery energy storage systems (BESS) and how these could affect procurers.

These will be discussed in terms of performance improvements, and this will include a high-level outlook for BESS technology innovations including:

Increasing cell capacities

Higher compaction density active material

New cathode additives/ alternative chemistries