17 November 2023

08:45 – 09:30

Amphitheatre Faure

Jean-Marie Tarascon

Jean-Marie Tarascon is a specialist in solid state chemistry who spent the first fifteen years of his career in the United States. He was behind the creation of the ALISTORE-ERI European Network of Excellence in 2003, and in 2011 of the French Electrochemical Energy Storage Network (RS2E), which he still heads. His wide-ranging research interests include the design, via eco-efficient synthesis processes, of new electrode materials with enhanced capacity, as well as the study of new reaction mechanisms and the exploration of new battery technologies beyond Li-ion, including Na-ion, Zn-MnO2 and all-solid-state technologies. His current passion is the development of intelligent batteries through the injection of sensors. This aspect of his work will be the subject of his course for 2021, entitled “Diagnostic and self-repair techniques for higher-performance batteries”. Jean-Marie Tarascon was awarded the CNRS Gold Medal in 2022.

Conference: Are batteries the indispensable but perfectible allies of sustainable mobility?

Transport currently accounts for over 25% of our CO2 emissions (in France). It therefore makes a significant contribution to global warming. Nevertheless, doing without these means of transport is unrealistic. We urgently need to move away from a model based on oil and gasoline to one based on low-carbon energies that are far more respectful of the environment. However, these renewable energies are intermittent and need to be stored. Over the past decade, the challenges of energy storage have led to an explosion of scientific knowledge, resulting in spectacular innovations in the field of batteries. These innovations, which have led to a proliferation of gigafactories, are now making electric mobility a reality. Against this backdrop, it is legitimate to ask what the battery of the future will be, and in particular whether it will be the right option for sustainable development. It’s an enormous challenge, and one that raises new questions in terms of battery autonomy and recharging, durability and reliability, eco-compatibility, abundance of materials and recycling. This conference will address these different aspects, via the research being carried out and the associated technological developments. Although the maturation times for some of these technologies are still uncertain, optimism should prevail.