3 April 2024

15:25 – 16:10

Amphi 1

Karim Zaghib

Dr. Karim Zaghib is a world-renowned scientist who specializes in rechargeable batteries, energy transition and the electrification of transportation. He is currently Professor of Chemical and Materials Engineering at Concordia University.His many seminal scientific publications in these fields have earned him numerous honours and distinctions. Dr. Zaghib is named as an inventor in over 600 patents and 62 licences. He has also authored 420 scientific articles and edited or co-edited nearly 20 monographs, and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. As Director of Research at Hydro-Québec, he oversaw their development of materials for lithium-ion batteries and helped make it the world’s first company to commercialize lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cathode in addition to developing natural graphite and nano-lithium titanate (LTO) anodes. Dr. Zaghib was also one of the pioneers of the first photo-battery with two electrodes and in MWh high- capacity energy storage based on LFP/graphite through a joint-venture collaboration with Sony. Dr. Zaghib holds a M.S. (1987) and a Ph.D. (1990) in Electrochemistry from the Institut national polytechnique de Grenoble. In 2002, he received the Habilitation degree [H.D.R.] in Physics (Materials Science) from Université Pierre-et-Marie-Curie (Paris VI) in France.

Why is the emergence of a battery industry crucial to Quebec’s future?

Québec holds the keys to innovation in the battery sector, thanks to its abundant, clean hydroelectricity, mineral resources essential to the manufacture of high-performance batteries, and a dynamic R&D ecosystem supported by leading academic institutions. The commitment to a battery industry underlines a conscious reindustrialization ambition, aligned with the imperatives of decarbonization and the global energy transition. This energy transition not only offers an opportunity to position Quebec as a key player in the global renewable energy market, but also to stimulate local innovation, create sustainable jobs, and promote responsible production. Quebec’s future, seen through the prism of the battery industry, reflects a deep commitment to sustainable development and industrial ecology, laying the foundations for a thriving green economy and a society resilient to the major environmental challenges of the 21st century.