The European Commission has awarded energy investor EIT InnoEnergy a 10-million-euro grant for the European Battery Alliance (EBA) Academy. Launched in 2021, the EBA Academy trains professionals across the value chain of the European battery industry.

Launched last year by France and EIT InnoEnergy, the EBA Academy aims to train around 150,000 people for the battery industry by 2025. France, Spain and Hungary have already expressed their intention to launch the EBA Academy training programs.

“To meet the demands of the rapidly growing European battery value chain, this ’fit for purpose’ industry-led approach is needed in the education and training sector since the volume,” says Diego Pavia, CEO of EIT InnoEnergy. “800.000 workers, need to be upskilled and reskilled by 2025. Such a massive endeavour requires this boosted approach.”

On behalf of the EU Commission, Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič attended the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding for the expansion of the EBA Academy. Šefčovič is responsible for the European Battery Alliance and has also been a strong driver of IPCEI funding. “In 2017, the EU battery industry was barely on the map. Today, Europe is a global battery hotspot, with 20 gigafactories emerging in our member states,” he said. “By 2030, we should be producing enough batteries each year to power around 11 million electric cars, and moving full steam ahead toward strategic autonomy in this crucial sector.”

innoenergy.com