By Roger Miksad, BCI President and Executive Director
2024 was a year to remember for BCI.
Like many organizations, Battery Council International is going through the annual exercise of reviewing the battery industry’s successes over the last year. And in all humility, BCI and its members have a lot of successes to be proud of.
A short list includes:
- Analysts are projecting that global battery sales will lodge yet another record year of sales for the industry. BCI’s North American shipping data concurs, showing that BCI’s members transportation volumes are pacing 160 million units sold in 2024. Opportunities in new markets are rapidly opening, too.
- BCI celebrated 100 years of operation on March 21, 2024, marking a century as the industry’s leading trade association. Our annual BCI Convention + Power Mart smashed attendance records as we celebrated this centennial anniversary, welcoming a record number of attendees to mark this special moment
- In recognition of the important role of lead batteries in the energy transition, the U.S. Department of Energy awarded $5 million to BCI to help establish the Consortium for Lead Battery Leadership in Long Duration Energy Storage (LDES).
There are plenty of other achievements and milestones to celebrate, too, and BCI members will receive our in-depth Annual Report in the coming weeks. So, I would like to take this moment to reflect on the professional community that makes up BCI, and to share an important message at the end of a very busy year.
Namely, a message of gratitude.
Thank you first and foremost to the volunteers that serve offer their time and expertise to BCI, and in particular to those serving as leaders in our Committees and on our Board of Directors. Our committee members are the driving force behind BCI’s ability to advance policy and legislative priorities and to create and maintain the standards that make battery companies better, safer, and more efficient. I won’t embarrass any committee chairs by listing names and dates here, but it is safe to say that BCI has a number of long-serving volunteers who have dedicated decades of their life to this industry. You know who you are.
Thank you to all the researchers and technical experts who partner with Battery Council International. Together, we are making progress on the next generation of energy storage technology – from lead to lithium to flow and beyond. This industry is on the leading edge of fundamental changes in the economy, and innovation is the lifeblood of the future.
Thank you, too, to our valued partners at national laboratories that are helping in those research efforts. In particular, the staff at Argonne, Oak Ridge, Pacific Northwest, and Sandia National Laboratories have proven that public-private partnerships with a focus on real-world commercial applications can be incredibly powerful.
Thank you to the industry’s environmental, health and safety experts for your vigilance and professionalism. The lead battery industry is a model for worker protection and product stewardship among all industries. The stakes are high, particularly with recent focus on standards at both federal and state levels, and the dedicated EHS professionals in the battery industry are more important than ever. Those dedicated leaders are also leading the way the industry incorporates new technologies in safe and responsible ways.
Last but not least, thank you to every member of Battery Council International. Your organizations are working hard to effectively meet the energy needs of the future – all while providing good paying jobs, protecting the health and safety of your communities, and acting as key partners on sustainability efforts. Focusing on any one of those goals is a lofty exercise but doing them all is an incredible feat.
Admittedly, there’s a lot of work ahead for BCI and its members. But this industry’s track record of innovation and success gives me great confidence that we will rise to any challenges ahead of us.
Thank you for putting your trust in us as the leading trade association for the battery industry. We’re honored to be a part of this industry’s 100+ years of history, and excited to build on these past achievements in 2025!
