What product enables millions of workers to commute every day? What does a truly circular economy look like in practice? And how did World War I veterans help kickstart a century-old battery industry?
Roger Miksad, President & Executive Director of Battery Council International (BCI), joins Nate Kirchhofer, CEO of BioZen Batteries, on the Beyond Lithium podcast to explore these questions and more in an episode recorded on Veterans Day.
In this wide-ranging conversation, Roger and Nate dive into:
- The origin story: How WWI, veterans, and the electric starter launched a 100+ year battery industry that continues to evolve today
- Low-voltage leadership: Why lead batteries remain the quiet backbone of vehicles, data centers, telecom networks, and critical infrastructure across the economy
- The 99%+ recycling achievement: How lead batteries demonstrate what true circularity looks like in practice—the most recycled consumer product in America
- Policy and manufacturing: How the 45X Advanced Manufacturing Production Credit is reshaping U.S. battery manufacturing across all chemistries and creating opportunities for diverse technologies beyond lithium
For anyone working in energy storage, data centers, critical infrastructure, or climate tech, this episode offers a practical roadmap for how policy, safety, standards, circularity, and innovation intersect in the real world.
🎧 Listen to the full episode and learn more about the Beyond Lithium podcast.
