Engineering safer, longer-lasting batteries for Europe’s energy transition

Across Europe, wind and solar energy generated a record 30% of EU electricity in 2025. Renewable electricity is not always produced at the moment it is needed: the sun does not always shine, and the wind does not always blow when demand is highest. That is why energy storage is so important. It acts as a buffer, storing surplus electricity when supply is high and releasing it later when supply is lower, helping keep homes, businesses and transport systems powered reliably. 

Modern storage systems take many forms, including stationary battery energy storage systems (BESS), thermal energy storage (TES), and batteries used in electric vehicles. As the EU pushes for deeper electrification of transport and a greater share of renewables in the energy mix, reliable storage has become central to security of supply and public trust. The Battery Strategy, the Battery Booster initiative, and AccelerateEU all reflect this ambition, building a new layer of battery infrastructure at scale. Its success depends entirely on materials like silicones that keep these systems safe, robust, and enduring. 

How do silicones keep batteries performing over time? 

Whether stationary storage systems or electric vehicles, batteries operate in harsh and variable conditions. They sit on roadside fast chargers, on wind farm sites, in building basements and on the underside of our vehicles, where water, dust, salt, vibration and extreme heat and/or cold are constant challenges. Even minor corrosion can compromise a battery pack and trigger safety hazards. 

Silicone-based seals and gaskets form a long-lasting barrier against these threats. Unlike conventional materials that stiffen or crack under thermal stress, silicone sealants remain flexible as battery packs expand and contract through charge and discharge cycles, ensuring protective barriers hold for years of operation and reducing the risk of premature failure. 

Inside the battery pack, managing heat is one of the most demanding engineering struggles. During fast charging and high-power discharge, cells generate significant heat that must be drawn away quickly to maintain performance and prevent damage. Silicone thermal interface materials like pads, gels and encapsulants, sit between battery cells and cooling systems, efficiently transferring heat whilst absorbing mechanical stress. 

Silicone encapsulants also protect cells from moisture over the long term, directly extending battery lifespan. Fewer replacements, lower resource consumption and reduced waste align these material properties directly with EU circular economy and sustainability goals. 

What role do silicones play in the broader energy transition? 

Energy storage extends far beyond EV batteries. Grid-scale stationary systems, solar storage installations and emerging hydrogen infrastructure, all demand materials that withstand decades of thermal cycling, UV exposure, and humidity. Recent research illustrates this potential. A 2025 study published in Scientific Reports demonstrated that silicone-based fluids used as heat transfer media in concentrated solar power (CSP) plants, which capture solar heat and store it before converting it into electricity, can deliver up to a 44% improvement in overall system efficiency. Across this entire ecosystem, silicones deliver the combination of protection, performance and durability that next-generation technologies require. 

As policymakers design the frameworks, industrial strategies and procurement criteria that will define Europe’s energy mix, silicones must be recognised as a crucial enabling material, not a secondary component, but a foundation of the transition itself.