PRESS RELEASE

INNOVATIVE RESEARCH AND PRODUCTS, INC.

P.O. Box 16760, Stamford, CT 06905-8760, USA

 (203) 569-7909; marketing@innoresearch.net, www.innoresearch.net

 


global MARKET for thin-film batteries to reach $600 million by 2015

The thin-film battery (TFB) market is an attractive and still-growing multimillion-dollar market characterized by very high production volumes of thin-film batteries that must be extremely reliable and low in cost. Thin-film lithium and lithium-ion batteries are ideally suited for a variety of applications where small power sources are needed. By using the available space within a device, the battery can provide the required power while occupying otherwise wasted space and adding negligible mass.

According to a recently published report from iRAP, Inc. RECHARGEABLE AND NON-RECHARGEABLE, FLEXIBLE, THIN-FILM BATTERIES: A GLOBAL INDUSTRY AND MARKET, ANALYSIS, the global market for thin-film batteries is expected to reach $90 million in 2010. This market will increase to $600 million by 2015. The range for the average annual growth rate (AAGR) is expected to be 37.9% to 67.8% for the six major regions surveyed for the period 2010 to 2015.  Regionally, North America is expected to capture about 40% of the market in 2010, followed by Europe at 36% and the rest of the world (ROW) at 24%, dominated by Japan, Korea and China.

Three very distinct types of flexible TFB technologies exist – lower performance printed TFBs, single-use higher performance lithium polymer (LiPo) batteries, and solid-state rechargeable lithium phosphorous oxynitride (LiPON) batteries (which are the most expensive). Currently, non-rechargeable zinc batteries can be fully printed and used in roll-to-roll manufacturing processes.

Major findings of this report include:

• The market for thin-film batteries used in one-time password (OTP), display-type smart cards for banking will be highest in 2010.
• Disposable medical cosmetic patches, electronic games and entertainment devices, music greeting cards using non-rechargeable thin printed battery (zinc-manganese chemistry), low power semi-active tags used with sensors, and battery-assisted passive (BAP) radio frequency identification (RFID) devices will have a combined market share of over one-third of the total market in 2010.
• Ultra-low power energy harvesting devices (solar, thermal, vibration) using rechargeable lithium-ion or similar type batteries will be a distant third in 2010.
• The main factor slowing growth of the market for thin-film/printed batteries at present is high cost. Thin-film/printable batteries are currently unable to compete with conventional battery technology on price. This will change as volumes for thin-film/printed batteries ramp up and technology improves. By far the largest application for these batteries is likely to be found in OTP display smart cards and battery-assisted, semi-passive RFID. There is much talk in the RFID industry about battery-assisted technology as a solution to the cost issue surrounding active RFID tags. By 2015, forecasts indicate that OTP display smart cards and battery-assisted passive RFID devices will take off.
• Among the three technologies covered in this report, in 2010 the market share for non-rechargeable thin zinc-manganese printed batteries is the highest followed by the lithium polymer thin-film non-rechargeable batteries and rechargeable thin-film lithium-ion batteries as a distant third.

Global market for thin-film flexible batteries by region, through 2015

	2010		2015
	($ Millions)	Share %	($ Millions)	Share %	AAGR % 2010-15
North America	36.0	40	246	41	46.8
Europe	32.4	36	216	36	46.1
ROW	21.6	24	138	23	44.9
TOTAL	90	100	600	100	46.1

Source: iRAP, Inc.

GLOBAL MARKET FOR THIN-FILM BATTERIES BY REGION, 2010 and 2015
($ Millions)

Source: iRAP, Inc.

Published date: November 2010                                                                                                                  Price (Hard Copy): $2,950