Get to know Laurent Torcheux from EDF (Electricité De France)
He is the EDF Group’s expert and Fellow on battery technologies, with 30 years of experience in the battery field. After starting in industrial R&D for lead-acid batteries, he became the leader for developing Li-ion battery activities and laboratories for EDF in 2001. He has been involved in numerous projects outside EDF, establishing strong international partnerships for the development of stationary batteries across the entire value chain.
He is actively involved in the NEXTBMS project, where the EDF Group serves as an end-user reference partner for stationary batteries utilizing innovative battery management systems.
What was your original motivation to become a researcher/project manager?
“My first motivation was to go into research and to do a PhD to get to grips with the fundamentals of a field that has a profound impact on the energy transition. I wanted to pursue this field throughout my career to make my contribution to it.”
What is your (main) research area today?
“Studies of battery ageing, safety, recyclability, and the detection, as early as possible, of new technologies that could have a significant impact on the development of electrochemical storage.”
What is the main focus of your team in NEXTBMS?
“In the NEXTBMS project, our team is focusing on establishing models and Kpi’s for the use of stationary batteries in isolated electrical areas where various renewable energy sources are combined with batteries. We are then involved in defining the intelligent BMS (Battery Management System) and the advanced functions that will be implemented in the project’s innovative BMS. Finally, our main task is testing the test profiles in our laboratories on the equipment supplied by the project partners.”
Could you describe your favourite moment/satisfaction when working for the project and – more in general – for your organisation?
“The technical meetings are particularly rewarding thanks to the technical variety of the partners and their level of expertise, united we stand! I’m particularly impressed by the young generation, who are very committed to the success of the project and have some very innovative ideas.”
How do you expect NEXTBMS results will affect your organisation and the energy storage sector?
“I hope that the innovative research solutions developed in the NEXTBMS project will be validated at the end of the project and that they will then be rapidly industrialised. The contribution of these new technologies opens major prospects for guaranteeing the technical and economic performance of battery systems and will probably drastically reduce their cost.”
