L-R: Lynnard Cucksey (AMBC CEO), Diane Hobday, Sector Manager, NATA, Former Queensland Premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk.
Australia has critical minerals, engineering expertise and substantial research capability. But a successful battery industry depends on more than developing new materials and technologies. It also depends on the evidence that lets customers, regulators, and investors trust them.
That was an important thread across the Advanced Materials & Battery Summit, hosted by the Advanced Materials and Battery Council (AMBC) in Brisbane, October 2026. The event brought together participants from across the battery value chain, from resources and advanced materials to manufacturing, deployment and recycling.
NATA Sector Manager Diane Hobday joined the From Innovation to Market panel and NATA’s Brett Hyland participated in Closing the Loop, a Discussion on Battery Collection, Recycling, and Materials Recovery.
The two-day event highlighted how technical questions evolve as products move through their life cycle. These include that:
- A new advanced material may need to be characterised for composition and fitness for purpose.
- A battery system must demonstrate safety and performance in its intended application.
- At end of life, collection and processing must be distinguished from verified recovery of reusable materials.
In each case, someone needs reliable results on which to make a decision.
Innovation creates the technology. Testing produces the evidence. Accreditation provides confidence in the competence of the laboratories producing that evidence. Suitable standards and test methods help make results consistent and comparable. Laboratory accreditation is distinct from, but complementary to, certification of a product.
The summit also explored connected energy systems, supply-chain security and emerging traceability requirements such as the European Union’s digital battery passport. These developments underline the importance of reliable, traceable technical information as products move through the value chain between organisations and across borders.
For emerging technologies, test methods and standards may need to develop alongside industry. Early engagement among researchers, manufacturers, testing laboratories, standards developers and accreditation bodies can help identify where capability already exists and where gaps might affect commercialisation or market access.
Australia’s battery opportunity is not only about what we can make. It is also about building confidence in what we make, use and recover.