Vancouver, Canada - Recently, we had the opportunity to speak with Gene Berdichevsky, who served as a speaker at the Web Summit Vancouver 2025. He shares insights into the future of battery technology, the environmental and economic implications, and the role of policy and international collaboration in advancing sustainable energy solutions.
Gene Berdichevsky is the Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Sila Nanotechnologies, an innovative materials technology company based in Alameda, California, USA. The company is pioneering the next generation of battery chemistry. Prior to founding Sila, Bedichapsky was the seventh employee at Tesla Motors, where he led the development of the Roadster’s battery as Principal Engineer. He holds two degrees from Stanford University and has co-authored over 45 patents and scientific publications. Recognized by Forbes as a 30 Under 30, MIT Technology Review’s 35 Under 35, and a recipient of the Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans, Berdichevsky is at the forefront of advancing battery technology.
The following is a Q&A session with Gene Berdichevsky.
Q: Challenges and Solutions: What do you see as the most pressing technical challenges in current battery technologies, and how might innovations in silicon anodes provide a viable solution?
Gene Berdichevsky: From a technical standpoint, there are two significant challenges in batteries today. For the automotive industry, the key challenge is to continue reducing costs. For other sectors, the focus is on increasing performance. In consumer electronics such as smartphones and tablets, as well as in emerging fields like artificial intelligence, the demand for longer battery life is driving innovation. AI applications are particularly power-hungry, making the development of better batteries essential to enable these capabilities.
In industries such as robotics and aerospace, high performance remains critical. However, for electric vehicles, cost reduction is paramount. Silicon anodes present a solution that addresses both challenges—enhancing performance for consumer devices and lowering costs for automotive applications. Silicon can store significantly more lithium than graphite, allowing for smaller, more efficient batteries with the same capacity. This means batteries can be physically smaller, which is advantageous for electronics, and weight savings can translate to fewer cells needed in vehicle packs, reducing material use and overall cost.
Silicon represents a breakthrough—arguably the most significant in battery technology in the past three decades, since graphite became the standard anode material in 1991. This innovation has the potential to transform multiple industries.
Q: Energy Transition: Given the increasing demand for a shift to grid energy, how can advanced battery technologies accelerate this transformation?
Gene Berdichevsky: A significant challenge as we scale up is the need for domestic production of batteries in various countries. Currently, most batteries are manufactured in China, with some in Korea and Japan, and very little in North America or Europe. New technologies like silicon anodes can help change this dynamic by enabling battery manufacturing on different continents—provided dedicated energy sources are available. Silicon anodes allow for local production without reliance on mined materials predominantly sourced from China, since silicon can be produced with lower-cost energy on any continent.
Furthermore, silicon's ability to store about five times more lithium per kilogram compared to graphene implies that replacement of graphite with silicon drastically reduces the amount of raw materials needed. For example, a typical Tesla battery pack containing about 100 kilograms of graphite could be replaced with approximately 20 kilograms of silicon, leading to less energy-intensive processing and lower environmental impact. Ultimately, this supports sustainability by reducing the CO2 footprint associated with battery manufacturing.
Q: The Role of Policy and Standards: How do government policies and industrial standards influence the development and adoption of new battery technologies?
Gene Berdichevsky: Government support has been vital. For instance, the U.S. Department of Energy has backed us since we started in 2012, providing grants that have been instrumental in advancing our technology. While private capital constitutes about 90% of our funding, the remaining 10% of government support has had a significant catalytic effect on our growth.
Policy and trade initiatives also matter greatly. Promoting domestic manufacturing—whether in North America, Europe, or elsewhere—ensures that innovations are not just invented but also produced locally. Historically, U.S.-based innovations have often been manufactured in China. Moving forward, we aim to grow domestically, thereby fostering economic development and enhancing supply chain resilience.
Additionally, intellectual property policies are crucial. Protecting and incentivizing innovation through patents and rights encourages scientists and companies to invest their time and resources into breakthrough technologies, ensuring that scientific progress translates into tangible economic and societal benefits.
Q: Environmental and Economic Impact: What are the potential benefits and challenges of scaling up battery production, particularly in the Asian market?
Gene Berdichevsky: Viewing batteries as a form of energy storage, they operate through chemical bonds that can be reused thousands of times, unlike hydrocarbons such as oil, coal, and natural gas, which are used once. This means that to produce the same amount of usable energy, batteries require significantly less raw material extraction from the earth, hundreds of times less, in fact.
The most impactful benefit in terms of environmental improvement is the shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources stored in batteries. This transition can dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions globally.
Furthermore, silicon offers environmental advantages over traditional graphite by requiring less mining, generating less waste, and reducing environmental damage during production. Emphasizing local manufacturing—whether in the United States, Korea, or Europe—can also create jobs and foster economic growth in those regions, while diminishing reliance on supply chains concentrated in China.
Q: Looking Ahead: From a technical perspective, what significant advancements can we expect in the next decade concerning battery performance?
Gene Berdichevsky: The switch from graphite to silicon anodes is set to bring substantial improvements, chiefly in energy density. This enables the development of vehicles and systems, like electric aircraft, that are inherently better and more efficient.
Technologically, we anticipate a rapid acceleration in fast-charging capabilities, with some electric vehicles in China already achieving a five-minute recharge. This trend is expected to spread globally, transforming how consumers and businesses perceive electric mobility and making electric vehicles more attractive for mass adoption.
Another crucial advancement will be the extension of battery lifespan. As autonomous fleets and robo-taxis become more prevalent, the demand for batteries capable of enduring 1 million or even 2 million kilometers over ten years will rise. Today's batteries are not designed for such longevity, but with silicon anodes, it is possible to develop cells that last a full operational life. This would significantly reduce costs, as fewer replacements are needed, and operating expenses for fleet operators are predominantly tied to energy and maintenance costs.
In addition, the development of new patents and innovations will further enhance performance, speed, and durability, unlocking unprecedented applications for battery technology.
Q: International Collaboration: Considering global manufacturing and innovation, what are your views on potential partnerships, particularly between American, Korean, and European industries?
Gene Berdichevsky: I see a tremendous opportunity for collaboration among these regions. Pairing American innovation with Korean manufacturing expertise offers an ideal combination. Korea has a well-established industrial base and experience in scaling production, while the United States excels in technological innovation.
Ideally, continued cooperation between Korean, American, and European companies will foster the development of more resilient and diversified supply chains for batteries, materials, and electric vehicles. Such partnerships can accelerate the deployment of cleaner energy solutions globally, provided politics and policy frameworks remain conducive to international cooperation.
Closing remarks
Berdichevsky’s insights clearly demonstrate the transformative potential of silicon-based batteries. Advances that increase energy density, enable rapid charging, and extend battery lifespan are expected to have a significant impact across the industry in the years to come. These innovations are poised to promote environmentally friendly energy use while strengthening global competitiveness. In particular, Berdichevsky’s vision of combining American innovation capacity with Korean manufacturing expertise offers a valuable perspective for future industrial development.
You can find the Korean version of this article here.
