Chen Liquan
China is the world's largest producer and consumer of lithium batteries, powering everything from electric vehicles to renewable energy storage systems. According to the 2025 China Lithium Battery Industry Data Report, in 2024, the country's lithium battery production exceeded 10 million metric tons, with a market value reaching trillions of yuan.
This remarkable achievement, however, has not been an overnight success. It is the result of decades of relentless innovation and dedication by pioneers like Chen Liquan, a visionary scientist who laid the foundation for China's lithium battery industry.
Last year, Chen, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, was awarded the CAS Outstanding Scientific and Technological Achievement Award, a recognition for a lifetime of groundbreaking contributions.
From developing China's first all-solid-state lithium metal battery to mentoring a new generation of scientists and entrepreneurs, Chen's work has been instrumental in transforming China from a follower to a global leader in battery technology.
Chen's journey into the world of energy science began in 1976, during a study visit to Germany's Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research. Originally tasked with studying crystal growth, Chen stumbled upon a material that would change the course of his career — and China's energy future.
"A German colleague told me about lithium nitride, a superionic conductor that could be used to make solid-state batteries for electric cars," Chen recalled. "That moment sparked something in me. I knew this was the future."
Determined to introduce this technology to China, Chen wrote to the CAS requesting a shift in his research focus. His request was approved, and within five months, he completed his original crystal growth project and dove headfirst into solid-state ionics — a field that was virtually nonexistent in China at the time.
In 1988, his team created China's first solid-state lithium battery, a milestone that marked the beginning of the country's lithium battery research. However, the technology was far from ready for mass production.
The landscape shifted dramatically in 1991 when Japan's Sony Corporation commercialized liquid lithiumion batteries. Recognizing the urgency, Chen made a bold decision: "We had to pivot. Liquid lithium-ion batteries were the immediate future, but we couldn't abandon our long-term goal of solid-state batteries."
By 1995, Chen's team had developed China's first liquid lithium-ion battery, and in 1998, they built the country's first pilot production line for cylindrical lithium-ion batteries.
"We used our own technology, our own equipment and our own raw materials," said Chen. "It was a modest start, but it was ours".
Chen's vision extended beyond the lab. He understood that for China to compete globally, it needed a robust industrial base. In the late 1990s, he played a key role in establishing China's first lithium-ion battery production line, which produced 200,000 units annually.
"This was the foundation of China's lithium battery industry," Chen said.
A worker monitors a production line for the battery casings for new energy vehicles in Ningde, Fujian province, last month. WANG WANGWANG/FOR CHINA DAILY
The scientist's influence extends far beyond his scientific achievements; he is also a revered mentor who has shaped the careers of countless scientists and entrepreneurs in China's lithium battery industry.
His students, many of whom now hold key positions in academia, research institutions and leading companies, describe him as a visionary scientist with an unwavering commitment to nurturing talent.
Now in his 80s, Chen continues to spend long hours in the lab, reviewing data, discussing new ideas and offering feedback.
His former student Zeng Yuqun, founder of CATL, the world's largest battery manufacturer, credits Chen with inspiring him to pursue innovation and excellence in the field of energy storage.
"He didn't just teach us how to make batteries, he taught us how to think big and dream bigger," Zeng said.
Chen believes that true innovation comes from understanding every aspect of the research and production process.
"He often went to the lab with us and got his hands dirty alongside us," recalled Li Hong, one of Chen's students, who is now a researcher at the Institute of Physics at the CAS, and a leading scientist in the field of solid-state batteries in China.
Together with Chen, he was the first to propose and industrialize the in situ solidification technology route for solid-state batteries on a global scale.
"He taught us that to solve real-world problems, you need to be deeply involved in every step, from material synthesis to battery assembly," Li said.
"He always told us that our work wasn't just about science; it was about securing the future of our country," said Huang Xuejie, another prominent student who now leads research at the Institute of Physics.
His students, now leaders in their own right, carry forward his vision of an "Electric China", where clean energy and advanced battery technology power the nation's future.
As Chen himself puts it: "The work we do today will shape the world of tomorrow. And I have no doubt that the next generation will take it even further."
