The global silicon anode battery materials market is forecast to exceed US$15 billion by 2035. Due to the need for higher energy density and faster charging battery technologies, the battery electric car market will be the primary driver behind the adoption of silicon anode material.
Silicon can help improve both of these performance characteristics. Cell-level Li-ion energy densities above 1000 Wh/l and 400 Wh/kg and charging times as low as 10 minutes become possible with the next generation of silicon anode technologies. But despite their promise, by weight, production capacity for silicon anode material constitutes <2% of the Li-ion anode market.
This is because including silicon anode material can substantially affect cycle life and lifetime, meaning that when incorporated, it is only used as an additive.
The IDTechEx report “Silicon Anode Battery Technologies and Markets 2025-2035: Players, Technologies, Applications, Markets, Forecasts” provides an in-depth analysis and discussion of silicon anode technologies, the silicon anode market, key players and start-ups and provides forecasts on silicon anode adoption.
Significant investment into the development of silicon anodes has driven technological progress, allowing silicon adoption at higher weight percentages and in a higher volume of batteries. Numerous companies, from start-ups to established materials companies and industrials, are expanding their capabilities to meet the growing demand for silicon anode material. IDTechEx estimates that silicon anode material production capacity will expand 6.5x from 2024 to 2030.
China will lead production capacity for silicon anode materials, but the US and South Korea look set to follow relatively close behind. Numerous pure-play silicon anode companies in the US aim to produce commercial material at scale within the next few years.
Others are also looking to establish production in the US to access IRA credits. However, the ongoing commitment of a new administration to supporting a US-based battery and EV industry remains uncertain.
South Korea is also becoming a hub of activity with established players such as Daejoo Electronic Materials and POSCO expanding their silicon anode production capabilities, amongst other player activity.
For example, Group14 Technologies commissioned the first of their two ktpa factories in Korea in September 2024 in a joint venture with SK Inc, while UK-based Nexeon is also constructing ktpa scale production facilities in South Korea to access silane gas supplies and the Korean battery industry.
Difficulties remain with the widespread adoption of silicon anode material, ranging from technical challenges to supply chain difficulties to the price premium likely to be seen for silicon materials over the medium term.
Nevertheless, the strong long-term outlook for electric vehicles, improved silicon anode technologies, and growing production capacities highlight the strong growth potential for silicon anode materials and technologies.
IDTechEx’s new report, “Silicon Anode Battery Technologies and Markets 2025-2035”, analyses the various silicon anode technologies being developed and covers the start-ups and established companies actively developing silicon anode materials.
Forecasts for the silicon anode market are provided by silicon technology (silicon-additive, mid-silicon, high-silicon), application (battery electric cars, commercial EVs, and electronic devices), and region (China, US, Europe, global).