OBEC — Powering Canada’s Battery Future
The Ontario Battery and Electrochemistry Research Centre (OBEC) is Canada’s premier hub for battery innovation—advancing research, accelerating industry collaboration, and enabling the next generation of energy storage technologies.
The lab offers full-service coin to pouch cell fabrication, testing, and analysis for a wide range of case studies.
Ontario Battery and Electrochemistry Research Centre (OBEC)
Founded by Professor Linda Nazar, Canada Research Chair in Solid State Energy Materials, and Professor Michael Pope of the University of Waterloo’s Department of Chemical Engineering, the Ontario Battery and Electrochemistry Research Centre (OBEC) is a purpose-built, state-of-the-art facility dedicated to advancing battery science and technology.
OBEC’s vision is to serve as a national catalyst for battery innovation—empowering Canadian research, accelerating industrial breakthroughs, and nurturing the next generation of talent.
With comprehensive capabilities spanning battery material synthesis, cell fabrication, electrochemical and safety performance testing, and advanced characterization—all housed under one roof—OBEC provides a fully integrated ecosystem for discovery and development. The Centre is designed to support academic researchers, startups, and established industry partners alike, fostering collaboration and driving innovation across Canada’s energy storage landscape.
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OBEC: Accelerating Battery Innovation for Canada’s Clean Future
The global energy transition runs on batteries. From powering EVs to storing renewable energy, batteries offer a clean and scalable solution to reduce emissions. And in Canada, battery innovation begins in Waterloo.
Battery innovation is not new to Canada. We produced the world’s first commercial rechargeable lithium battery in the 1980s. And today, our researchers across Canada are pushing the boundaries of what’s next: from solid-state batteries to beyond-lithium chemistries.
Ontario Battery & Electrochemistry Research Centre (OBEC) at the University of Waterloo, is a one-of-its-kind battery research hub bridging the gap between academic discovery and real-world impact. Co-led by University of Waterloo’s Dr. Linda Nazar, Canada Research Chair in Solid State Energy Materials and Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Dr. Michael Pope, Associate Professor Department of Chemical Engineering, the lab is doing groundbreaking research to develop cleaner and more sustainable energy technologies.
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