The thin-film and printed battery market will reach $5.6 billion by 2015, say analysts at NanoMarkets, an industry analyst firm in Glen Allen, Va. NanoMarkets has released a report entitled, “Thin Film and Printed Battery Markets,” that covers the emerging markets for thin film, organic, and printable electronics.

Thin-film and printed batteries, which have customizable shapes, flexible form factors, and ultra-low weight, are enabling new functionality for electronic products such as smartcards, radio frequency identification (RFID), and sensors, analysts say.

In terms of market potential, NanoMarkets report projects that the thin film and printed battery markets will be driven primarily by RFID, which by 2015 will generate $4.6 billion; smartcards, which will generate $346 million; and sensors, which will generate $434 million.

Many players in this space are smaller firms, yet such large firms as Dow Chemical, Intel, and NEC have invested in this market.

For technologies such as RFID, sensors, smartcards, and medical devices that are also high volume and cost sensitive, the ability for manufacturers to add cheap power sources is crucial. The NanoMarkets study predicts that printing will have a growing role in the next generation of smart batteries resulting in a growth in demand for zinc manganese-dioxide or carbon-zinc inks.

The study also predicts that there will be a growing number of alternatives for the dominant LiPON electrolytes, with improved conductivity and thermal properties. While thin-film batteries using conventional lithium-based materials will remain the dominant factor, non-lithium battery revenues will grow to $2.5 billion by 2015. For more information, visit NanoMarkets online at www.nanomarkets.net.