What was a curiosity at CES 2025 has become a real product. Flint, a Singapore-based startup developing fully cellulose-based batteries, is now in production and preparing to supply its renewable cells to major consumer electronics partners, including Logitech, Amazon and the accessory maker Nimble.
At CES 2026 the company did not show mere lab prototypes. The batteries powering the toy trains at its booth were production-grade AA and AAA cells made from plant-based materials instead of the metal-heavy chemistries that dominate the market. According to Flint, these alkaline-style replacements will reach consumers during 2026, with lifespan and voltage performance on par with conventional batteries.
The form factor stays the same; the innovation is in the materials. Instead of lithium, nickel or cobalt, every core component (anode, cathode, electrolyte and separator) is derived from plant cellulose. The chemical reaction relies on water-based electrolytes mixed with food-safe minerals such as zinc and manganese. The result is a non-toxic, biodegradable cell that avoids the pollution risks and disposal challenges of current batteries.
Production is already underway in Singapore, where Flint sources cellulose from local plant species. Founder Carlo Charles told CNET the company plans to adapt its process regionally, using the plants available in each place, including invasive species often considered ecological nuisances. In this way an environmental burden could become a renewable input.
Flint's thin, flexible paper batteries are also finding their way into slim accessories developed by Nimble, a sustainability-focused manufacturer, signaling that the chemistry can be applied across different product categories.
Despite their water-based design, the cells deliver stable performance under normal operating conditions while being safer to handle and easier to dispose of than lithium or traditional alkaline batteries. As electronics companies face growing pressure to clean up their supply chains and cut carbon footprints, Flint's approach offers a concrete route to decarbonize one of the least sustainable components in personal technology.
On a CES floor crowded with next-generation lithium cells and solid-state concepts, Flint's paper batteries stood out for a less flashy reason: they are ready to ship.
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