A A$45 million Australian public grant will help Sicona Battery Technologies assess commercial-scale delivery of silicon-carbon battery anode material at a BlueScope Steel industrial site at Port Kembla, New South Wales.
The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) funding, delivered under the Australian Government’s Battery Breakthrough Initiative, adds to more than $43 million of private backing for the 2019 start-up, including last year’s $17.5 million follow-on investment by India’s Himadri Speciality Chemical.
Sicona says its proposed new facility will scale production of its SiCx anode to 230 tonnes per annum for customer qualification and commercial sales. The SiCx technology improved lithium-ion battery performance by increasing energy density by more than 20% and enabling charging speeds 40% faster than conventional graphite.
A pilot plant in Wollongong has been used to supply SiCx to battery cell manufacturers such as Panasonic, LG Energy and Samsung, as well as groups such as Tesla.
“Battery-powered industries need higher performance at lower cost,” said Sicona CEO and founder, Christiaan Jordaan.
“Our silicon-carbon anode technology is designed to deliver faster charging, greater energy density and a scalable pathway into existing lithium-ion battery supply chains.
“The Wollongong facility will allow us to validate our process at commercial scale, deliver SiCx to customers, and accelerate our path to market.
“It also shows Australia can do more than export critical minerals. We can manufacture advanced materials, create skilled jobs and compete in the high-value battery supply chains that will power the global energy transition.”
The new facility could create up to 36 skilled manufacturing jobs and support workforce development, training and local industry partnerships.
At circa-US$100/kg for its battery anode output the 230tpa plant could generate US$23 million a year of revenue for Sicona.
