- Altech Batteries (ATC) announces the suppliers to advance its CERENERGY battery joint venture with Fraunhofer IKTS in Saxony, Germany
- The companies include a variety of renowned German suppliers, providing everything from high-tech machinery to safe battery tubes
- Altech MD Iggy Tan says the level of “excellence” in its new suppliers is “truly remarkable”
- The CERENERGY Batteries are a potentially game-changing alternative to lithium-ion batteries, they are fire/explosion-proof, immune to extreme weather and have a 15-year life
- Shares up 3.45 per cent and trading at 9 cents at 10:53 am AEST
Altech Batteries (ATC) has selected the suppliers to advance its CERENERGY battery joint venture with Fraunhofer IKTS in Saxony, Germany.
German company Gustav Eirich GmbH was announced as the supplier of ceramic mixing systems for the site, while Frey Systeme GmbH will be the supplier of the isostatic machines, producing green ceramic tubes at a production rate of one tube every 45 seconds.
To sinter the ceramic tubes is world leading German ceramic kiln plant provider, Riedhammer GmbH, which will use renewable energy to employ a heating profile of approximately 35 hours and up to 1600 degrees Celsius.
Battery connections will be supplied by German connector plate supplier, Hofer Powertrain GmbH, while battery casing will be supplied by König Metall GmbH to ensure the exterior of the battery remains safe to handle.
Cell initialisation machines will be supplied by Dresden Elektronik GmbH, with one-megawatt-hour GridPack Iso-containers provided by Mein Lagerraum GmbH, while the battery management system will be supplied by IAV GmbH Ingenieurgesellschaft Auto und Verkehr to optimise performance and safety of the battery.
Helping to design the layout, architecture and permits of the project is German civil engineering company ARIKON Infrastruktur GmbH.
Global automatic and engineering company Ledec Automation and Engineering will also be continuing its work with the company supplying the plant’s electrics and control system as well as leading the definitive feasibility study.
Altech Managing Director Iggy Tan said the level of “excellence” in its new suppliers is “truly remarkable”.
“They possess extensive expertise in manufacturing plants that prioritise automation and robotics as essential components of the design,” he said.
“Our objective is to manufacture battery cells from the ground up, encompassing the production of ceramic solid-state tubes, full cell assembly, and conducting quality and battery performance checks at a rate of one every 45 seconds.”
Altech joined forces with German government research and development institute Fraunhofer IKTS in October last year to commercialise the CERENERGY Sodium Chloride Solid State (SCSS) battery, propelling global efforts to transition to a more renewable energy future.
The CERENERGY Batteries are a potentially game-changing alternative to lithium-ion batteries, given they’re fire and explosion-proof, they have a lifespan of more than 15 years, and they can withstand extreme cold and desert-hot environments.
The batteries run on common table salt which is lithium, cobalt, graphite, and copper-free, and won’t be subject to critical metal price rises and supply chain issues.
The venture is in the design stage of planning, with all of the plant’s designs set to use high automation and robotics to increase output.
By onboarding these new suppliers, Altech hopes to see the plant become a successful producer of “game-changing” batteries.
ATC shares are up 3.45 per cent and trading at 9 cents at 10:53 am AEST.