ARENA boosts homegrown battery tech

Australian technology company AnteoTech Ltd will receive almost $4 million in funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) to commercialise its new lithium-ion battery anode technology.

Spanning three years, the $11.1 million Silicon Anode Technology for Lithium-Ion Batteries project is focused on commercialising AnteoTech’s proprietary silicon anode technology. Through doing this, the project also seeks to reduce battery storage costs and enable longer driving ranges for EVs.

ARENA CEO Darren Miller said the project represents an investment in homegrown battery technology with the potential to change energy storage on a global scale.

“As we push towards our net zero ambitions, we need to ensure we have enough energy storage so that we can use renewable energy when we need it at any time of the day, whether that be for industry, homes or the growing switch to electric vehicles,” he said.

“Innovation in storage technologies is going to help us achieve this, and AnteoTech’s technology could create batteries higher in density, while utilising cheap abundant materials that could bring costs down.”

Miller said ARENA is hopeful the technology could be quickly integrated into existing manufacturing processes so that the benefits can be accessed by customers in a timely manner.

The majority of lithium-ion batteries produced today use graphite anodes. While silicon anodes have a much higher energy density, challenges with cell degradation have limited commercialisation of the technology. AnteoTech’s proprietary binder technology, Anteo X, is reportedly able to reduce degradation rates associated with silicon anodes by maintaining the structural stability within the anode during cycling.

ARENA funding will help AnteoTech progress to a larger scale of prototyping, which will enable further testing of the technology by AnteoTech and its prospective customers.

Throughout the duration of the project, AnteoTech will install new electrode coating equipment and pouch cell testing equipment at its existing site in Brisbane. The company will then commence a program of rigorous testing, including providing prototype anodes to potential customers.

AnteoTech CEO David Radford said the grant funding would help to accelerate and develop the company’s product portfolio.

“We are incredibly grateful for the support provided by ARENA, who has an extensive track record of funding successful technologies,” he said.

“We are excited by the opportunities that are ahead of us and look forward to contributing to Australia’s growing battery landscape by delivering battery solutions that will support our net zero energy transition.”

AnteoTech expects technical work on the program to commence this month, with design and construction of the Brisbane site happening in early 2025. The entire ARENA project is due for completion in late 2027.

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