ARENA has announced a $4.8 million funding commitment to Gelion Technologies to support the development of its battery technology at its Sydney-based Advanced Commercial Prototyping Centre.
The $9.6 million project will involve extensive testing with prospective customers, providing key insights to inform decisions about a future pilot manufacturing plant.
The project will begin once Gelion secures additional co-funding, the agency said in a news release.
ARENA Acting CEO Chris Faris emphasised the significance of the project in advancing next-generation battery technologies that offer greater efficiency, lower costs, and enhanced sustainability in energy storage.
“Energy storage is a critical component in the clean energy transition, and this project which aims to demonstrate the potential of alternative battery chemistries, could be a game changer,” said Faris.
The project will focus on developing two battery chemistries: lithium-sulphur (Li-S) and silicon-sulphur (Si-S).
These chemistries provide high energy density, making them suitable for applications like electric vehicles and aviation, where extended ranges are essential.
The increased energy density allows the batteries to store more energy per unit of weight, potentially influencing the transportation sector.
ARENA’s funding is also set to accelerate the commercialisation of Gelion’s sulphur batteries and bolster Australia’s advanced battery cell development and manufacturing capabilities.
Gelion aims to validate its technology and demonstrate that it has overcome key challenges in battery performance. If successful, the company plans to scale up the manufacturing of its sulphur batteries.
Gelion CEO John Wood expressed gratitude for the support, saying, “We are really grateful to ARENA for their support of this important project. Australia has developed a small but strong community of battery innovators attaining global recognition.”
“Gelion is part of this community, and this project is key to our own growth and will also continue to develop battery technology development and commercialisation capabilities in Australia.”
As global demand for batteries is projected to surge from 194 GWh in 2020 to 2,045 GWh by 2030, the shift towards electric vehicles is expected to drive 87 per cent of this demand.
This project aligns with ARENA’s strategic goal to improve energy storage economics through novel battery chemistries and supports the objectives of the upcoming Battery Breakthrough Initiative, slated for launch in late 2024 or early 2025.
For more information, contact media@arena.gov.au.
