The Australian Renewable Energy Agency has awarded its first battery development and manufacturing grant to Brisbane-based AnteoTech to commercialise its unique component technology for lithium-ion batteries.
Announced on Tuesday, AnteoTech will spend the next three years commercialising its ultra-high silicon anode technology — a key battery cell component — which could reduce the cost of battery storage and extend the range of electric vehicles.
The $6 million grant was awarded after an “extensive diligence process and independent technical analysis by ARENA”, according to AnteoTech, jumping ahead of the upcoming $523 million Battery Breakthrough initiative, which will launch by early 2025.
Prior to the grant issued to AnteoTech, out of the advancing renewables program, ARENA’s support for battery technologies has been limited to supporting trials and the rollout of stationary battery storage systems.
AnteoTech’s ‘Silicon Anode Technology for Lithium-Ion Batteries’ project is due for completion in late 2027 and will move the technology to a larger scale of prototyping.
The project aims to commercialise a second generation prototype of its anode technology, suitable as an input to batteries used in small consumer electronic devices, electric vehicles and stationary storage.
Technical work is expected to begin in November, with the design and construction of a new small scale manufacturing line at AnteoTech’s Brisbane facility in early 2025.
This will include new electrode coating and pouch cell testing equipment, enabling prototypes to made available to potential customers.
The ASX-listed company has also received a $1.39 million grant from Queensland’s Critical Minerals and Battery Technology Fund to support the generation one prototype — made up of around 70 per cent silicon — and to hire more staff.
AnteoTech’s first generation anode had its first commercial order in mid-October from Mercedes Benz. The European car giant will test and evaluate AnteoTech’s anode technology alongside an existing test of the company’s Anteo X product.
AnteoTech chief executive and managing director David Radford said ARENA’s funding will “accelerate and further develop our product portfolio of high silicon containing anodes”.
“[ARENA’s] due diligence process was extensive and included an independent technical review, which confirmed the potential value of the approaches that we are taking,” Mr Radford said.
ARENA chief executive Darren Miller added that the technology could create batteries with higher energy density using cheap, abundant materials.
ARENA is expected to launch the $523 million Battery Breakthrough initiative, which will initially focus on manufacturing opportunities in battery active materials, cell manufacturing and pack assembly.
The production of cathode and anode active materials for integration with electric vehicle supply chains is a focus of the National Battery Strategy.
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