Altech Batteries has launched what it says is game-changing technology in the design of its new sodium chloride battery “GridPack”, which it expects to be up to 40 per cent cheaper to produce than lithium-ion batteries.
Designed for the renewable energy storage market, the battery uses sodium ions found in table salt and avoids using scarce and expensive metals such as lithium, cobalt, graphite and copper.
A major feature of the 1 megawatt per hour GridPack design is that there are no moving parts, allowing them to operate silently and making them more amenable for use in residential areas.
The battery packs also operate in extreme temperatures, have low maintenance requirements and boast a unique stackable quality, enabling them to be used as part of bigger installations. The batteries are non-flammable, pose no fire or explosion hazards and have a projected lifespan of more than 15 years with unlimited cycling.
The GridPack design uses Cerenergy battery technology, which Altech says is a game-changing grid power storage alternative to lithium-ion batteries. The company believes its GridPack stabilises the grid by providing a source of backup power during periods of high demand, or when renewable energy sources are not producing at capacity.
Altech, through its 75 per cent-owned company AIG, has developed its new technology in a joint venture with world-leading German battery institute, Fraunhofer IKTS. The JV plans to build a 100MWh manufacturing project at Altech’s site in the German State of Saxony as part of the deal.
Fraunhofer developed the Cerenergy sodium alumina solid-state battery and retains 25 per cent of the JV with a view to commercialising its technology. AIG, which is 75 per cent-owned by Altech Batteries and with the remainder held by Frankfurt-listed AAM, owns the JV’s remaining 75 per cent.
Altech and Fraunhofer created the GridPack in response to customer feedback by using pre-installed individual ABS60 60 kilowatt per hour batteries in a shipping container-style pack. It uses up to 20 separate 60KWh batteries connected to form a power management system.
Each GridPack has a rating of 600 volts DC and 100 Ah and can be arranged in a cluster or an array series to achieve the required rating of several thousand kilowatts for grid functioning. Altech says the pack’s “plug and play” functionality allows for easy installation at remote locations and the stackable feature minimises the battery footprint left behind when more than one of them are used.
Management says the GridPacks have been specifically engineered to adhere to the Ingress Protection 65 standard, providing a high level of electrical enclosure sealing and ensuring complete protection from both dust and inclement weather. It means the packs can be safely installed outdoors in any weather conditions.
Fraunhofer has previously estimated the cost of producing Cerenergy batteries to be about 40 per cent cheaper than lithium-ion batteries because they do not require lithium, graphite, copper or cobalt. Altech hopes to confirm the savings in its current definitive feasibility study.
The company says another bonus of the design is the elimination of exposure to critical metal price rises and supply chain concerns. And there is obviously a bit to like about more efficient utilisation of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar and cost-effective power storage and distribution.
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By Terry Bates
