Altech Batteries Ltd (ASX:ATC) is dotting the I’s and crossing the T’s on two 60-kilowatt-hour battery pack prototypes ahead of a comprehensive testing phase.
The dual-listed battery tech company is hard at work developing its final market prototype at the world-leading Fraunhofer IKTS facility in Hermsdorf, Germany, in preparation for extensive cycling simulations.
Altech first launched the 60-kilowatt-hour battery pack design in November 2022, and managing director Iggy Tan said he was pleased with how far the final designs had advanced in such a short space of time. a
"We have built a dynamic and fast-moving project team incorporating personnel from Altech, Fraunhofer and various leading German engineering companies and industrial contractors," he explained.
“I am very pleased with the progress.”
Not your traditional lithium-ion battery
Altech’s CERENERGY battery pack boasts a rated operating voltage of 600 volts at 100 amp, making it a prime candidate for the renewable energy and grid storage markets.
They also present a viable alternative to the traditional lithium-ion battery model, instead using table salt to mitigate the need for supply-constrained critical minerals.
In addition, CERENERGY batteries are fire and explosion-proof, have a life span of more than 15 years and operate in extreme cold and desert climates.
Buoyed by the solid-state battery’s commercial viability, Altech has teamed up with Fraunhofer to explore its development options.
As an extension of that vision, the joint venture has laid plans to construct a 100-megawatt-hour production facility on Altech’s land in Saxony, Germany, catering to customers in the grid storage market.
Put it to the test
Following its November design launch, the joint venture carried out extensive cycling simulations to evaluate the temperature profile of the CERENERGY battery’s internal components.
The typical charging process will see a traditional battery absorb heat energy, whereas the discharge process prompts a heat energy release.
Importantly, simulations indicate the CERENERGY battery can undergo charge and discharge cycling while maintaining stable internal temperatures without overheating.
This remains true even in extreme conditions, such as a desert environment, where the ambient temperature was recorded at 60° celsius.
Based on the simulation findings, the specifications for the 60-kilowatt-hour battery packs have been finalised, and materials have been ordered to make two prototypes.
Altech and Fraunhofer will now manufacture 480 ceramic solid-state cells and auxiliary equipment to build the battery models.
Bring out the big guns
Back in late March, Altech launched the design for its 1-megawatt-hour GridPack battery system.
This pre-installed solution is equipped with up to 18 60-kilowatt-hour battery packs connected to a power management system, facilitating a ‘plug and play’ solution that can be easily installed in remote locations.
With engineering to protect the batteries from the great outdoors, the GridPacks can survive and thrive as a standalone component in any weather condition.
These heavy-duty battery packs will be housed using a sea container design, making them easy to transport, store and scale.
Finally, the battery’s durability in extreme temperatures eliminates the need for cooling fans (a regular feature in lithium-ion battery megapacks), making it maintenance and noise-free.
With these features front of mind, Altech believes it can create a competitive and commercially viable solution for the energy storage market.