The Australian company Altech Batteries has achieved significant success in testing a prototype 60 kilowatt (kW) sodium chloride-based solid-state battery at a laboratory in Dresden, Germany. The innovation, called Cerenergy ABS60, was developed in collaboration with its project partner, Fraunhofer IKTS, and represents a breakthrough in sustainable battery technology that does not use lithium, copper, cobalt, graphite or manganese.
Revolutionary lithium-free technology
One of the most important aspects of the Cerenergy ABS60 battery is that it uses common table salt technology, without the need for expensive and hard-to-source elements such as lithium or copper. Altech points out that the battery has a lifespan of up to 15 years, twice that of lithium-ion batteries, and can operate over a wide temperature range, providing a viable alternative for many industrial applications. Altech CEO Iggy Tan emphasized the importance of this prototype: “The Cerenergy prototype can now be tested under real-world conditions, providing essential data for future purchasing partners. This information will be extremely valuable to us as we move towards building our first 120 MWh capacity plant.”
Promising results from performance tests
Initial tests were conducted at an operating temperature of 300°C and the results were impressive. Altech tested 497 individual battery cells, which after 500 cycles maintained a constant discharge capacity of 80 Ah and an efficiency of up to 91%. Moreover, no degradation in discharge capacity or stored energy was observed during these cycles. The batteries have also successfully passed discharge, overcharge and abuse tests without failure. The ABS60 battery uses 250 Cerenergy ceramic cells, each rated at 2.58 volts. These cells are packed in modules of 12 and then stacked five high, providing a modular and efficient energy storage system.
Prospects for the future of sodium-based batteries
Sodium-based batteries are a viable alternative to lithium-based batteries due to the lower cost and greater accessibility of sodium as a mineral. In addition, these batteries have the ability to hold a charge for a longer period of time compared to lithium-ion. However, emerging technologies, including sodium-based batteries, also have their challenges. One of the main problems remains the lower energy density of sodium-based batteries, which means they require more space and material to store the same amount of energy. Another important issue is the transition to solid-state batteries, which could offer lighter solutions with faster recharge times and increased safety compared to liquid electrolytes. Although the promise of these solid-state batteries is great, large-scale commercial deployment of this technology has not yet been realized. Research continues, however, and an anode-free, sodium-based solid-state battery announced last year by US researchers has attracted industry attention because of its promise to be safer and cheaper than current technologies.
A green future for Altech and the battery industry
Altech Batteries is already in the process of negotiating a 30 MWh contract with Schwarze Pumpe Industrial Park with a preliminary delivery commitment. Data from the current tests will be crucial for the commercial future of Cerenergy Batteries and for strengthening Altech’s position as a leading developer of sustainable energy storage solutions. With a 120 MWh plant in the pipeline and promising results in initial tests, Altech is poised to transform the battery market by offering a cheaper and sustainable alternative to lithium-ion batteries.
