Altech Batteries Ltd (ASX:ATC) has announced a significant advancement in its Silumina Anodes™ Project. The company achieved a remarkable 88.5% capacity retention after 500 charge-discharge cycles for its proprietary alumina-coated spherical silicon anode material. This performance is the strongest recorded to date and was validated through repeated tests which confirmed greater than 88.0% retention over the same interval, underscoring the consistency and reliability of Altech’s innovative process.
Silicon’s adoption in the battery industry is gaining momentum due to its ability to store nearly ten times more lithium ions per gram than graphite. This characteristic offers the potential for significantly higher energy densities. However, this benefit has historically been offset by challenges. When silicon absorbs lithium during the charging process, it can expand by as much as 300%, leading to mechanical stress, particle fracture, and rapid capacity loss. Altech’s Managing Director commented on the breakthrough, stating, “Achieving 88.5% retention at 500 cycles with a 5% silicon addition confirms the stability of our Silumina Anodes™ process. Our team in Saxony continues to deliver highly consistent results, validating the technology and scaling methods.”
Funding and Future Projects
In a related development, Altech Batteries has successfully completed a capital raising effort of $6 million. This funding involved the issue of 133,333,334 fully paid ordinary shares at an issue price of $0.045 per share. Participants in the placement also received free attaching listed options—one option for every two shares issued—with an exercise price of $0.065 and an expiry date of October 31, 2028. The issuance of shares and options complied with the Company’s available capacity under Listing Rules 7.1. The placement was jointly managed by Evolution Capital and Alpine Capital, with costs associated with the placement totaling a combined 6% fee on all funds raised plus 60,000,000 options.
The funds raised will provide Altech with financial flexibility as it pursues several key milestones. These include sourcing project finance for the 120 MWh CERENERGY® production facility in Germany, which aims to support a large-scale commercial rollout. Additional plans involve the completion of a larger 90 kWh battery prototype for the CERENERGY® project and a preliminary assessment for establishing a 4 GWh gigafactory dedicated to large-scale production.
About Altech Batteries Ltd
Altech Batteries Limited (ASX:ATC) is a specialty battery technology company that has entered into a joint venture with the renowned German battery institute, Fraunhofer IKTS. Together, they aim to commercialise the revolutionary CERENERGY® Sodium Alumina Solid State (SAS) Battery, which is positioned as a groundbreaking alternative to traditional lithium-ion batteries. CERENERGY® batteries are designed to be fire and explosion-proof, boasting a lifespan exceeding 15 years and the ability to operate in extreme climates.
The technology leverages table salt and eliminates the need for lithium, cobalt, graphite, and copper, thereby reducing exposure to fluctuations in critical metal prices and supply chain issues. The joint venture plans to construct a 100 MWh production facility on Altech’s land in Saxony, Germany, which is expected to manufacture CERENERGY® battery modules aimed at providing effective grid storage solutions.
For further details, the full Quarterly Report can be accessed at the official website.
