ARENA awards $4 million grant to AnteoTech to progress silicon anodes

ASX-listed surface coating technology company AnteoTech has been awarded a grant of $3.99 million through the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA), supporting a three-year, $11.1 million project to commercialise a proprietary silicon anode technology.

The project for lithium ion battery anodes is supported through the agency’s Advancing Renewables program, and concerns anodes containing AnteoTech’s AnteoX binder.

AnteoTech says the binder is able to address the challenge of degradation rates in silicon anodes, which have a higher energy density than the more technologically mature graphite anodes that are commonly used. 

According to a statement from ARENA on Tuesday, the funding will help upscale its prototyping, “enabl[ing] further testing of the technology by AnteoTech and its prospective customers.”

AnteoTech will install new electrode coating equipment and pouch cell testing equipment at Brisbane site, then commence testing, including providing prototype anodes to potential customers.

“This is our second grant this year and represents the execution of our strategy to pursue non-dilutive  funding and supplement our internal resources, to fast track new AnteoTech products,” said CEO and Managing Director David Radford in a statement to the ASX.  

“A grant of this magnitude is an acknowledgement of the applicability of our technology and AnteoTech’s position  as a key participant in ongoing decarbonisation efforts. We are incredibly grateful [for the] support provided by ARENA who have an extensive track record of funding successful technologies.”

Technical work on the program at AnteoTech’s Brisbane site is scheduled to begin next month, followed by design and construction in early-2025, and completion in late-2027.

In May this year AnteoTech shared that an unnamed global electric vehicle manufacturer would begin incorporating AnteoX in prototype battery anodes. 

AnteoTech listed on the ASX in 2000 and is currently focussed on use of metal-ion-based IP for lithium batteries and diagnostic equipment.

Picture: credit AnteoTech

Further reading

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First commercial order for Ultranode battery anode

AnteoTech rapid test sensitive to Covid-19