Australia, UK battery researchers join forces

Australian businesses could access world-leading battery manufacturing scale-up facilities following an agreement between Powering Australia and the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC).

UKBIC is a $250 million battery manufacturing scale-up facility based in Coventry, UK, while Powering Australia is the team behind the Future Battery Industries Cooperative Research Centre.

Powering Australia was allocated $20.3 million over five years to enhance industry and research collaboration in the latest federal budget as part of a Future Made in Australia.

Australian CRCs do not usually have their own research facilities but fund research at partner universities and companies, while UK equivalents are funded to develop their own facilities which can be offered to industry.

UKBIC was established by the UK Government through the Faraday Battery Challenge to help companies bridge the gap between battery technology showing promise at laboratory scale and move them towards successful mass production.

Powering Australia CEO Shannon O’Rourke said reaching the agreement with UKBIC was a milestone in helping to accelerate the development of Australia’s battery industry in partnership with other nations.

O’Rourke said: “We are delighted to have reached this agreement with the UKBIC team, less than six months into our formation as Powering Australia which is very much aligned to the Statement of Intent.

“Our organisation was established to help Australian businesses succeed in clean-tech manufacturing and being able to access world scale common user facilities like the UKBIC is major win.”

UKBIC’s facility covers 20,000 sqm and has extensive equipment covering battery production from mixing and coating, to calendering, slitting cylindrical and pouch cell assembly, and formation, ageing, testing, as well as module and pack assembly, according to a statement. 

UKBIC Managing Director Sean Gilgunn said: “This is a great first step between the two organisations to encourage cooperation between the UK and Australia in battery technology.”

Picture: Li-S Energy/Li-S Energy is developing solid-state lithium sulfur battery cells