Gelion battery production line to be launched

Two federal government ministers will descend on Fairfield in western Sydney today to launch Australia’s first production line to manufacture zinc-bromide batteries.

Minister for Industry and Science, Ed Husic and Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen will launch the factory which will manufacture Gelion batteries.

Battery Energy Power Solutions will manufacture the non-flow zinc-bromide batteries for the storage of renewable energy invented by Professor Thomas Maschmeyer, the 2020 recipient of the Prime Minister’s Prize for Innovation.

Spun-out of the University of Sydney by Professor Maschmeyer from the School of Chemistry, Gelion listed on the London AIM exchange last year.

Maschmeyer, founder and principal technology adviser of Gelion plc, said at the time: “It’s fantastic to see our fundamental research transition from the lab, to spin-out and now to a global company listing in London in just six years.”

Gelion initially plans a stationary energy battery to be used in agriculture, mining and for remote communities, delivering reliable renewable energy for off-grid systems.

Later Gelion aims to scale the battery technology up for use in solar and wind farms and for grid stabilisation.

Picture: University of Sydney/Professor Thomas Maschmeyer