Li-S Energy uses $1.7m IGP grant to develop Australia’s first lithium foil production line
Battery technology company Li-S Energy (ASX: LIS) is set to develop Australia’s first lithium foil production line, backed by a $1.7 million grant under the federal government’s Industry Growth Program.
Based at a $10 million facility in suburban Victoria, the production line will manufacture high-quality lithium foils from lithium metal ingots.
These will be used in the anodes of lithium-sulphur (Li-S) and lithium-metal batteries.
High durability
The revolutionary technology aims to produce lightweight, highly-durable batteries suitable for the uncrewed aviation and defence industries.
Currently, imported lithium foil supplies are of limited quality and are not believed to be optimised for Li-S cells.
Li-S Energy plans to use the lithium foil for its own needs and will also market the product to domestic and international customers.
Revolutionary technology
Chief executive officer Dr Lee Finniear said the production line would help keep the nation at the forefront of lithium battery technology.
“With Australia mining 52% of the world’s lithium ore, this new sovereign manufacturing capability for lithium foil gives the nation an opportunity to position itself as a leading player in this growth market,” he said.
With global demand for lithium metal foil forecast to reach US$51 billion by 2032, Dr Finniear said the company would be well positioned to capitalise on this emerging market.
Li-S battery
Li-S Energy is developing a new Li-S battery using boron nitride nanotubes to increase energy density well beyond that of lithium-ion batteries while extending the battery’s cycle life.
The company recently installed and commissioned its 2-megawatt-hour Phase 3 battery cell manufacturing facility at Geelong, with an optimisation program now underway.
The facility – the largest of its kind in Australia, also boasting the largest dry-room – will provide Li-S Energy with a pathway to completing battery safety and performance testing to United Nations standards, delivering test data for cell performance data sheets and conducting bespoke cell performance testing to match partner-specific parameters.
Dr Finniear said the facility would also offer the opportunity to generate revenue through advanced cell-testing services for other industry partners.