Gelion, the Anglo-Australian battery innovator, has been awarded a grant of approximately £2.5 million (A$4.8 million) by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA). This matched funding will support the implementation of its Advanced Commercial Prototyping Centre (ACPC) Project in Sydney. The project aims to produce and optimize next-generation GEN 3 Lithium Sulfur (Li-S) and Silicon Sulfur (Si-S) battery technologies, providing them for testing and validation by prospective global partners and customers. The initiative will commence once Gelion secures the necessary co-funding.
Gelion has achieved a significant milestone with a 12 Ah Li-S pouch cell attaining a gravimetric energy density of 402 Wh/kg—over 60% higher than traditional lithium-ion batteries. This advancement positions Gelion’s lightweight sulfur battery technologies as ideal for high-growth applications such as electric aviation, electric vehicles, and specific stationary energy storage solutions like remote power supplies.
ARENA’s funding enables Gelion to accelerate its path toward scaled production and revenue generation. The ACPC Project is set to deliver:
- Production of approximately 2,000 Li-S and Si-S cells per year for validation with potential commercial offtake partners, moving towards revenue generation.
- Development of key global supply chain partnerships to support commercial scale-up.
- Third-party certification of Gelion’s sulfur battery safety.
- Advanced manufacturing methods to enhance efficiencies in scaling up production, including Gelion’s unique in-situ assembly approach to sustainable electrode production, which offers a significant advantage in reducing production costs and carbon footprint.
Throughout the project, Gelion aims to validate its products with partners and scale up production to meet offtake demand. The company plans to collaborate closely with ARENA on potential future grant funding opportunities for commercial scale-up.
ARENA CEO Darren Miller commented: “The project will drive the next generation of battery technology, delivering more efficient, less expensive, and more sustainable energy storage solutions. Energy storage is a critical component in the clean energy transition, and this project, which aims to demonstrate the potential of alternative battery chemistries, could be a game changer. The clean energy transition is dependent on batteries for energy storage and transport. It is therefore critical that we explore and commercialize innovations that make batteries perform better through improved energy density and at a reduced cost.”
The ACPC Project aligns with ARENA’s strategic priority to enhance the economics of energy storage through novel battery chemistries. It also supports the Battery Breakthrough Initiative announced in the Australian Government’s 2024-25 Budget, promoting the development of battery manufacturing capabilities.
Source: Gelion
