Voltavate has secured a $3.55 million grant from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) to advance its novel battery separator manufacturing method and move from lab-scale research into pilot-scale production. Funded through ARENA’s Advancing Renewables Program, the project aims to establish a pilot facility that integrates Voltavate’s separator technology directly into battery cells for independent performance and safety assessments under real-world conditions.
As global demand for batteries continues to grow, producers must scale up while preserving cost efficiency, performance, and supply chain robustness. Current separator supply chains are highly centralized, creating supply risks and limiting design flexibility. Voltavate’s solution addresses these challenges by offering a “drop-in” manufacturing platform that aligns with existing battery production lines. This approach allows cell makers to produce separators in-house, tailoring material properties to their cell designs and reducing reliance on external suppliers.
The company’s separator technology is engineered to enhance key battery metrics, including energy density and cycle life, while its scalable platform is designed to minimize production waste and streamline manufacturing processes. By enabling producers to control separator specifications directly, the platform supports faster innovation cycles and greater supply chain resilience.
“This project marks a critical step in moving from lab-scale development into real manufacturing environments,” said Amir Hooshang Taheri, CEO and co-founder of Voltavate. “We’re focused on improving how batteries are made—reducing production waste, enabling scalable manufacturing, and giving manufacturers more control over a key component.”
Darren Miller, CEO of ARENA, added, “This initiative showcases Australia’s potential in the global battery value chain by fostering advanced manufacturing capabilities for clean energy technologies. ARENA’s support accelerates the transition from innovation to deployment, enhancing local expertise and contributing to more resilient battery production worldwide.”
Through this partnership, Voltavate plans to scale up production, integrate its separators into prototype cells, and provide validated samples for customer evaluation—paving the way toward commercial rollout. The project positions Voltavate as a key enabler of next-generation battery manufacturing, helping industry partners boost performance, cut waste, and scale more effectively.
Source: PR Newswire
