Using technology from Cadenza Innovation, Australian firm Energy Renaissance is building the country's first utility-scale lithium-ion battery manufacturing facility to sell storage products optimised for hot climates.
Energy Renaissance yesterday inked a licensing agreement with Cadenza Innovation which will lead to the creation of one of the Southern Hemisphere's first Li-ion battery manufacturing facilities in Australia.
The agreement pairs Cadenza Innovation's patented technology, design and global battery industry expertise with Energy Renaissance's advanced manufacturing and sales capability, along with its long-term commitment to employ Australian resources.
Complementing other battery manufacturing facilities in operation or planned for Australia, Energy Renaissance's 1.3 GWh Renaissance One will be the only facility dedicated to providing commercial-scale, high value, reliable and safe energy storage systems specifically designed for hot and humid climates.
Given such conditions, the batteries used in those systems have different and demanding requirements that far exceed the capabilities of typical Li-ion batteries.
The terms of the agreement have not been disclosed.
Initially targeting the utility/grid, electric vehicle (EV) and industrial markets, Cadenza Innovation's patented supercell serves as the cornerstone of its novel architecture.
Providing unparalleled simplification in battery pack design, it substantially reduces production and manufacturing costs, overcomes safety issues and improves energy density.
Australia added more stored power capacity - 246 megawatts - than any other nation in 2017, according to Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables.
Reflecting these dynamics, figures from the Clean Energy Council show that Australia's renewable energy and storage project pipeline surpassed $20 billion worth of investments last year, with 14.6 GW of projects under construction around the country set to deliver 12,000 direct jobs.
Moreover, Bloomberg New Energy Finance predicts that the global storage market will double six times by 2030, with $103 billion in energy storage investments during that period.
Energy Renaissance chair Su McCluskey, said Australia is gaining global attention as a nation with all the resources needed to capitalize on the unprecedented demand for batteries, energy storage systems and renewables.
"With rapidly expanding end markets ranging from utilities, transportation and industrials to stand-alone solutions for remote areas, the time is now for our country and our company to step up to this massive, immediate opportunity,” McCluskey said.
Cadenza Innovation was founded in 2012 and is led by its founder and CEO, Dr. Christina Lampe-Onnerud. co-chair of the World Economic Forum's Global Future Council on Energy.
She said the world is deploying clean technologies at unprecedented rates for compelling environmental reasons and because doing so is quickly becoming cheaper than the last-generation energy paradigm.
"Today, there is an insatiable need for reliable batteries to facilitate renewable energy from solar, wind and hydro as well as for enabling better efficiency for traditional energy sources,” Lampe-Omnerud said.
“Energy Renaissance is moving aggressively to address those requirements in a country that is proving itself a global leader in this transition. We're excited to play a key role in those efforts."
Energy Renaissance was founded in 2015 and its utility-scale lithium-ion battery manufacturing plant will include a specialised R&D facility focused on growing and promoting Australian talent.
Visit www.renaissanceone.com.au.