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The global renewable-energy storage company, , spun-out of the University of Sydney, has joined forces with Battery Energy Power Solutions to make and distribute the Gelion Endure zinc-bromide battery for the Australian market.

The batteries, invented by Professor Thomas Maschmeyer, will be produced at Fairfield factory in Western Sydney.

鈥淭here is a revolution coming in energy production and distribution worldwide,鈥� said Professor Maschmeyer, the incumbent holder of the Australian Prime Minister鈥檚 Prize for Innovation.

鈥淎cross the globe governments and companies are setting ambitious net-zero-carbon emission targets. To achieve these goals, renewable energy will need to be stored everywhere 鈥� and that means batteries.鈥�

Professor Maschmeyer聽from Sydney Nano and the School of Chemistry reimagined zinc-bromide chemistry to produce a revolutionary new battery, replacing a flowing electrolyte with a stable gel.

鈥淕elion batteries are safe, robust and recyclable,鈥� Professor Maschmeyer said. 鈥淔or stationary energy storage, zinc-bromide batteries do away with the need for expensive cooling and maintenance systems. And they can鈥檛 catch fire.鈥�

The battery operates at temperatures up to 50 degrees and can be completely discharged of energy with no loss of function.

鈥淲e recently tested the battery by heating it on a barbeque plate at about 700 degrees for half an hour,鈥� Professor Maschmeyer said. 鈥淣ot only did the battery not catch fire, it continued to operate, keeping a light on through the whole test.鈥�

Gelion鈥檚 partnership with Battery Energy represents the next stage of commercialisation for Gelion and Battery Energy, demonstrating their commitment to supplying competitive Australian-designed and manufactured energy storage products to the local market.聽

The Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Sydney, Professor Mark Scott, said: 鈥淲e are enormously proud of our association with Gelion as it takes Professor Thomas Maschmeyer鈥檚 innovative application of foundational science to commercialisation.

鈥淚t鈥檚 fantastic that as a first step this will mean high-tech jobs in Western Sydney, matching our ambitions for sustainable economic development. It鈥檚 a brilliant outcome for Thomas and his colleagues.鈥�

Producing Gelion鈥檚 batteries domestically will provide local jobs in a green, innovative industry and shorten supply chains for the Australian market. The batteries will be deployed in production trials in 2022 ahead of anticipated commercial availability.

• Gelion鈥檚 breakthrough non-flow zinc-bromide battery is an affordable, safe, recyclable alternative to lithium-ion, making it a reliable energy source for a range of applications.
• Gelion鈥檚 Endure energy storage platform is suitable for irrigation, water purification and desalination systems, remote communities, mining facilities and agriculture.
• Gelion鈥檚 stationary energy storage solutions have been optimised for a wide temperature range making them ideal for Australia鈥檚 tough conditions.
• Endure batteries can be completely discharged and recharged with no loss of function. The battery鈥檚 electrolytic gel is a fire retardant, making the batteries safe and robust.

Gelion CEO Andrew Grimes welcomed the opportunity to manufacture the Gelion Endure battery locally for the Australian market.聽

He said: 鈥淲e are excited to work with Battery Energy. Its 30 years鈥� experience delivering customer-focused power solutions in tough environments will be invaluable helping us deploy our technology in our own backyard.

鈥淕elion鈥檚 vision is to play a leading role in the transition to clean energy across the globe. The partnership is both an environmental and business breakthrough 鈥� and a win for local manufacturing."

鈥淚n the coming months, we will be focused on demonstrating our next-generation battery systems in-field in Australia, commencing later this year.鈥�

Declaration

The University of Sydney is an investor in Gelion Technologies.