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Sila Begins Ramp-Up Of Moses Lake Anode FactoryUnited States-based battery developer Sila has begun commissioning of its manufacturing facility in Moses Lake in the state of Washington. According to the company, this phase includes mechanical completion, system integration, equipment functional testing as well as safety and regulatory inspections. Sila claims the full start of material production is still planned for the second half of 2025.
The facility will be used to produce the companyʼs so-called Titan Silicon anode material on an industrial scale. In the final expansion stage, an annual production capacity of 150 gigawatt-hours is intended. The silicon anode material was launched in 2021 and is being promoted as a possible alternative to conventional graphite in lithium-ion batteries. Sila claims a possible increase in performance compared to todayʼs cells, as well as faster charging times and lower costs per kilowatt-hour in future versions.
The company regards the new production facility as helping to reduce the United Statesʼ dependence on foreign supply chains for battery materials. Sila has already partnered with companies such as Mercedes-Benz and Panasonic, which plan to use Titanium Silicon in their products.
Source:https://www.silanano.com/press/press-releases/sila-begins-the-commissioning-of-its-moses-lake-plant-a-major-milestone-on-the-path-to-becoming-fully-operational-in-2025factory
Apr 17, 2025
Battery News
Vianode To Receive 37-Million-Dollar Loan From Innovation NorwayVianode has received a loan commitment of equivalent to approximately 37.6 million US dollars from the state funding agency Innovation Norway. The funds will be used to expand research and development activities as well as production infrastructure in Norway, including the Via ONE plant in the Herøya industrial area, the technology center in Kristiansand, and the headquarters in Oslo. The loan is part of the Green Industrial Financing program and is granted at market conditions without being considered state aid under ESA rules.
Vianode, which specializes in the production of synthetic anode graphite, claims it will use the funds to create the basis for international expansion and the establishment of regional supply chains for battery production. The companyʼs goal is to supply materials for three million electric vehicles per year by 2030. Synthetic graphite is produced using high-temperature processes and differs from the extraction of natural graphite. Compared to conventional processes, Vianodeʼs procedure is said to generate only about one tenth of the usual carbon emissions. The company claims to be aiming for a further reduction by 2030.
Source:https://www.vianode.com/news/vianode-granted-innovation-norway-loan-to-strengthen-r-d-and-global-growth-platformfactory
Apr 16, 2025
Battery News
Theion Raises 16.4 Million Dollars For Its Sulfur Battery TechnologyGerman battery start-up company Theion has raised 16.4 million US dollars in a funding round to further develop its innovative sulfur battery technology. The Series A funding was led by technology holding company Team Global, the Geschwister Oetker Beteiligungen group, and German renewable energy company Enpal. Theion claims that its batteries offer three times the energy density of conventional lithium-ion batteries while costing only a third as much and causing only a third of the usual carbon emissions.
According to the company, Theion’s battery cells could be used in electric vehicles, flying taxis, and energy storage solutions. Theoretically, the cells could be deployed in electric vehicles before 2030. Thus far, the company has successfully developed small coin cells. The new funding will be used to develop larger pouch cells necessary for electric vehicles and aircraft.
Theion is among a growing number of start-up companies in the United States and Europe working on breakthroughs in sulfur battery technology. One of the biggest challenges has historically been sulfur’s tendency to corrode quickly, as well as its so-called breathing effect where the battery expands and damages the battery pack. However, Theion claims to have solved these issues by using crystalline sulfur to prevent corrosion and pre-expanding the battery’s cathode.
Source:https://www.reuters.com/technology/german-sulfur-battery-startup-theion-raises-164-mln-scale-up-2025-03-20/factory
Mar 20, 2025
Battery News
Ptl Cancels Anode Factory In SwedenChinese company Shanghai Putailai (PTL) will not proceed with its plans to build an anode factory in Timrå, Sweden. The project involved an investment of just under 1.3 billion US dollars and was planned to reach an annual capacity of 100,000 tons of anode material. According to the company, this would have been enough for a battery capacity of approximately 100 gigawatt-hours per year. The plant was first announced in May 2023.
When PTL entered into the original agreement, Swedenʼs foreign direct investment review law was not yet in effect. PTL claims that the subsequent review by the Swedish Strategic Products Board (ISP) led to significant delays which changed the economic environment to such an extent that the planned investment was no longer feasible. As a result, PTL and Torsboda Industrial Park have terminated the land transfer agreement.
According to a joint statement, there are no further obligations between PTL and Torsboda. At the same time, PTL will support Torsboda Industrial Park as a technology partner in examining alternatives. This could involve the continuation of the project as a whole or in parts with another company. Whether PTL will realize the project at another location is not yet known.
Source:https://www.ptlsverige.se/post/ptl-avslutar-markavtal-f%C3%B6r-anodfabrikfactory
Mar 11, 2025
Battery News
Calb To Build Two-Billion-Euro Gigafactory In PortugalChinese battery manufacturer CALB has confirmed its plans to build a production facility for lithium-ion batteries in Portugal. The factory with an annual capacity of 15 gigawatt-hours is intended to start production in 2028. According CALB, the investment amounts to two billion euros. The factory was first announced back in 2022, when production was expected to start in 2025.
CALB is planning five buildings for electrode production, cell production, assembly, and packaging. The production capacity is intended for electric vehicles, which are primarily destined for the European market. The factory is to be built in Sines, around 100 kilometers south of Lisbon. The port of Sines is considered a logistics hub with a deep-water port that operates around the clock. According to CALB, the factory will create 1,800 direct jobs.
Quelle:https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/chinas-calb-invest-209-billion-ev-battery-factory-portugal-2025-02-21/factory
Feb 25, 2025
Battery News
“Thermal Propagation Tests Are Becoming Increasingly Important”If something goes wrong, it better happens during testing than during real operation. This applies even more to potentially dangerous “candidates” such as electric vehicle batteries. To make them a safe part of daily mobility, they are subjected to numerous different tests. “Despite major advances in the field of simulative validation, real-world testing remains indispensable,” says Dr. Ansgar vom Hemdt, Managing Director of TÜV Rheinland Automotive Component Testing GmbH, in an exclusive interview with Battery-News.
Battery-News: TÜV Rheinland has a reputation for the highest standards in certification and safety. How important is battery testing for the future of electric mobility and stationary energy storage, and what are the biggest challenges you see in the market today?Dr. Ansgar vom Hemdt: Testing is an integral part of the battery development process. Despite major advances in simulative validation, it is still essential to subject the individual samples to real-world tests. Only by testing under realistic conditions can it be ensured that the product really does meet the quality requirements. This is another reason why legislators prescribe an extensive test catalog for the type approval of traction batteries. There are numerous challenges in the development and testing of batteries. In addition to high energy density and fast charging capability, one of the biggest challenges is to control thermal runaway in the battery system. To this end, legislators have once again tightened the requirements for type approval. In order to explain the current regulations and the different test methods for excluding hazards that may arise from electric vehicle batteries, together with the PEM Chair of RWTH Aachen University, we just recently published the free “Battery Testing in Accordance with UN Regulation No. 100 Revision 3” guide.
Battery-News: With the increasing demand for high-performance and long-life batteries, the pressure on manufacturers and testing institutions is also increasing. How do you ensure that TÜV’s test procedures can keep pace with the rapid development of battery technologies?Dr. Ansgar vom Hemdt: The test procedures we use are always based on the currently valid standards and our customers’ specifications. Even during the development of our test laboratory, we worked out scenarios for how battery systems might develop. Accordingly, our test stands are designed to be flexible enough to take into account future battery technologies or changing test requirements.
“Our test stands are designed to realistically and repeatedly imitate extreme scenarios.”
Battery-News: Current research results show that thermal instability in lithium-ion batteries still represents a serious safety risk. How far has TÜV Rheinland progressed in developing test procedures that realistically and reproducibly deal with such extreme conditions?Dr. Ansgar vom Hemdt: Our test stands are designed so that we can also realistically and repeatedly imitate extreme scenarios. In the respective procedure, we distinguish between function tests and abuse tests. A typical function test in this context is the overheating test, in which the battery is charged and discharged with high currents to cause targeted overheating. The battery management system switches off the charging/discharging process when a specific temperature limit is exceeded, thus preventing thermal instability from occurring in the first place. In addition, there are abuse tests, for example “thermal propagation” tests, in which individual cells or modules are deliberately caused to overheat. The manufacturers’ development goal is to prevent such a propagation of the battery system as far as possible and to alert a vehicle’s occupants in good time to a critical situation by means of a warning signal. Thermal propagation tests have become increasingly important in recent years.
Battery-News: But they are not mandatory, are they?Dr. Ansgar vom Hemdt: No, these tests are not currently mandatory under European vehicle type approval regulations. However, TÜV Rheinland, together with partners in the relevant UN working groups, has been working on standardizing such tests. A proposal to this effect to supplement “Regulation 100 – Part II” has been on the table since the end of 2024. We expect it to be adopted in the course of 2025. This means that there will be a standardized framework with comparable and reproducible conditions. We ourselves have already placed great emphasis on reproducibility, but also on the environmental compatibility of abuse tests when designing our laboratory. That is why we only carry out these tests in our laboratory – and thus under controlled test room conditions – and not in the open air. This enables us to ensure that we have the same environmental conditions every time and that any pollutants that arise are treated.
“The standardization bodies are currently working on incorporating end-of-life battery issues into their standards.”
Battery-News: In industry, there is increasing discussion about end-of-life testing for batteries. How do you rate the current standards for testing recycled or reused batteries, and is there room for improvement?Dr. Ansgar vom Hemdt: The big challenge in testing batteries for the secondary market is that they don’t come directly from standardized mass production with comparable quality levels but have an extensive first use behind them. It is therefore generally recommended that the battery be designed and protected for the subsequent application even before it is introduced to the primary market. In this case, end-of-life testing would then have to be carried out on the returned batteries to ensure that they still meet the requirements for a further life cycle. The standardization bodies are currently working on incorporating this new market development into their standards.
Battery-News: Battery manufacturers are increasingly focusing on fast-charging technologies. How robust are your test procedures with regard to these new requirements? Do you see any risks that have been underestimated?Dr. Ansgar vom Hemdt: Current vehicle generations can charge at up to 300 kilowatts at peak times. Our test stands are designed to charge and discharge batteries with 500 kilowatts and more, and they can be expanded in a modular fashion. However, the pure peak power is actually secondary. It is more important to charge the battery with a high current for as long as possible in order to reduce the charging time. At these high currents, a sophisticated thermal management system is required in the battery to prevent it from overheating. Another challenge is the higher stress on the battery, which leads to faster aging as a result of the rapid charging processes.
“It lies in the responsibility of the recycling companies and the battery material manufacturers to ensure that the raw materials are of equivalent quality.”
Battery News: In view of the increasing demand for sustainable battery systems, recycling is becoming more and more important. What specific test procedures does TÜV Rheinland offer to ensure the quality of recycled batteries?Dr. Ansgar vom Hemdt: It lies in the responsibility of the recycling companies and the battery material manufacturers to ensure that the raw materials are of equivalent quality. This quality can then be verified by an external testing laboratory. We at TÜV Rheinland ACT focus on testing complete battery systems. However, we don’t distinguish between batteries made from recycled raw materials and those made from newly extracted ones. The test requirements are always the same.
Battery-News: Where do you see the greatest further development of TÜV Rheinland in the field of battery testing? Which standards are essential for the future of battery technology?Dr. Ansgar vom Hemdt: We are continuously working on the further development of our testing portfolio because we want to provide our customers with the best possible support for their own further development. It is important that we can also offer the appropriate testing options for tomorrow’s battery technologies. That is why we are constantly working on improving our processes in order to meet our customers’ requirements even faster and more efficiently.factory
Feb 21, 2025
Battery News
“Thermal Propagation Tests Are Becoming Increasingly Important”If something goes wrong, it better happens during testing than during real operation. This applies even more to potentially dangerous “candidates” such as electric vehicle batteries. To make them a safe part of daily mobility, they are subjected to numerous different tests. “Despite major advances in the field of simulative validation, real-world testing remains indispensable,” says Dr. Ansgar vom Hemdt, Managing Director of TÜV Rheinland Automotive Component Testing GmbH, in an exclusive interview with Battery-News.
Battery-News: TÜV Rheinland has a reputation for the highest standards in certification and safety. How important is battery testing for the future of electric mobility and stationary energy storage, and what are the biggest challenges you see in the market today?Dr. Ansgar vom Hemdt: Testing is an integral part of the battery development process. Despite major advances in simulative validation, it is still essential to subject the individual samples to real-world tests. Only by testing under realistic conditions can it be ensured that the product really does meet the quality requirements. This is another reason why legislators prescribe an extensive test catalog for the type approval of traction batteries. There are numerous challenges in the development and testing of batteries. In addition to high energy density and fast charging capability, one of the biggest challenges is to control thermal runaway in the battery system. To this end, legislators have once again tightened the requirements for type approval. In order to explain the current regulations and the different test methods for excluding hazards that may arise from electric vehicle batteries, together with the PEM Chair of RWTH Aachen University, we just recently published the free “Battery Testing in Accordance with UN Regulation No. 100 Revision 3” guide.
Battery-News: With the increasing demand for high-performance and long-life batteries, the pressure on manufacturers and testing institutions is also increasing. How do you ensure that TÜV’s test procedures can keep pace with the rapid development of battery technologies?Dr. Ansgar vom Hemdt: The test procedures we use are always based on the currently valid standards and our customers’ specifications. Even during the development of our test laboratory, we worked out scenarios for how battery systems might develop. Accordingly, our test stands are designed to be flexible enough to take into account future battery technologies or changing test requirements.
“Our test stands are designed to realistically and repeatedly imitate extreme scenarios.”
Battery-News: Current research results show that thermal instability in lithium-ion batteries still represents a serious safety risk. How far has TÜV Rheinland progressed in developing test procedures that realistically and reproducibly deal with such extreme conditions?Dr. Ansgar vom Hemdt: Our test stands are designed so that we can also realistically and repeatedly imitate extreme scenarios. In the respective procedure, we distinguish between function tests and abuse tests. A typical function test in this context is the overheating test, in which the battery is charged and discharged with high currents to cause targeted overheating. The battery management system switches off the charging/discharging process when a specific temperature limit is exceeded, thus preventing thermal instability from occurring in the first place. In addition, there are abuse tests, for example “thermal propagation” tests, in which individual cells or modules are deliberately caused to overheat. The manufacturers’ development goal is to prevent such a propagation of the battery system as far as possible and to alert a vehicle’s occupants in good time to a critical situation by means of a warning signal. Thermal propagation tests have become increasingly important in recent years.
Battery-News: But they are not mandatory, are they?Dr. Ansgar vom Hemdt: No, these tests are not currently mandatory under European vehicle type approval regulations. However, TÜV Rheinland, together with partners in the relevant UN working groups, has been working on standardizing such tests. A proposal to this effect to supplement “Regulation 100 – Part II” has been on the table since the end of 2024. We expect it to be adopted in the course of 2025. This means that there will be a standardized framework with comparable and reproducible conditions. We ourselves have already placed great emphasis on reproducibility, but also on the environmental compatibility of abuse tests when designing our laboratory. That is why we only carry out these tests in our laboratory – and thus under controlled test room conditions – and not in the open air. This enables us to ensure that we have the same environmental conditions every time and that any pollutants that arise are treated.
“The standardization bodies are currently working on incorporating end-of-life battery issues into their standards.”
Battery-News: In industry, there is increasing discussion about end-of-life testing for batteries. How do you rate the current standards for testing recycled or reused batteries, and is there room for improvement?Dr. Ansgar vom Hemdt: The big challenge in testing batteries for the secondary market is that they don’t come directly from standardized mass production with comparable quality levels but have an extensive first use behind them. It is therefore generally recommended that the battery be designed and protected for the subsequent application even before it is introduced to the primary market. In this case, end-of-life testing would then have to be carried out on the returned batteries to ensure that they still meet the requirements for a further life cycle. The standardization bodies are currently working on incorporating this new market development into their standards.
Battery-News: Battery manufacturers are increasingly focusing on fast-charging technologies. How robust are your test procedures with regard to these new requirements? Do you see any risks that have been underestimated?Dr. Ansgar vom Hemdt: Current vehicle generations can charge at up to 300 kilowatts at peak times. Our test stands are designed to charge and discharge batteries with 500 kilowatts and more, and they can be expanded in a modular fashion. However, the pure peak power is actually secondary. It is more important to charge the battery with a high current for as long as possible in order to reduce the charging time. At these high currents, a sophisticated thermal management system is required in the battery to prevent it from overheating. Another challenge is the higher stress on the battery, which leads to faster aging as a result of the rapid charging processes.
“It lies in the responsibility of the recycling companies and the battery material manufacturers to ensure that the raw materials are of equivalent quality.”
Battery News: In view of the increasing demand for sustainable battery systems, recycling is becoming more and more important. What specific test procedures does TÜV Rheinland offer to ensure the quality of recycled batteries?Dr. Ansgar vom Hemdt: It lies in the responsibility of the recycling companies and the battery material manufacturers to ensure that the raw materials are of equivalent quality. This quality can then be verified by an external testing laboratory. We at TÜV Rheinland ACT focus on testing complete battery systems. However, we don’t distinguish between batteries made from recycled raw materials and those made from newly extracted ones. The test requirements are always the same.
Battery-News: Where do you see the greatest further development of TÜV Rheinland in the field of battery testing? Which standards are essential for the future of battery technology?Dr. Ansgar vom Hemdt: We are continuously working on the further development of our testing portfolio because we want to provide our customers with the best possible support for their own further development. It is important that we can also offer the appropriate testing options for tomorrow’s battery technologies. That is why we are constantly working on improving our processes in order to meet our customers’ requirements even faster and more efficiently.factory
Feb 21, 2025
Battery News
Imco Writes Off 400-Million-Dollar Investment In NorthvoltAccording to a Bloomberg report, the Investment Management Corporation of Ontario (IMCO) has written down its 400-million-US-dollar investment in Northvolt. The Swedish battery cell manufacturer filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the United States in 2024 after an intended rescue funding fell through. IMCO had invested in the company via convertible bonds, making its largest European investment to date in 2023.
Northvolt has reportedly 5.8 billion dollars in debt and has yet to find new lenders to emerge from bankruptcy. The Canadian pension fund, which manages about 77 billion Canadian dollars for public organizations in Ontario, has not commented on the write-down. According to the report, IMCO is not the only institutional investor to suffer financial losses as a result of Northvoltʼs insolvency. Several large Canadian pension funds had invested in the company, including the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System, the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, and the Caisse de Dépôt et Placement du Québec. European pension funds have also been affected, as the Swedish state pension fund has written off its entire holding, while the Danish ATP pension fund has suffered losses on its five-percent holding.
Source:https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/investing/2025/02/11/ontario-fund-writes-down-400-million-investment-in-northvolt/factory
Feb 13, 2025
Battery News
Freyr Cancels 2.6-Billion-Dollar Gigafactory In GeorgiaFREYR Battery has abandoned its plans to build a gigafactory in Coweta County in the US State of Georgia. Originally, the Norwegian company had intended to invest up to 2.6 billion US dollars. FREYR cited rising interest rates, falling market prices for batteries, changes in management, and changing strategic goals as reasons for the withdrawal. Instead, the company is now focusing on a solar panel factory in Texas.
In November 2022, FREYR had announced the construction of Giga America in Coweta County. A multi-phased development was planned, starting with a battery cell production module with a capacity of approximately 34 gigawatt-hours and an estimated investment of 1.7 billion dollars. By 2029, the investment was expected to increase to more than 2.6 billion dollars, expanding annual capacity and creating more than 720 jobs. The production of lithium-ion battery cells was to be used for both vehicles and energy storage systems. However, construction never began.
Source:https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2025/02/06/freyr-battery-scraps-plans-factory-coweta-county-georgia-official-says/factory
Feb 10, 2025
Battery News
Li-Cycle Expands Recycling Partnership In The EuLi-Cycle from Canada has announced a recycling partnership with an unnamed “leading premium automotive manufacturer.” The agreement covers the recycling of lithium-ion battery materials at Li-Cycleʼs German facility. Through the collaboration, the company will receive feedstock for the recycling process from a production facility for electric vehicles within the EU.
According to the Canadian battery recycler, the new partnership will ensure the supply of recyclable materials to the Magdeburg plant in Germany. However, no specific details were given regarding the quantities and duration of the collaboration. The German spoke plant was commissioned by Li-Cycle in 2023. The company operates several such plants, which process waste from battery production and used batteries into black mass – a material containing valuable metals such as lithium, nickel, and cobalt. Further processing into battery raw materials will then take place at intended hub plants. The companyʼs goal is to use this infrastructure to create a closed supply chain for battery materials.
Source:https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250203263560/en/Li-Cycle-Further-Expands-Commercial-Footprint-in-EU-with-Additional-Exclusive-Recycling-Partnership-for-its-Germany-Spokefactory
Feb 05, 2025