German battery materials developer Altech Advanced Materials AG has put into operation in a test laboratory a 60 kWh battery prototype that uses ordinary table salt and does not require critical raw materials.
The CERENERGY battery is based on the sodium chloride solid-state battery technology developed by the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany. The prototype can be operated in a wide temperature range and has a service life of 15 years, about twice as long as conventional lithium-ion batteries, Altech CEO Uwe Ahrens noted in the statement.
The prototype is now installed in a test laboratory of Altech’s joint venture partner Fraunhofer IKTS to assess the efficiency, stability and overall performance under real-life conditions.
According to the statement, the battery has shown “excellent thermal stability, a crucial factor in high-capacity energy storage systems.” Additional tests will be carried out.
Schwarze Pumpe industrial park in Saxony has already expressed interest in the novel product, signing a letter of intent for an annual 30 MWh offtake over five years, Altech said.
