Renewable energy storage innovator Gelion has commenced industrial production of its gel-based zinc bromide battery, with the launch of a manufacturing facility in Western Sydney capable of producing 2MWh of batteries annually.
Gelion’s non-lithium battery lasts for 6 to 12 hours, and will be critical in replacing fossil fuel-produced energy on the grid by providing new storage options for a higher percentage of renewables. In the future, Gelion could scale its facilities to gigafactory level and create thousands of direct and indirect jobs.
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Gelion partnered with Battery Energy at their lead-acid manufacturing site in Fairfield to accelerate speed to market, with the battery designed to fit standard lead acid racks, and its manufacturing line utilising 70% of existing lead-acid battery processes.
Scaling the Gelion manufacturing capacity will also require many similar skills as those used in other legacy industrial processes, including coal-fired power stations, meaning Gelion could absorb, retrain, and grow thousands of fossil fuel-reliant or otherwise diminishing jobs as Australia’s energy transition occurs.
This marriage between established and new technology shows Australia could scale sovereign domestic manufacturing capacity extremely efficiently by leveraging existing processes and supply chains, according to Gelion.
Gelion CEO Hannah McCaughey said, “We are delighted to be launching production of our breakthrough battery, proving it can be produced at scale with existing lead-acid battery manufacturing processes. Our game-changing technology will now be deployed to Acciona to support its development of renewable battery systems. This milestone is a significant step forward in Gelion’s growth strategy and also strengthens our position in the rapidly expanding energy storage market.”
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The new Western Sydney facility officially launched on September 30, 2022, at a ceremony attended by Chris Bowen, Federal Minister for Climate Change and Energy, and Ed Husic, Federal Minister for Industry and Science. Minister Husic will play a key role in implementing Australia’s first National Battery Strategy.
The Hon Chris Bowen MP said, “This is a great day for Gelion, starting the first industrial production line for their new Endure Battery, right here in Fairfield, the industrial heartland of Sydney. This is what Australian innovation is all about; cutting-edge technology and new manufacturing opportunities, which means more well-paying local jobs and upskilling in the workforce.”
