Battery technology firm Li-S Energy will receive $7.86 million in funding from ARENA to to undertake manufacturing optimisation, a feasibility study, and front-end engineering design (FEED) for a proposed lithium-sulfur battery cell manufacturing facility.
The proposed facility aims to produce up to 1GWh per year of battery cell capacity—500 times the capacity of Li-S Energy’s current Geelong-based facility.
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ARENA CEO Darren Miller said, “By supporting Li-S Energy’s plans to scale up lithium-sulfur battery production, we are helping to fast-track the commercialisation of breakthrough battery technologies.
“Batteries are essential to the clean energy transition, both for energy storage and transport. That’s why it’s critical we keep advancing innovations that improve performance, increase energy density and drive down costs.”
Lithium-sulfur batteries have the potential to deliver up to twice the energy density of conventional lithium-ion batteries, enabling longer range and lighter weight for electric vehicles, drones, wearables and other applications.
This aligns with the Australian Government’s energy storage strategy, which prioritises technologies that support renewable integration and reduce reliance on imported battery systems.
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Li-S Energy CEO and MD Dr Lee Finniear said the funding is a major step towards commercial readiness.
“This funding enables us to accelerate the critical commercial and engineering studies needed to progress advanced lithium-sulfur batteries toward large-scale production. It will help meet growing demand for lightweight batteries in drones, defence, aerospace and other relevant high-value commercial markets,” Dr Finniear said.
