Altech Batteries (ASX:ATC) is powering towards a Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) for its planned Silumina Anodes 10,000 tonnes per annum plant in Saxony, Germany.
The company reports the is expected to have a net present value (NPV) of US$507 million. Additionally, Altech notes it has made ‘significant’ progress in incorporating high capacity, high purity, alumina-coated silicon and graphite in lithium-ion batteries to bring its patented technology to market.
Altech also notes it has begun construction of a pilot plant situated adjacent to the proposed project site in order to facilitate the qualification process for its Silumina Anodes product.
The beginning of construction is reported to be progressing well and according to plan, with the front of the pilot plant (known as the wet circuit) making ‘excellent’ progress following completion of the power supply, laboratory, building modification, and front-end wet circuit infrastructure already completed.
These achievements come following completion of necessary building modifications and electrical panel infrastructure in the previous quarter.
Altech also announces the on-site laboratory is currently going through commissioning, which represents a ‘significant’ step towards enabling the company to undertake vital testing and analyses of the Silumina Anodes product. This process is expected to be aided by an on-site glove box which will facilitate the production of lithium-ion battery coin half-cells.
According to company Managing Director, Iggy Tan, these advancements made on the Silumina Anodes pilot plant are ‘highly promising’, and that the primary goal of the pilot plant is to offer product for customer testing, which has resulted in generating a ‘significant’ interest in the market.
With construction still ongoing, Altech Batteries announces it is expediting the production of some-back items, such as silicon carbide linings, in conjunction with fabrication of the back-end of the pilot plant, including the coating equipment, dryer, and calciner, which is underway in South Africa and Europe.
The company anticipates that the final items will be installed and commissioned by the end of Q3 this year.
Altech Batteries is an ASX-listed specialty battery technology company with a current joint venture (JV) agreement with German battery institute Fraunhofer IKTS to commercialise the revolutionary CERENERGY Sodium Alumina Solid State Battery. These batteries represent a ‘game-changing’ alternative to lithium-ion batteries.
Images: Altech Batteries Ltd
