International Battery’s Water Based Lithium-Ion Batteries Get a $35 Million Boost
Fresh on the heels of recent contracts with the U.S. Army and NASA for large format lithium-ion batteries, green startup International Battery has announced another $35 million in financing for its manufacturing, development and marketing operations. The move marks another step forward for more green jobs in IB’s home base of Allentown, Pennsylvania — one of the symbolic centers of the rust belt.
Last year IB made the decision to focus on large format Li-ion batteries for smart grid and other up-scaled storage needs, at least in the near term. Basically the company has decided to wait for the electric car market to rev up before committing to the small format Li-ion batteries used in civilian vehicles. That could be sooner rather than later. With its cost-shaving, water-based manufacturing process, IB seems poised for the inevitable shakeout that will occur once those juicers start flooding into showrooms.
International Battery’s Green, Water Based Li-Ion Solution
One factor that drives the cost of Li-ion batteries is the use of aggressive solvents to create the slurry of binders that coat the electrodes. Currently the solvent of choice is N-Methylpyrrolidone, which is not the most toxic substance around but it has been linked to reproductive issues and is facing increasingly strict regulation. IB uses alternative water soluble binders that eliminate the need for solvents. The company estimates that its water based li-ion manufacturing method (pdf) saves about 10% on capital costs, primarily on equipment related to ventilation and other safety equipment. IB also estimates an impressive 85% reduction in waste management expenses.
Lowering the Cost of Lithium-Ion Batteries
Tweaking the electrode coating process is just one path toward lowering the cost of Li-ion batteries, which have been steadily dropping from an average of $1,000 per kilowatt hour a few years ago to as low as $300/ kWh within 5 years. IB is on to a couple of other savers, such as “super-sizing” its large format battery cells to store more energy in fewer units. Locating its factory in the U.S. could provide a key edge in turnaround, delivery and shipping costs. Meanwhile, Nissan has been dropping hints that its Li-ion battery pack for the new LEAF costs around $375 per kWh, not too much more than half the current industry average of $650. How’d they do that? They’re not sayin’ anything — yet.
Image: Water by Snap on flickr.com.
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About the Author
Tina Casey Tina Casey specializes in military and corporate sustainability, advanced technology, emerging materials, biofuels, and water and wastewater issues. Tina’s articles are reposted frequently on Reuters, Scientific American, and many other sites. Views expressed are her own. Follow her on Twitter @TinaMCasey and Google+.
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