Sicona secures ARENA grant for facility

MakeSens Battery Technologies, an Australian company, has secured a $45 million grant from the Australia — Australian Renewable Energy Agency to establish its first commercial-scale silicon-carbon battery anode material production facility in the Illawarra region, Australia. This facility will produce up to 230 tonnes per annum of SiCx, an advanced material that enhances lithium-ion battery performance by increasing energy density and charging speeds. The grant, part of the Australian Government's Battery Breakthrough Initiative, aims to boost domestic battery manufacturing and Australia's role in the global battery supply chain. MakeSens Battery Technologies has also entered an exclusivity agreement with BlueScope Limited to explore developing the facility within BlueScope's Port Kembla precinct. This development is expected to create up to 36 skilled manufacturing jobs and follows a previous partnership and investment from NPSPL Speciality Chemicals.