The Australian Renewable Energy Agency has invested $30 million in VSPC Pty Ltd to further commercialize a novel cathode powder production process, further positioning Australia in the international battery supply chain.
In a major effort to strengthen Australia’s renewable energy industry, the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has committed $30 million of assistance to VSPC Pty Ltd. The assistance will be used to commercialize a new technology of producing cathode powder, an essential part of lithium-ion batteries. Owned by Livium Ltd, VSPC aims to build a 250-tonne-per-year demonstration plant adjacent to its current facilities in Brisbane.
The plant is intended to produce high-performance lithium ferro phosphate (LFP) and lithium manganese ferro phosphate (LMFP) powder products. These products are highly necessary in the range of applications, from energy storage devices up to electric vehicles. Production per year should cater to some 12,500 home batteries or 1,600 car battery requirements, with the potential to earn some estimated $503 million yearly.
VSPC’s own manufacturing technology combines the advantages of solid-state and solution-phase synthesis processes to provide enhanced control of product properties and quality. The versatility offers compatibility with many battery cell technologies, which makes Australia a competitive market in the world battery supply chain.
Livium Managing Director and CEO Simon Linge underscored the ARENA grant as a major milestone in the commercialization of the company’s battery materials. He added that the investment would very likely attract further private capital, enabling the project to be fully developed.
ARENA CEO Darren Miller also highlighted the potential for the project to revolutionize cathode powder technology. He stated that effective deployment would result in competitive mass production of cathode powders and global supply chain diversification and thus place Australia at the world-leading edge in advanced battery manufacturing.
The project fits within the overall Australian government approach of funding end-to-end battery supply chains, from mining key minerals through to the production of advanced battery products. Investing in these matters is vital in ensuring Australia’s role in the world energy transition and in shaping high-quality Australian jobs.