Faradion partners with AGM Batteries to commercialise sodium technology

• Joint R&D partnership aims to bring sodium-ion batteries to market
• Innovative Faradion technology will be developed at AGM Batteries' facility in Caithness
• Sodium-ion batteries could cost around 30% less to produce than lithium-ion

Pioneer of sodium-ion battery technology, Faradion, will partner with UK-based lithium-ion cell developer and manufacturer, AGM Batteries. The research and development partnership will see the two companies scale-up Faradion’s sodium-ion technology to make it ready to enter the battery market.

The collaboration will call on AGM Batteries’ experience in commercialising lithium-ion cells through to volume manufacturing at its 4,000 m2production facility in Caithness, Scotland, to develop Faradion’s sodium-ion technology to a standard where it could service markets such as Automotive, Oil and Gas, Grid Storage and Defence.

Sodium-ion battery technology, which has been developed by Faradion, offers a more chemically stable alternative to lithium-ion, making batteries easier and safer to transport and store. By using highly abundant sodium salts rather than lithium, it is expected that sodium-ion batteries will also cost around 30% less to produce compared to conventional lithium ion technologies.

AGM Batteries has produced high quality lithium-ion batteries for a number of industries, including Defence and Oil and Gas since 1997. Its facility currently produces rechargeable and non-rechargeable cylindrical and pouch cells using a range of chemistries.  

Francis Massin, CEO of Faradion, said: “We are delighted to announce our partnership with AGM Batteries. Faradion already has significant expertise in the research, development and testing of sodium-ion battery components, but this partnership will allow us to drive our technology forwards and engineer a complete cell that is ready to be brought to market.”

Kevin Brundish, CEO of AGM Batteries, said: “Since taking over the business in 2013, AGM has developed significant experience in the later phases of developing and commercialising battery technologies, and the partnership with Faradion offers the opportunity for us to take a sodium-ion technology to key markets.  The partnership blends the experience of the technology developer along with a flexible manufacturer; a fairly unique combination, certainly within the UK and Europe.”

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About Faradion Ltd

Faradion is pioneering the next generation of advanced, low-cost battery materials. These novel materials employ sodium-ion (Na-ion) technology which, when incorporated into batteries, will be virtually indistinguishable in terms of performance from the leading lithium-ion (Li-ion) products currently on the market.

Na-ion batteries have a number of benefits compared to battery technologies already on the market, with the foremost advantage being the low cost. The sodium salts used to prepare these battery materials are highly abundant, coming from more renewable sources than those of equivalent lithium salts, making them both cheap and easily obtainable. If compared to the equivalent salts used to make Li-ion batteries, the cost is approximately 1/10th.

Faradion was virtually the first investment made by Finance Yorkshire and is headquartered in Sheffield’s Innovation Centre. See more at: www.faradion.co.uk

About AGM Batteries Limited

AGM Batteries works with clients and partners to scale new battery cell technologies through to manufacture.  Our business involves the transfer of developed laboratory & 'pilot scale' processes to our facility. The team has extensive experience in electro-chemistry, cell technology development, scaling for manufacture and bringing new products to market.

We also work with Research groups and pilot scale facilities in the earlier stages of development to aid with Design for Manufacture. 

AGM also provides a manufacturing service for client companies, producing cells on their behalf. We have the flexibility to manufacture a broad range of chemistries and cell types in pouch or cylindrical formats for our clients under sub-contract or as a Licensee.  Further information can be found at www.agmbatteries.com or e-mail enquiries@agmbatteries.co.uk.