Global renewable energy storage innovator Gelion has acquired an IP portfolio of over 450 Lithium Sulfur and Silicon Anode (LiSiS) patents which, in combination with Gelion’s existing IP, may create the ability to develop the most advanced battery technology here in Australia.
What does this mean for the industry?
Lithium sulfur is seem as the next dominant battery tech, meaning the acquisition accelerates Gelion’s efforts to produce a battery with significantly higher gravimetric density (energy-to-weight ratio), greater safety, and lower costs. Gelion is acquiring the IP from multinational speciality chemicals and sustainable technologies and FTSE 250 company, Johnson Matthey.
The Lithium Sulfur and Silicon Anode patents, spanning 82 patent families, include solid and liquid electrolytes, disordered rock salt, electrode formulation, and battery materials recycling. This places Gelion and Australian research at the forefront of the global battery industry.
The patent acquisition will help secure the solutions required to pursue and expedite the development of Gelion’s lithium sulfur and lithium silicon sulfur tech, which have the potential to create multiple next-generation applications for its high energy-to-weight ratio batteries.
It will help Gelion to move rapidly and methodically from research to commercialisation, and provide Australia with an opportunity to develop upstream and downstream manufacturing capabilities that benefit local industries. The IP portfolio was acquired with a special focus on lithium sulfur, and includes tech transfer packages, cell designs and manufacturing protocols for Li-S cells, market and portfolio analysis, and manufacturing design and cost models.
What does the acquisition mean for Gelion?
John Wood, Chief Executive Officer of Gelion, said: “The importance of this acquisition cannot be understated, not just to Gelion but also to Australian research and manufacturing as a whole. Lithium Sulfur is widely tipped as the next big stage of the Lithium energy storage industry, and with this IP portfolio, Gelion intends to build the world’s best battery.”
“This positions Australian research and development at the front edge of the global battery wave. We now own the technology to become a renewable energy super power,” Wood said.
“Combining this IP portfolio with Gelion’s ongoing Lithium Sulphur and Lithium Silicon Sulfur technologies can significantly advance the battery industry’s efforts to achieve higher gravimetric energy density while reducing cost and increasing safety. This IP portfolio will help in our objectives toward achieving a protective moat for Gelion’s technology,” Wood added.
