Staff Reporter
20 February 2025 10:24
Thirty-million dollars in conditional funding has been awarded by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) to a project by VSPC, aiming to commercialise a new process for producing cathode powder for lithium-ion batteries.
In a statement from ARENA on Thursday, it said the project will see a 250 tonne per annum demonstration plant built, likely near VSPC’s Brisbane site, and will allow the company to provide samples to potential offtake partners and investors.
The aim is to secure major customers for a future commercial plant.
According to the release, VSPC’s process “combines the advantages of solid-state and solution-phase synthesis methods, to produce high-performance lithium ferro phosphate (LFP) and lithium manganese ferro phosphate (LMFP) powders”. Improved control over product characteristics and quality is achieved, making the process “flexible for use in different battery cell technologies.”
VSPC is a subsidiary of ASX-listed Livium.
Simon Linge, Livium Managing Director and CEO, said that the project seeks to unlock a patented technology and advance diversified LFP supply chains.
“The grant from ARENA represents a significant step forward for our battery materials commercialisation,” said Linge.
ARENA CEO Darren Miller said that local technologies offering cheaper, cleaner ways to create battery materials should be supported, and that domestic breakthroughs in cathode materials could “position Australia as a leader” in battery manufacturing.
“If the project is successful, it could help catalyse competitive manufacturing of cathode powders and help diversify supply chains,” he added.
VSPC was established based on University of Queensland research on producing lithium ferro phosphate (LFP), and was acquired by Lithium Australia in 2018.
According to a statement in 2021 from Lithium Australia, VSPC had spent 20 years and $35 million developing its technologies.
Lithium Australia changed its name to Livium last year.
Picture: credit Livium
Further reading
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