STOCKHOLM - Ahlstrom-Munksjö has made further ground into the energy storage market by signing a marketing license with Soteria Battery Innovation Group (BIG), allowing the company to proceed with the technical ramp-up to manufacture fibre-based separator solutions to the lithium-ion battery industry.
Demand for energy storage is expected to grow significantly in the coming years, driven by vehicle electrification, a shift towards renewable energy, an increasing demand in stationary applications and effective electricity supply chain management. Fibre-based materials are widely used in energy storage devices and thanks to its extensive expertise in cellulose, microglass and speciality nonwoven materials, Ahlstrom-Munksjö is developing a complete range of solutions to its customers under the FortiCell product platform.
The agreement with BIG is therefore seen as an important step in the commercialization of Ahlstrom-Munksjö’s solutions to the energy storage market. “This demonstrates our confidence in our ability to supply the lithium-ion battery market with a safe and efficient fibre-based separator. It is a milestone for our partnership with Soteria BIG,” said Bertrand Rupin, Head of Business Development, Energy Storage at Ahlstrom-Munksjö.
Soteria Battery Innovation Group is an industry consortium dedicated to enabling portable electric power without the risk of fires, no matter the circumstances. The Soteria BIG architecture uses thermally stable separators made from advanced fibres, and combining them with current collectors that are engineered to be unstable under the giant current densities associated with internal shorts. The architecture will provide the same electrical protection as a fuse on the inside of each battery.
“We are very excited to welcome Ahlstrom-Munksjö as a licensee, and look forward to helping them use their global reach and unique capabilities to bring products to the market using the Dreamweaver separator technology to enhance lithium ion battery safety,” said Brian Morin, CEO at Soteria BIG.
