Altech Batteries Limited has announced its entry into sodium nickel chloride battery manufacturing through a collaboration and distribution agreement with AMPower, a subsidiary of China’s Chilwee Group.
The partnership will enable Altech to sell sodium nickel chloride batteries across Australia, Europe, and the United States.
In an ASX release, Altech said AMPower is currently the largest manufacturer of sodium nickel chloride (Na/NiCl) batteries, producing Zebra-type solid-state batteries for the industrial Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) market.
AMPower was originally established as a joint venture with General Electric to produce sodium nickel chloride batteries under the Durathon brand.
Under the agreement, AMPower will manufacture the batteries to Altech’s specifications, with the products sold under the Altech brand. Altech said this strategy provides a faster pathway to cash flow while advancing its CERENERGY 120 MWh energy storage project in Germany.
“These batteries are inherently fireproof, perform reliably in extreme temperatures, and offer strong environmental credentials – making them an ideal fit for the needs of the stationary energy storage market,” said Altech Group Managing Director Iggy Tan.
“Growing concerns over battery fire risks, particularly in data centres and AI facilities, are further accelerating demand. Our collaboration with AMPower enables immediate production, and our offtake customers are eager to secure supply.”
Altech said the sodium nickel chloride UPS batteries feature long cycle life and can remain fully charged and idle for more than 10 years without requiring maintenance or replacement.
The company noted the batteries are also suited for environments where lithium-ion batteries are restricted or banned.
The company added that in a second phase, AMPower intends to manufacture sodium nickel chloride batteries for household, industrial, and grid-scale energy storage, with the production capacity to scale from 100 MWh to 200 MWh per year.
Both companies will cooperate on the development of small and medium-sized battery energy storage systems (BESS), with Altech managing sales and distribution in its target markets.
Altech said the agreement ensures intellectual property protections, with no transfer or sharing of its CERENERGY battery technology with AMPower, and vice versa.
The ASX-listed company said AMPower will provide warranties and performance guarantees for the systems, while Altech will oversee specifications, branding, and certifications.
“By moving quickly to meet this demand, Altech is positioning itself as a leader in what we see as the next major wave in battery storage innovation,” Tan said.
The content of this article is based on information supplied by Altech Batteries Limited. For more information, please refer to the official company announcement and communications from Altech Batteries. Please consult a licensed and/or registered professional in this area before making any decisions based on the content of this article.
