Kyocera will market the first residential lithium battery with a semi-solid electrode. In fact, the Japanese company has just announced the launch of a domestic energy storage system, called “Enerezza,” based on the technology developed by the American start-up 24M.
It will be the first residential storage system in the world to offer home battery storage not with liquid but with semi-solid cells, whose production is significantly cheaper. The first product line of a new 24M-based energy storage system will be available in 5.0 kWh, 10.0 kWh, and 15.0 kWh capacities designed to meet diverse customer needs.
“Kyocera and our customers benefit from long battery life, unparalleled safety, and the low-cost approach enabled by 24M’s unique manufacturing process,” said Toshihide Koyano, Deputy General Manager of Corporate Solar Energy Group at Kyocera.
The cost of producing semi-solid batteries is about 40% lower than the cost of producing standard lithium-ion batteries, and their manufacturing time is reduced by a third. This is due to the fact that the “SemiSolid” electrodes do not use binders. The new batteries use a clay suspension consisting of an electrode with a collector, which eliminates the need for a bonding element.
As a result, inactive materials, and expensive techniques such as drying, solvent recovery, and electrolyte filling, are eliminated. The manufacturing process makes it possible to produce electrodes up to 3-5 times thicker than in other lithium-ion batteries, which increases the energy density of the battery.
After the success of the pilot phase, which started in June 2019, Kyocera aims to start mass production this fall. Initially, the product will enter the Japanese market.
“Kyocera’s launch of the Enerezza residential energy storage product line marks a significant milestone for 24M,” said Naoki Ota, President, and CTO of 24M. “After many years of hard work, our technology is commercially available thanks to our dedicated partner Kyocera.”
