Australian long-duration energy storage company Allegro Energy has partnered with Jena Batteries and its parent company, Suqian Time Energy Technology, in a move aimed at accelerating the manufacturing and commercial deployment of Allegro’s flow battery technology.
According to Allegro Energy, the partnership combines its proprietary water-based microemulsion electrolyte technology with Jena Batteries’ experience in large-scale flow battery manufacturing, production and system integration.
The companies plan to deploy pilot systems in Australia to demonstrate the technology at increasing scale before exploring opportunities in international markets.
Allegro Energy said its microemulsion electrolyte is designed to address cost, safety and performance limitations associated with long-duration battery storage. The technology uses readily available materials and is non-flammable, according to the company.
Allegro Energy CEO Thomas Nann said manufacturing and deployment capacity were becoming central considerations for the long-duration storage sector.
“Long-duration storage is no longer principally a question of whether the world needs it. The challenge is how we manufacture and deploy it at the scale the energy transition now requires,” Nann said.
“Allegro has spent years developing the chemistry. Jena Batteries brings significant manufacturing and system integration capability. Combining those strengths gives us a pathway to take an Australian-developed technology and prove that it can be manufactured and deployed at commercial scale.”
Jena Batteries and Suqian Time Energy Technology bring experience in manufacturing and integrating flow battery systems, providing a platform for Allegro’s electrolyte technology to be incorporated into large-scale energy storage solutions, Allegro said.
A Jena Batteries spokesperson said the companies’ capabilities were complementary.
“Allegro Energy has developed a promising approach to flow battery chemistry. By combining our complementary strengths, we are creating the foundation for safe, scalable and cost-effective long-duration energy storage solutions,” the spokesperson said.
The agreement comes amid growing demand for energy storage capable of shifting renewable energy over longer periods, Allegro said, citing the increasing penetration of wind and solar power and rising electricity demand from data centres.
For Allegro, Nann said the partnership could provide a pathway for Australian-developed technology to access international manufacturing capabilities and global markets.
“The opportunity for Australia isn’t simply to deploy batteries invented and manufactured somewhere else,” he said.
“We have the science and engineering capability to develop important new storage technologies here. Partnerships like this give Australian innovation a credible pathway into global manufacturing and global markets.”
