Livium — Ascending the Battery Value Chain

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The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) is committed to helping Australian companies ascend the value chain in battery materials. Australia has vast mineral resources to supply to battery manufacturers, but to date is only just starting to initiate value-added processes. To spur development, ARENA has recently committed AU$30 million to fund Livium in its quest to commercialise a new process for manufacturing cathode powder for lithium-ion batteries.

ARENA’S funding will cover 50% of the estimated cost to build the demonstration plant in Wacol, Brisbane, and to complete two years of operation. The plant will be able to produce as much product per year as is equivalent to 12,500 household batteries or 1,600 EV batteries. Annual revenue is anticipated to exceed AU$500 million. Funding was granted after 12 months of due diligence by Livium.

Livium describes itself thus: “At Livium, we lead the circular economy in electrification — creating solutions for the lithium-ion circular battery materials industry. We are proudly Australian, with values of environmental stewardship and social responsibility. Our cutting-edge technology, indisputable science, and inventive solutions deliver for all. We are inspired by our people’s passion to deliver a zero-carbon environment. And empower them with a workplace where respect and safety thrive. We are highly agile and responsive to clients, colleagues, our partners, and shareholders.”

They claim to be “one of few companies outside China to successfully produce LFP. We do this by manufacturing LFP/LMFP materials using a proprietary production process. The LFP material has been verified using a commercially competitive process.”

ARENA is funding the construction of a 250 tonne per annum demonstration facility by VSPC in Brisbane. VSPC (Very Small Particle Company) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Livium. I have written to the company and asked for a visit. So far, they have not responded. The demonstration plant is expected to provide cathode powder samples to potential customers and investors. VSPC and ARENA expect that the project will lead to advancements in cathode powder manufacturing. Viz: cost reductions, quality improvements, reduced waste, and the diversification of global battery supply chains.

“VSPC’s new 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 with greater control of product characteristics and quality. This makes the process flexible for use in different battery cell technologies.”

ARENA CEO Darren Miller says: “If the project is successful, it could help catalyse competitive manufacturing of cathode powders and help diversify supply chains. As global demand for energy storage rises, domestic advancements in cathode powder could position Australia as a leader in advanced battery manufacturing, giving us opportunities to contribute to global supply chains and create new economic opportunities in renewable energy innovations.”

Livium Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Simon Linge says: “… independent assessment of its materials found VSPC LFP retained the highest capacity at fast charging rates and demonstrated superior stability compared to market leading samples, relative to commercially available products.” In this video, he makes the point that the cathode is the most expensive part of the battery.

Mr Linge claims that VSPC is one of very few technology providers in the world that can make a cathode active material. This is the material that goes in the positive end of the battery. After writing this, I realised how little I actually knew (always a good experience) and thought it might be worth revisiting batteries 101 from high school. My time machine took me back to 1969 via googling “Batteries for dummies.” …

I was reminded that “electricity is a type of energy produced by the flow of electrons. To produce a flow of electrons, you need to have somewhere for the electrons to flow from, and somewhere for the electrons to flow to. These are the cell’s electrodes. The electrons flow from one electrode called the anode (or negative electrode) to another electrode called the cathode (the positive electrode). These are generally different types of metals or other chemical compounds. At the anode, the electrode reacts with the electrolyte in a reaction that produces electrons. These electrons accumulate at the anode. Meanwhile, at the cathode, another chemical reaction occurs simultaneously that enables that electrode to accept electrons.”

In summary a battery “is a device that stores chemical energy, and converts it to electricity.” The battery facilitates a chemical reaction producing electricity which flows from the anode to the cathode and can be discharged to power pretty much anything.

Federal Minister for Industry and Science Ed Husic said that combining Australia’s battery know-how and vast reserves of critical minerals needed for battery-making to create a thriving manufacturing industry is important for the country’s future. The Australian federal government, through ARENA, is putting billions into the “Future Made in Australia” plan. Almost AU$22.7 billion (USD$15 billion) has been committed over the next ten years. Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers expects the next 25 years to be “the biggest transformation in the global economy since the industrial revolution. Australian energy can power it, Australian resources can build it, Australia’s regions can drive it, Australian researchers can shape it and Australian workers can thrive in it,” he said.

This investment in Livium is part of Australia’s plan to be a competitive producer of batteries by 2035. As well as producing batteries, Liviu is fulfilling its obligations by establishing a battery recycling facility under its subsidiary, Envirostream. This facility is to be constructed in Perth, Western Australia (note that this is 3000 km west of Wacol). Why build it so far away? The answer lies in government assistance.

The West Australian state government has given Envirostream a AU$850,000 (USD$561,000) grant to build the battery recycling facility as part of the state’s electronic waste infrastructure funding program. “This grant from the WA government represents a meaningful step forward in our mission to establish a sustainable national battery recycling ecosystem,” Livium Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Simon Linge said. “WA’s grants seek to increase e-waste reuse, storage, collection, processing and recycling capabilities, creating jobs and supporting WA’s circular economy.”

The facility will collect, sort, discharge, dismantle, and temporarily store batteries and components. These will then be transported to Envirostream’s recycling facilities at “Victoria for final processing into mixed metal dust (MMD) and other recoverable metals.” Looks like the materials are going to be crossing back another 3000 km for the final stage of their journey. Odd. But it looks like it is a temporary solution. “The company’s long-term recycling strategy also involves the development of battery processing capabilities in WA and other states once minimum collection volumes are met,” he said. “By fostering local recycling capabilities, we aim to strengthen Australia’s position in the global battery recycling industry and contribute to a circular economy.”

Western Australia has allocated about $10 million in grants to boost the local e-waste recycling industry.

Australian federal (ARENA) and state governments are encouraging local companies to ascend the battery value chain with targeted grants. Not only is the future bright and electric, but it may also be “Made in Australia.”

Featured image from Livium.