ARCI, Altmin partner to make component used in lithium-ion cells

Hyderabad: The Ministry of Science and Technology’s ARCI and Hyderabad-based Altmin partnership will make lithium ferrous phosphate (LFP), a key component required in manufacturing of advanced lithium-ion cells. A 10-megawatts pilot plant is at the ARCI campus at Balapur in Hyderabad. It will have a capacity to produce 100 kilo LFP per day.   

India’s requirement for LFP by 2025 is pegged at 25 Gigawatts.

Altmin has partnered up with YLB, Bolivia for supply of battery grade lithium carbonate necessary for the planned production and future scale up. Altmin’s technology aims at stabilising the supply chain and creating a sustainable production with minimal emissions. The company was formed to support the Government of India’s advanced chemistry cell PLI scheme, meant to localise manufacturing of Li-Ion cells and batteries in India.

"Initially, the battery industry was focused on nickel- manganese-cobalt oxide batteries. There is now a shift towards LFP for energy storage systems and mobility. Altmin came up with a technology that is economical and sustainable through technology partners and collaborations both in India and abroad,” said Mourya Sunkavalli, founder and managing director, Altmin.

“ARCI, being a translational materials research lab, has developed along with Altmin a novel process to make one of the key cathode materials, which is a safe and low-cost material suitable for tropical conditions. ARCI has entered into agreements with Altmin for technology transfer and establishing a pilot facility at the incubator facility at ARCI,” said Tata Narsinga Rao, director, ARCI.

Altmin plans to scale up production. The licensing of the Cathode Active Material (CAM) produced through Altmin-ARCI partnership lies exclusively with Altmin internationally. On the domestic front, Altmin has a non-exclusive arrangement.