Enerpoly acquires Nilar’s production line and dry electrode tech to boost zinc-ion battery manufacturing

Stockholm-based zinc-ion battery company Enerpoly has acquired former competitor Nilar’s end-to-end battery production line and process development capabilities, further enhancing its industrial competencies and promoting European-led innovation. 

In December Enerpoly was awarded an $8.4 million three-year grant from the Swedish Energy Agency, to establish the world’s first megafactory to manufacture zinc-ion batteries.

Enerpoly uses patented technology to develop and produce zinc-ion battery cells and packs. Enerpoly’s zinc-ion batteries are suitable for grid or large-scale storage, backup power, and safety-critical applications of energy storage including for maritime use, critical infrastructure and densely populated urban areas.

Founded in 2012, Nilar developed and manufactured batteries that are part of stationary energy storage systems. Its technology is based on nickel metal hydride (NiMH) electrochemistry with a water-based electrolyte, which provides both higher safety and better performance while allowing the components to be recycled and reused.

However because its battery cell chemistry utilised expensive raw materials and thus suffered from high commodity prices. The company filed for bankruptcy in Deember 2023. 

Enerpoly harnesses locally sourced, affordable materials and will integrate Nilar’s state-of-the-art machinery to scale its zinc-ion production swiftly and affordably. 

Leveraging Nilar’s enhanced pack assembly capabilities and the transformative advantages of dry electrode manufacturing, Enerpoly will be able to accelerate its development and production of zinc-ion battery cell-modules and packs, while simultaneously lowering customer costs, carbon dioxide emissions, raw material use, and waste. 

Its also hired engineering, process development, and operational staff who have led the development and integration of Nilar’s dry electrode manufacturing process.

The utilisation of dry electrode manufacturing, a frontier technology which derives from the conventional wet, slurry-based process, will enable Enerpoly’s proprietary zinc-ion technology to transition production from individual battery cells to battery cell-modules. This new focus and process simplify the integration of cells into battery packs, and make the overall assembly process more efficient.

Enerpoly CEO Eloisa de Castro comments, 

“This acquisition is a landmark step signifying Enerpoly’s maturation from battery cell technology developer to industry-leading manufacturer. We continue to be uniquely poised to fulfil the increasing demand for clean energy storage on a global scale, reinforced by a 100 per  cent European supply chain. 

Our growing expertise in production process innovation, manufacturing operations excellence, and supply chain industrialisation will be essential as we solidify our position as a zinc-ion technology pioneer and global leader in battery cell manufacturing.”

Lead image: Enerpoly. Photo: uncredited.

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