BATTERY ENERGY

1. BATTERY ENERGY AND Advanced SuperGEL Battery Technology By Dr DJ Brown

2. AGENDA • Industrial Battery Overview • Customer Technical Requirements • Battery Energy’s SuperGel Battery Programme • - Background • - Purpose • Results • - Float Performance • - Cyclic Performance • - Resistance to abuse • Advantages of SuperGEL • Question and Answer Time

3. Industrial Battery Overview • Lead Acid Batteries are under increasing threat from Lithium (ion) in a number of traditional areas such as standby and cyclic markets. • Lead Acid batteries have been replaced in newer markets such as PHEV’s and increasingly in electric bikes. • BATTERY ENERGY VIEW: • Lead acid batteries will continue to dominate if:- • Cost and not energy density is important, and • Customer technical and commercial requirements are met or exceeded.

4. Customer Technical Requirements • Good starting performance • Good float Capability • Excellent cycling performance • Good resistance to abuse • Fast charge capability • PSOC (partial state of charge) capability • Long life – especially in inclement conditions • Standard footprint

5. Rail Market • Traditionally uses vented traction batteries or some Ni-Cad for starting and standby applications. • Newer requirements are for:- • Minimal maintenance • Passenger compartment security • Long life (>6-8 years) • Cycling at low states of charge

6. Traction/Utility Market Newer requirements are for:- Fast charge capability PSOC capability Opportunity charging In Traction - Long life/low cost (3-4 years) at double shift In utilities – Long life/low cost (>10 years service)

7. Solar/Raps Market • PSOC capability (20 – 30% daily DOD) • Good abuse resistance capability • System predictability • > than 10 years service life ONLY ADVANCED SUPERGEL BATTERIES CAN MEET ALL THESE REQUIREMENTS.

8. Battery Energy Gel Battery Programme • Started 1992 with CSIRO*. • Worked with them and others through to mid 2000’s. • Programme aim – to develop sealed gel batteries at similar cost to vented but with major performance advantages. *Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research Organisiation

9. SuperGel Technology The basis for the Battery Energy SuperGel Technology is as follows:- • In jar formation – provides lower cost, improved OH&S and performance advantages • Optimised paste mixing/curing process • Thick plate technology (5.3mm positive and 3.9mm negative) • High fumed Silica concentration (6%) • Optimised material selection process (VRLA lead, corrugated separators) GEL PRODUCTS INTRODUCED COMMERCIALLY 1996

10. Gel Programme Achievements • Battery Energy has developed a sealed SuperGel battery with high conversion of active material in formation • The final products are characterised by:- • High degree of Ah efficiency (102 – 103%) • Capable of PSOC operation over long periods of charge/discharge cycles with minimal overcharge. Starts out at 101%, probably 102% at end of life

11. PSOC Example Regime 3 120 Regime 1 Regime 2 100 80 SoC / % 60 40 20 0 PSoC cycle no. Parameters: - PSoC window - charge rate - battery temperature - battery condition - conditioning charge

12. Float Performance Characterised by:- - Very low float currants - Good high rate performance - Typically 2-3 times longer life on accelerated tests compared to AGM

13. Battery Energy SuperGEL Float Currents

14. Cyclic Performance (1) • Initial CSIRO test results 1200 cycles at 100% DOD – failure due to negative plate. Positive plate - 14% corrosion after 800 cycles. • High temperature tests (45 degrees) 555 (100% DOD) cycles – no loss of capacity.

15. Cyclic Performance (2) PSOC ETEC (US) 2001 – fast charge/PSOC 70% DOD (100% - 30%) - >1000 cycles. Battery Energy SuperGel is 2-3 times life of competitor gel products. ETEC Current testing – utility profile 80% - 30% SOC ~ 2000 cycles and still operating. AGM batteries 300 – 400 cycles under same profile. Solar – PERU ILZRO – RAPS daily ~ 35% DOD (80% - 45% SOC) in 240Vstrings. Still operating after 7 years (requirement 8 years).

16. Abuse resistance • Overcharge – 2.6V for 8.5 months ~ 3 times longer than AGM battery. • Operating in the discharge state - charge to 2.45V/discharge to 1.75V – battery walks down to 30% SOC. 150 – 200 cycles (PSOC without equalisation). Recovery process – 100% capacity X 2. • Water loss – much less than other batteries. (See next slide for example) • No stratification observed.

17. Duty Battery type Temp. (°C) RWLgev (ml/Ah/cell/year) WLcrit (ml/Ah/cell) Years to reach WLcrit (with WLcorr50) Simulated 1-day RAPS service CSIRO (o) 25 0.02 3.5 85* CSIRO (o) 45 0.03 3.5 57* (m) 25 0.06 3.5 28* (m) 45 0.19 3.5 9 (n) 25 0.10 2.4 6 (n) 45 0.35 2.4 2 Field service (m)  0.07 3.5 24* (n)  0.07 2.4 9 Water loss Data

18. Conclusion • Advanced SuperGel technology together with advanced control techniques and further battery optimisation will lead to a bright future for industrial lead acid batteries. • Independent of lithium battery technology advances

19. BATTERY ENERGY Australian Made Products, Designed for the harshest of Australian Conditions Australian owned company, employing Australians. QUESTION TIME?