Innovation! Around 90% of the world’s lithium mines are currently controlled by Chinese interests, making the country the dominant player in the lithium-ion battery market.
This concentration explains the intense efforts of Europe and the US to secure rare earths and critical minerals. An indication of the importance of the energy storage battery market, which is increasingly necessary due to the increased penetration of Renewable Energy Sources (RES), is that its total value reaches 130 billion euros.
In this context, where energy storage is becoming increasingly critical for electricity networks, a German innovation aspires to change the data. This is the first organic energy storage battery, which instead of lithium and rare earths, uses carbon and water enriched with trace elements.
This technology was developed by a small team of German scientists, led by Dr. Peter Geigle, who in 2011 began researching the basic principles of the organic battery. This scientific research led to the creation of the company CMBlu Energy AG in 2014, which in 2018 developed the first high-performance organic electrolyte.
Today, CMBlu’s facilities outside Frankfurt operate a research and development center, which examines the optimization of materials for maximum performance, as well as a pilot plant for the production of prototype organic batteries. The company aims to start commercial production on a small scale within the year.
In addition, in March 2024, CMBlu signed its first sales agreement with Mercedes, which seeks to use organic batteries to reduce electricity consumption during peak hours and enhance its energy autonomy. At the same time, the company is also in negotiations with other industries, such as aluminum and steel industries, which are looking for ways to reduce their energy costs.
One of the main advantages of organic batteries, according to CMBlu, is their cost, which amounts to 50% of the cost of a corresponding lithium-ion battery. In addition, they are safer, as they do not run the risk of ignition or explosion and do not emit toxic gases.
This is a sustainable and environmentally friendly solution, since 90% of the raw materials come from local production, do not use rare minerals and have fully recyclable components. The efficiency of organic batteries reaches 85% and remains constant for their entire lifespan (20 years), unlike lithium-ion batteries, whose efficiency (90-95%) gradually decreases due to material wear.
The company, after consultations with the Greek government, decided to create, with financing from the Greek Recovery Fund, the largest industrial organic battery production unit in the world. The facility will be built in the Industrial Area of Thessaloniki, on a plot of land purchased from GEK TERNA.
It is noted that the Greek government offered strong support even compared to the German one, securing a grant of 30 million euros for the factory, which will employ more than 300 workers, while the total cost of the investment exceeds 50 million euros. The company’s second factory is planned to be built in the United States after the successful implementation of the Greek project.
