Energy Renaissance, an Australian lithium-ion battery manufacturer, has announced that it will develop a defence-grade cybersecure Battery Management System (BMS) for its super storage family of batteries.

The $1.46 million project is jointly funded and developed with CSIRO and the Innovative Manufacturing CRC (IMCRC). It will monitor and report on the battery’s usage, lifespan and faults through a mobile network to Energy Renaissance and its customers.

Gathering real-time data, analytics and remote management, the system will help drive down the risk of battery failure and operating costs for grid-scale energy storage users.

“The collaboration between Energy Renaissance, CSIRO and IMCRC will promote an Australian Battery Management System instead of relying on an overseas technology platform,” Energy Renaissance technology development director Brian Craighead says.

“Working together with CSIRO will ensure we can create a world-class defence-grade cybersecure Battery Management System that is fully developed and managed in Australia for critical energy storage infrastructures.”

He adds that software designed and developed in Australia has a strong global reputation.

“Through this project, we will demonstrate the advantage that Australian intellectual property can bring to a highly competitive energy storage market where a superior Battery Management System is critical for the operating efficiency of a battery,” he says.

CSIRO principal research scientist Adam Best says the organisation is delighted to be working on the project, at the ‘nerve centre’ of batteries, making them safer, more affordable and optimised to operate in high-temperature environments.

“Our partnership with Energy Renaissance validates CSIRO’s capabilities to collaborate, train and transfer skills for the advanced manufacturing of batteries,” he says.

Energy Renaissance’s 4,500m² purpose-built facility in Tomago, NSW will manufacture Australian made batteries that are safe, secure, affordable and optimised to perform in hot climates. These batteries will power stationary (grid and microgrid, renewables, community storage, mining electrification, Defence SilentWatch applications) and transport (buses, light commercial and industrial vehicles) applications.