Saturday 5 December 2020

Jerry Barker: AVID Technology Podcast

Hi All,

I recently recorded a podcast with Ryan Maughan of AVID Technology. You can find the podcast here:

https://www.spreaker.com/user/avid_technology/jerry-barker-faradion

or via the AVID Technology webpage, which also has the links to the various platforms at the bottom of the page.


I managed to talk about everything regarding the development of Li-ion and Na-ion batteries, plus a bit about photovoltaics and conducting polymers.

Enjoy!

Friday 27 November 2020

Faraday Institution Annual Conference 2020

Hi All,

Yesterday (November 26) I participated in the Faraday Institution's annual conference for 2020. This year's conference was delivered on-line:

https://www.faraday2020.org.uk/programme/ 

I gave an invited presentation in the session entitled Pathways to Commercialization and early Faraday Institution Successes, chaired by Ian Ellerington. Here is the first slide:

Friday 31 July 2020

Sodium-ion batteries can get ahead in the power game

Hiya,

Here is a link to a good recent article in The Engineer on Faradion and its Na-ion battery technology.


Dr Chris Wright, who was one of the pioneers of commercialising lithium-ion technology, saw potential in sodium-ion in 2011, and co-founded Faradion with Jerry Barker to develop sodium-ion technology and bring it to market. After announcing our first major orders from ICM Australia, then for heavy-goods vehicles in India with Infraprime Logistics Technologies in June, we’ve had nearly 120 requests for partnership in the period of just four weeks.



Cheers!

Jerry

Thursday 23 July 2020

JB: Career Commercial Highlights

Hi Everyone,

Here is a summary graphic of my career commercial highlights - starting with the electrodeposition of II-IV compound semiconductors for BP Solar in the early 1990's up until the present-day Na-ion Battery Technology at Faradion. I decided to include the Tiamat highlight as this company is using my NVPF cathode material - discovered and patented during my time at Valence Technology in the early 2000's.

It has been quite an eventful ride - but that is 6 commercial successes so far. There must be one or two more still to go!

Cheers, Jerry

Wednesday 15 July 2020

ACS C&EN article: Can Europe be a contender in electric-vehicle batteries?


Hi everyone,

Nice article in ACS Chemical and Engineering News (July 13, 2020) by my friend Alex Scott on the current status of Li-ion manufacturing in Europe:

https://cen.acs.org/energy/energy-storage-/Europe-contender-electric-vehicle-batteries/98/i27

Today, Europe’s share of that market is a mere 3%. But with the battery making up about 40% of the value of an electric vehicle, Europe is waking up to the notion that whoever controls a region’s lithium-ion battery supply chain also wields much control over its lucrative car industry and the hundreds of thousands of jobs that go with it.

Some nice quotes, later in the article (where does Alex get these from?):


The challenge for the UK, as with other European countries, is that it has to put together a battery supply chain that Asian producers already have in place.


“We rely on supplies of some of the critical cell components and precursors from the Far East,” says Jerry Barker, chief technology officer for the UK sodium-ion battery firm Faradion. “It would be far better if we had a reliable, local, UK-based supply chain for cathode, anode, and electrolyte as well as the cell hardware such as separator and current collectors.”
Jerry

Wednesday 1 July 2020

Australia's StorEnergy training centre - Leading the way in renewable battery technology

Hi Everyone,
StorEnergy
Led by my good friend and colleague, Professor Maria Forsyth, the StorEnergy training centre aims to challenge existing thinking and expand Australia’s capacity in energy storage and production. The centre will create new knowledge and intellectual property in advanced energy materials, batteries and battery-control systems for integration into end user industries.
Working with 14 organisations across government and industry, and four other Australian universities, researchers at the centre will facilitate small to medium-sized enterprises to take a global leadership role in advancing and producing new age storage technologies. By harnessing the expertise of researchers and industry partners, the StorEnergy centre aims to deliver benefit to our economy, the community and the environment.
I am on the advisory board - but looking very serious:

Thursday 4 June 2020

Faradion Announces Major Partnership With IPLTech for Developing Sodium-ion Batteries for Commercial Vehicles in India

SHEFFIELD, EnglandJune 4, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Faradion Ltd., the British company that is a world leader in sodium-ion battery technology, has announced a new partnership with Infraprime Logistics Technologies (IPLTech) for its high energy sodium-ion batteries for use in commercial vehicles in the Indian market.
The news comes just a few weeks after Faradion's first major order from Australia and reflects its entry into one of the most exciting electric vehicle markets in the world.
India has demonstrated a growing appetite for moving towards electric commercial vehicles, driven by the Government's target of 30% electric vehicle adoption by 2030. It has given a significant push to infrastructure by allocating $1.4 trillion for infrastructure to be invested by 2025. This is higher than the UK ($35 billion) and the US ($500 billion) in the same period. Each day, 40km of highways are constructed in India and the market for roads and highways is projected to grow at an annual rate of 36% from now to 2025.
Faradion's sodium-ion technology provides similar performance to conventional chemistries, while replacing expensive materials such as cobalt and lithium with the far more abundant sodium. Unlike lithium-ion batteries, Faradion's sodium-ion batteries have exceptional thermal stability and safety. Further they can be safely transported and maintained at zero volts.
IPLTech is a Gurgaon-based heavy goods vehicle fleet service provider that is halving the cost of infrastructure development.
Siddhartha Das Executive Chairman IPLTech said, "We are driven to minimise the heavy pollution caused by heavy goods vehicles in India. Our full electric mega trucks are the first of their kind to be integrated and deployed in India. We believe that the Faradion technology can provide the Indian market an effective solution at competitive prices," Sid said.
Faradion has seen significant interest in several markets, including the US, Europe and Australia due to its performance, safety and price point. Mr. James Quinn, CEO of Faradion says India was the next logical region for Faradion, given the market conditions.
"Faradion is accelerating large scale industrialisation of its safe, low cost, Sodium-ion energy storage technology. The partnership with IPLTech reflects an important milestone in our commitment to the market and the Prime Minister's Make In India vision, as we also shortly commence manufacturing in India."
For more information on Faradion please visit https://www.faradion.co.uk/

Monday 1 June 2020

Article in Chemical Engineering Online

Here:


COMMERCIAL-SCALE DEPLOYMENT OF SODIUM-ION BATTERY TECHNOLOGY

By Mary Page Bailey | June 1, 2020 

Although Li-ion batteries are currently the dominant technology in the rechargeable-battery sector, sodium-ion (Na-ion) batteries possess many benefits in terms of sustainability, safety and costs, and are poised to greatly expand their commercial usage. Sodium-ion battery specialist Faradion Ltd. (Sheffield, U.K.; www.faradion.co.uk) — in its largest commercial deployment ever — will provide Na-ion batteries for energy-storage applications in Australia.
Previously, the company had undertaken several prototype demonstrations, including electric bikes, golf carts and small-scale domestic storage applications, but the project in Australia represents a larger magnitude for Faradion’s Na-ion technology, explains Jerry Barker, chief technology officer and co-founder of Faradion.
“Our cell chemistry is based on a proprietary Na-layered oxide cathode. This chemistry provides a world-leading cell specific energy of 150–160 Wh/kg,” says Barker, adding that the company expects to generate cells with greater than 190 Wh/kg specific energy within the next 9 months. Another benefit of Faradion’s batteries is that they can be produced on existing Li-ion manufacturing lines. Faradion has worked closely with Haldor Topsoe A/S (Lyngby, Denmark; www.topsoe.com) in scaling up its proprietary cathode material. With comparable cycling and temperature performance, Na-ion batteries also provide improved thermal stability and safety when compared to conventional Li-ion batteries — Faradion has patented a method for the transportation and storage of Na-ion cells wherein cells can be transported without the risk of overheating or exploding. Faradion’s batteries are anticipated to enter the Australian market later this year.

Monday 4 May 2020

Jerry Barker - Career Highlights

Hi All,

Just wanted to include a summary slide on my career highlights:



This shows the important milestones, in terms of R&D projects and commercial successes, I have enjoyed since my PhD in 1984. How time flies! My apologies for this being an eye-test - but just click on the image to get a full-size version (much easier to read!).

Cheers! Jerry

Wednesday 22 April 2020

Faradion Press Release

Faradion receives first order of Sodium-ion Batteries for Australian Market

21 April, 2020: Faradion Ltd., the world leader in sodium-ion battery technology, has announced it has received its first order from ICM Australia for its high energy sodium-ion batteries for use in the Australian market.

Faradion’s Sodium-ion technology provides similar performance to conventional chemistries, while replacing expensive materials such as cobalt and lithium with the far more abundant sodium. Unlike lithium-ion batteries, Faradion’s sodium-ion batteries have exceptional thermal stability and safety. Further they can be safely transported and maintained at zero volts.

In recent years, Australia and New Zealand have demonstrated a steady uptake in battery storage in residential, commercial and grid scale applications due to factors including significant reductions in the cost of storage and solar systems; increasing cost of electricity, concerns about blackouts and financial incentives and policies from the government.

Speaking on this order from ICM Australia, Mr. Thomas Gregson, ICM Australia Investment Director said, “This order represents a first step for an Australian company to commercialise world leading sodium-ion technology, and we’re pleased to be offering a premium product that is safe and price competitive to the Australasian market.”

“We have seen large interest in energy storage solutions recently and believe the Faradion technology can provide, in a sustainable way, the energy security customers require at attractive ROIs,” Gregson adds.

Having seen significant interest in regions such as the US, Europe and India due to its performance, safety and price point, Mr. James Quinn, CEO of Faradion says Australasia was the next logical region for Faradion given the market conditions.

“Faradion is accelerating large scale industrialisation of its safe, low cost, Sodium-ion energy storage technology. In Australia, the market for energy storage is primarily for household battery technologies to complement solar photovoltaic installations, although the market for larger-scale energy storage is growing.

Australia is a perfect market for supporting Faradion’s growth in the rapidly expanding energy storage market and to speed up the transformation of the global energy market,” Quinn concludes.

ICM Australia expects a range of world class Faradion sodium-ion batteries to be available for the Australasian market later in the year.

-ends-

About Faradion Ltd:
Faradion is the world leader in Sodium-ion battery technology that provides low cost, high performance, safe and sustainable energy. Its proprietary technology delivers leading-edge, cost effective solutions for a broad range of applications; including mobility, energy storage, back-up power and energy in remote locations.

Faradion’s patented zero-volt capability, enables the safe transportation and maintenance of Sodium-ion batteries. The wide operating temperature range, high energy density and fast charge/discharge capability combine to offer a next generation, drop-in solution. Its Sodium-ion batteries contain no cobalt, no lithium and no copper, resulting in a safe and sustainable, cost-effective, high performance technology.   www.faradion.co.uk

About ICM Australia:
ICM is an Australian based privately owned business/investment group. The group specialises in developing businesses and brands in industrial products, food and agribusiness globally. www.icmaustralia.com.au .

For media queries, please contact:

Tom Gregson
ICM Australia
Level 2, 1 Collins St Melbourne
Tel: +61 3 9654 2300
James A. Quinn
Faradion Ltd
Mobile: +49 174 6069 007
Tel: +44 114 224 2421

Wednesday 8 April 2020

Faraday Institution - SOLBAT

Dear All,

Here is the website for SOLBAT - the UK's Solid State Battery Project funded by the Faraday Institution:

https://www.solbat-faraday.org/


The ambition of this project is to demonstrate the feasibility of a solid state battery with performance superior to Li-ion in EV applications. With Oxford, university partners will include the University of Liverpool, University of Glasgow, University of Strathclyde, University of Cambridge, University College London, and the University of St. Andrews.



SOLBAT Schematic.png


I am a member of the FI's expert panel - representing the SOLBAT proect.

Jerry

Faraday Institution - NEXGENNA

Dear All,

Here is the website for NEXGENNA  - the UK's Na-ion Battery Project funded by the Faraday Institution:


https://www.nexgenna.org/


This project will accelerate the development of sodium-ion battery technology by taking a multi-disciplinary approach incorporating fundamental chemistry right through to scale-up and cell manufacturing. Its aim is to put on the path to commercialisation a sodium-ion battery with high performance, low cost, that has a long cycle life and is safe.


Faradion is a collaborator on the NEXGENNA project.

https://www.nexgenna.org/?page_id=476

Best Regards,


Jerry 

Thursday 12 March 2020

IMLB-2020 - Berlin, Germany June 21-26, 2020


Hiya,

The list of invited speakers at the up-coming conference, International Meeting on Lithium Batteries, 2020 (IMLB-2020, June 21-26, Berlin, Germany) has now been posted:

https://www.imlb2020.org/front/content.php?id_article=344

Jerry Barker: The Commercialization of Safe, High Energy Density Na-ion Batteries

Friday 24 January 2020

NEXGENNA: International Symposium on Sodium-ion Battery Technology


Hi All,

The agenda for the up-coming NEXGENNA Symposium on Sodium-ion Batteries has now been published. It can be found here:


Wednesday 15 January 2020

Faraday Institution - NEXGENNA Project

Hi All,

Faradion will be involved in the Faraday Institution's NEXGENNA Na-ion battery project:

NEXGENNA - Delivering a revolution in cost-competitive battery technologies

Most current generation rechargeable batteries for transportation are based on the use of lithium. However, the relatively high cost, the somewhat limited global abundance of lithium, and environmental concerns around the sourcing of lithium mean that there is demand for a lower cost alternative that would increase the uptake of energy storage technologies in a number of sectors. Sodium-based batteries could be such an option, particularly for static storage, where cost is a more important factor than weight or performance.
This project will accelerate the development of sodium ion battery technology by taking a multi-disciplinary approach incorporating fundamental chemistry right through to scale-up and cell manufacturing. Its aim is to put on the path to commercialisation a sodium ion battery with high performance, low cost, that has a long cycle life and is safe.
Many models of future grid networks based on renewable energy incorporate storage on a local or domestic level for increased network resilience and to ensure efficiency of small-scale renewable sources. The widespread use of commercial Na-ion batteries, that this project will facilitate, would aid the realisation of these models, and also fulfil the need for low-cost electric transport options in the highly polluted and densely populated conurbations in developing economies.
More information may be found here:

Jerry

Thursday 2 January 2020

20th International Meeting on Lithium Batteries (IMLB 2020)

Hi All,

Happy New Year to everyone!

I have been invited to give an oral presentation at the upcoming International Meeting on Lithium Batteries (IMLB 2020) in Berlin (June 2020).

https://www.imlb2020.org/

The IMLB is the premier international conference on the state of lithium (and sodium!) science and technology and is expected to draw more than 1000 delegates. It is intriguing that there is a special Na-ion session within the IMLB schedule - perhaps the organizers have seen the light!

The proposed title of my talk: The Commercialization of Safe, High Energy Density Na-ion Batteries.

I will have to demonstrate that Na-ion batteries are indeed the future! Safe, sustainable, outstanding performance plus zero lithium, zero cobalt and zero copper. What more do you need?

Here is the link to the list of invited speakers:

https://www.imlb2020.org/front/content.php?id_article=344

Jerry