INTERVIEW - WinBat to be ready with battery prototypes by end-2024, says CEO

Wisconsin Battery Company (WinBat), which will utilise zinc-air and hemp-derived carbon technologies to produce batteries for hearing aids, electric vehicles (EV) and industrial-scale energy storage, expects to be ready with all prototypes in the fourth quarter of 2024 and start production in 2025, according to CEO Jeff Greene.

While the company, which was founded in 2023, progresses on building its first factory, it is also exploring international opportunities, including plans to deploy its technology in Africa alongside a solar farm to help tackle foodborne illnesses and reduce fatalities, Greene told Renewables Now.

Q: Can you tell us more about the hemp carbon technology and do you believe that it can compete with conventional batteries, particularly in terms of industrial-scale energy storage?

Our goal is to use renewable and non-toxic materials throughout the manufacturing process. Initially, we will be using lithium-sulfur in combination with hemp carbon for energy-dense applications like EV batteries. For industrial-scale energy storage, we are exploring zinc-air rechargeable solutions in addition to using Watson AI from IBM for efficiency and improvement. Of course, funding milestones set the pace for our development schedule, but we anticipate that these prototypes should be out by the end of the year.

Q: You are currently building a factory in the Portage Industrial Park. Can you provide an update on the progress and when do you expect the site to become operational?

We have broken ground in Portage and are hoping to have the roof in place before the first snow, with a grand opening in late spring or early summer. This site will be for our small batteries, such as hearing aid, and some research. We are also negotiating a lease/purchase agreement in Fennimore where our industrial batteries will be assembled.

Q: The company has committed to powering the Portage facility using solar to the extent possible. Have you decided on how this energy will be sourced -- will it come from an on-site solar farm or will you seek to sign a power purchase agreement (PPA)?

Our industrial revenue bonds limit us to USD 20 million (EUR 18m) in capital expenditures for the first three years in Portage and Fennimore. Because of that limitation, we must wait three years for the solar and the recycling plant. We plan for rooftop solar, both on the main building and the recycling plant, and depending on space, we may also install panels on the ground. The City of Portage was very generous to us, and we are committed to using the space as efficiently as possible to maximise the benefit not only to WinBat but to the city and to employees.

Q: WinBat plans to start with hearing aid batteries and eventually expand into battery energy storage systems (BESS) production. Can you share any details or timelines regarding this expansion process?

All timelines are in step with funding. At the moment, we anticipate starting all prototypes in Q4 of 2024 and production starting in 2025. We have research agreements with The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and North Texas University. We also plan to engage with several supply partners in Q4.

Q: WinBat is expected to announce the closure of its seed financing round soon. Can you share any early insights or details about it?

We have term sheets on most of our round and are negotiating the final terms. We hope to have most if not all of that done in September and, assuming the US Department of Energy announces DE-FOA-0003099 [a funding opportunity for battery materials processing and battery manufacturing] and we are a recipient, I don’t see anything slowing us down.

Q: One of the investors in the fundraising round is Infinite Power Systems (IPS) and there is mention of potential collaboration to explore opportunities in the African market. How prepared is WinBat to expand into new geographies?

We are working in Africa and Australia on our industrial battery. Initially, it will be part of a system that helps solve the problem of foodborne illnesses and fatalities. Africa suffers from the world's highest per-capita rate of foodborne illnesses, according to the World Health Organization. Lack of refrigeration is a major contributor. In the developed world, the household refrigerator is only the final link in the “cold chain,” a series of thermally controlled spaces through which food moves from farm to table. This invisible backbone of our food system is largely missing in Africa. We have distribution agreements with Altitude Water (a manufacturer of atmospheric water generators, extracting potable water from the air) and Twice the Ice (a water and ice vending company). Thus we combine water generation and refrigeration with a solar farm and necessary battery storage to create a sustainable cycle. This partnership will start in Nigeria but is set to expand quickly into other areas of Africa and Australia.

(USD 1 = EUR 0.901)

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