EQS-News: CERENERGY project receives environmental and building permit for its production plant

Heidelberg, 17.03.2025 - Altech Advanced Materials AG ("AAM" or the "Company"; ISIN: DE000A31C3Y4) announces that Altech Batteries GmbH (ABG) has been granted the environmental and building permit including the immission control permit in accordance with the Federal Immission Control Act (“BImSchG”) for the 120 MWh CERENERGY GridPack production plant in Schwarze Pumpe, Saxony, without any further conditions. With this approval, ABG is now in a position to start clearing the construction site and building the battery plant. Discussions are currently being held with banks and investors about financing the CERENERGY project. At the same time, several funding applications have been submitted at federal and state level. Altech expects investment costs for the CERENERGY battery plant to total around EUR 156 million.

A number of preparatory measures for the construction of the CERENERGY battery plant have already been successfully completed. The final assembly of the first CERENERGY battery prototype "BatteryPack ABS60" was carried out in cooperation with the joint venture partner Fraunhofer IKTS in Dresden. Extensive tests have clearly exceeded expectations. In addition, letters of intent were signed with a total of three companies for the acceptance of the majority of the plant's planned production capacity.

It is to be expected that the environmental and building permit that has now been granted will have a positive influence on the ongoing talks with potential investors. 

Uwe Ahrens, CEO of Altech Advanced Materials AG, said: "We are delighted to have received the final building permit for our 120 MWh CERENERGY battery project. This is another important step in the realization of the CERENERGY project and a clear signal to potential investors, providing additional security and confidence. The CERENERGY project is now ready for implementation at an operational level. The market is waiting for our innovative battery technology, as the letters of intent that have already been signed clearly demonstrate."

Altech Advanced Materials AG (ISIN: DE000A31C3Y4), based in Frankfurt am Main, is a holding company listed on the regulated market of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. The company's aim is to participate in the market for solid-state batteries for stationary battery applications with CERENERGY.

Another focus is on lithium-ion batteries. An innovative anode material based on high-purity aluminum oxide (HPA) - Silumina Anodes - is intended to significantly increase the performance of this battery for electromobility.

CERENERGY is a new type of sodium chloride solid-state battery for stationary operation that combines unique properties, making it an efficient and resource-saving alternative to current lithium-ion batteries. The battery, which consists of common salt, nickel and ceramics, does not require critical materials such as graphite, lithium and cobalt, which fluctuate greatly in price. All materials can be sourced from Europe, minimizing dependencies in the supply chain. The battery has a service life of over 15 years. It is non-flammable and can be operated outdoors in all climatic conditions without separate cooling or heating and is completely recyclable. Considering full costs and daily charging cycles, it promises a cost advantage of around 50% compared to conventional lithium-ion batteries in stationary operation. A first production plant is currently being planned in Schwarze Pumpe, Saxony. The relevant building applications have been submitted, the land acquired and the production design drawn up. The battery chemistry is based on a proven technology that the Fraunhofer Institute IKTS has been successfully testing and operating as various prototypes for more than 8 years. An industrial prototype of the 60kWh BatteryPack has been commissioned for potential customers to test and three letters of intent have recently been signed for the purchase of the 120 MWh CERENERGY batteries to be produced annually.