Technology
Unique chemistry, clear focus &
a simple licence business model
As a technology developer, we are driven by the desire to provide batteries for safer and more sustainable energy storage. To scale up worldwide, we grant access to our HPB Technology by way of licensing. We offer three clearly differentiated licensed products:
The focus of our technology development is on stationary applications. To this end, we are optimising the HPB Solid-State Battery using the patented HPB Solid-State Electrolyte. The subject of battery development is the interaction of the three core components of a battery: anode, cathode and the HPB Solid-State Electrolyte as a complete battery cell. The development also includes industrial production up to the battery module (several battery cells combined form a battery module). On this basis, we grant two different licence products, one from the market side and one from the supply side:
(1) Licence by geography for stationary applications (market side)
(2) Production licence by geography (supply side)
Another major field of application for our HPB Technology is in electromobility. However, we do not develop batteries for electric cars. Rather, we provide our unique HPB Solid-State Electrolyte with outstanding properties as an essential component for the development of better traction batteries for the automotive industry.
The properties of the batteries developed by carmakers on this basis, in particular the specific energy (Wh/kg) and the energy density (Wh/l), result from their choice of anode and cathode. This leads to our third licensed product:
(3) Use of the HPB Solid-State Electrolyte for own battery development (our contribution to the automotive industry)
A new basic technology
Safer. Longer-lasting. Greener.
Our HPB Technology is safe because our HPB Solid-State Electrolyte is non-flammable and the battery is non-explosive. Thanks to the use of our proprietary HPB Solid-State Electrolyte, the performance of our battery will remain almost constant over its lifespan. No critical raw materials are needed for its production. This also improves the environmental balance by more than half compared to conventional batteries.
Drop-in production
for solid-state batteries
Hurdles of physics
Numerous research groups worldwide are working on the development of solid-state batteries. 1 The core issue is to replace the current liquid electrolyte - the basis for battery aging, fire and explosion hazards - with a solid electrolyte (solid-state electrolyte). The approaches pursued require the solid-state electrolyte to be produced outside the battery cell and must therefore overcome no fewer than the hurdles of physics. 2
Chances of chemistry
Our HPB Technology, on the other hand, takes advantage of the chances of chemistry: the HPB Solid-State Electrolyte is formed directly in the battery cell from solid and liquid starting materials. This avoids key production problems for all-solid-state batteries.2
Recognised scalability
The use of liquid raw materials has another decisive advantage: it makes it possible to use established production technology for battery cell production – technology that is used in the manufacture of conventional lithium-ion batteries with liquid electrolytes thousands of times over. This means that the production of our HPB Solid-State Battery can be scaled up without the need to develop completely new production technologies.
Modular design:
One size fits many
The standardised module design envisages 8 cells of 50 Ah each in a module. This gives a module energy content of approx. 1.28 kWh.
Depending on the application, these modules are assembled into a battery storage system. Home storage systems with an energy content of 10 kWh then contain 8 modules. Industrial buffers with an energy content of 200 kWh then contain 160 modules.
The fifth generation of battery technology
Gigantic buffer technology demand
The energy transition worldwide needs efficient storage technologies. In Germany, electricity production from renewable energies (especially wind and solar) has overtaken traditional electricity production from fossil fuels (especially coal, gas and uranium). In order for electricity production to be able to renounce fossil energy sources in the long term, electricity producers, grid operators and consumers need intermediate storage facilities.
The fifth generation of batteries:
1880 Lead-acid
1900 Nickel-cadmium
1980 Nickel-metal hydride
1990 Lithium-ion
2018 HPB Solid-State Battery
In Germany alone, the demand for buffer storage is estimated at 11.3 TWh.1 In order to cover this immense demand just once with batteries, about 87 gigafactories with an annual production of 5 GWh each would have to produce batteries for more than 25 years. Only then would it be possible to completely phase out fossil fuels in Germany by 2050.
HPB Technology for the energy and mobility transition
As a new enabling technology, HPB Technology can make a significant contribution to the success of the energy and mobility transition by combining a unique set of properties. Key properties of our HPB Solid-State Electrolyte have already been confirmed by independent research institutes.
The top layer makes the difference: Conventional lithium-ion batteries age because a top layer forms on their anodes through charging and discharging. This grows over time and with each use, even faster the more intensively the battery is used. This growth of the top layer consumes capacity and increases the internal resistance, the performance of the battery decreases.
With our innovative HPB Technology, a very thin top layer forms during first charging. After that, it grows no further. Through the use of our patented HPB Solid-State Electrolyte, internal resistance remains virtually constant throughout the service life. No matter how much the battery is used.
The fields of application ↗ for our HPB Solid-State Battery and HPB Solid-State Electrolyte are diverse and concern the generation, distribution and consumption of electricity.
1 Ilgmann, G. & Polatschek, K., 2019. Vom Zappelstrom. Grüne Energie braucht Speicher. Doch woher die nehmen?
Link ↗ (Zugriff am 16.01.21)
Technology comparison Li-ion batteries vs. HPB Solid-State Battery
The concrete benefits for the customer are: cheaper (because more durable), better performance (because no power loss), safer (because non-flammable electrolyte) and more environmentally friendly (because about 50 % better environmental balance). The combination of properties makes all the difference.1
1 HPB (2024): Spec Sheet.
Link ↗
Patent applications
Patent application 1
↗ Rechargeable electrochemical cell (in log-in language)
Patent application 2
↗ Electrolyte for rechargeable electrochemical battery cells (in log-in language)
Patent application 3
↗ Electrode-separator element with a ceramic separator layer
(in log-in language)
Patent application 4
↗ Rechargeable electrochemical cell with ceramic separator layer and indicator electrode (in log-in language)
Patent application 5
↗ Solid state electrolyte for rechargeable electrochemical battery cells (in log-in language)
FAQs
- What is special about HPB Technology?
In short: a production-ready all-solid-state battery with superior properties. Longevity, sustainability, and safety take centre stage. Based on over 30 years of fundamental research into battery ageing, we have succeeded in understanding and preventing the ageing processes in conventional lithium-ion batteries. The fact that this also works in practice has been proven by measurements on cells that have been cycled for over three years under harsh conditions (1C/1C charge/discharge at 0-100% state of charge) - with over 12,500 charging cycles to date. The basis for this is the patented HPB Solid-State Electrolyte, a new type of electrolyte that is characterised not least by its very high ionic conductivity over a wide temperature range (tested for -40 to +60°C), which is far higher than the conductivity of conventional liquid organic electrolytes.
- For which fields of application is HPB Technology suitable?
The focus in the development of the HPB Solid-State Battery is on stationary applications (home storage, industrial storage, large-scale storage for grid stabilisation, etc.). This is where the advantageous properties of our technology come into their own - not least the extremely long cycle life, which enables multiple use of storage systems and thus completely new business models. The field of stationary applications is just as important for a successful energy transition as the field of mobile applications, which has been the focus of much more debate to date, and also represents an enormously large, exponentially growing market.
- What are the performance data of the HPB Solid-State Battery?
At a nominal voltage of 3.2 V, each cell has a capacity of 50 Ah (160 Wh). This capacity can be fully utilised, i.e. from 0-100 % state of charge. The HPB Solid-State Battery is not only resistant to deep discharge, but can also be fast-charged: 2C/2C (i.e. half hourly) charging/discharging is possible as a continuous load, the minute load capacity is 6C. The energy density is up to 150 Wh/kg or 350 Wh/l. Eight cells are combined to form a module with a capacity of 1.28 kWh, and eight modules are combined to form a home storage battery with a capacity of 10.24 kWh. Based on this modular design, HPB Solid-State Batteries can be scaled as required, and the voltage and current can be adapted to the respective requirements through serial or parallel connection.
- What makes the HPB Solid-State Battery so safe to use?
Conventional lithium-ion batteries are associated with a certain risk of fire and explosion, which impairs their acceptance (e.g. in the home storage sector) and limits their application potential. In contrast to conventional liquid organic electrolytes, the HPB Solid-State Electrolyte is not flammable. Therefore, not only does the HPB Solid-State Battery not pose a fire hazard, but it is also considerably less flammable than conventional lithium-ion batteries when exposed to an externally caused fire. Safety also includes potential harm to people and the environment if battery cells are damaged in an accident, for example. Significant advantages over conventional batteries can also be expected in this area.
- Which substances are contained in the HPB Solid-State Battery?
The active materials used in the HPB Solid-State Battery are lithium iron phosphate (LFP) and graphite. In addition, there is stainless steel for the battery housing, nickel for the current collectors and the ingredients for the solid-state electrolyte. Unlike in NMC batteries, the nickel is present in pure form, which ensures good recyclability. None of the materials used have a high criticality, such as cobalt in NMC batteries.
- Why is the HPB Solid-State Battery ready for series production?
The HPB Solid-State Electrolyte forms after the addition of a liquid ingredient inside the cell. This allows two challenges faced by other solid-state battery approaches to be solved at once: A close contact is created between the HPB Solid-State Electrolyte and the electrodes, which is absolutely essential for good conductivity. What's more, established production technology for lithium-ion batteries with liquid electrolytes can be used to set up series production. We co-operate with a network of European plant manufacturers who have already gained experience with a precursor technology and are ready to set up production. The planning of production facilities up to plant level (both for pilot production and for gigafactories) is available.
- How far does the patent protection of HPB developments extend?
HPB Technology is protected in 96 countries worldwide and therefore in all relevant markets. The HPB Solid-State Electrolyte as the core element of our technology is protected as a substance and is therefore also "immune" to the possible development of alternative production methods. All patent specifications are freely available on our homepage at https://www.highperformancebattery.ch/en/medien-corner.php.