ENTEK is a global materials science and engineering company, and a preferred partner for customers in the Energy Storage industry. They produce and market lead-acid separators, lithium-ion separators, extruders, and engineering services on six continents. They combine best-in-class equipment with the pursuit of continuous improvement and innovation to give their customers industry-leading performance and reliability.

The 2024 BCI Innovation Award recognizes ENTEK’s solvent-free separator technology, providing a more environmentally friendly alternative that does not sacrifice strength or performance. Battery manufacturers can use this separator product within their existing capital equipment and manufacturing processes (e.g., enveloping).

Black Diamond Structures, LLC (BDS), formed as a joint venture between Molecular Rebar Design, LLC (MRD) and SABIC Industries in 2014. The company is charged with development and commercialization of Molecular Rebar Design’s proprietary MOLECULAR REBAR® (MR) carbon nanotube technology in the Energy Storage field, primarily lead-acid (Pb-Acid) batteries and lithium-ion (Li-Ion) cells. The company has grown due to the global adoption of its products which can be found in traction batteries at Heathrow airport, moving people on the streets of Delhi, powering automobiles in South America, awaiting purchase on AutoPart store shelves in the U.S., and enabling mission-critical backup power in hospitals throughout the Covid-19 pandemic (deemed “Critical Infrastructure”).

Clarios, recognized as a global leader in low-voltage systems, plays a pivotal role in driving innovation within the automotive industry. By closely collaborating with automakers, the company leverages its prominent position to introduce cutting-edge technologies that support advancements in powertrain technology and vehicle autonomy. Partnering with our customers, Clarios continues designing cost-effective energy storage solutions tailored to meet environmental, safety, and electrification requirements, to add value to our customers.

The implementation of Smart AGM was truly a cross-functional effort with Company Leadership support, including engineering, sales, manufacturing engineering, product management, and etc. The team went above and beyond the technology boundaries, to revolutionize this innovated lead-acid technology.

In the last ~30 years Dr. Mészáros Tamás worked on the innovation technologies of LA batteries (Green Accu, Akku Botond, Hungaro-Battery, Blewin Batteries, Green Lead Project, Uff, Uff2.0). His innovation, the “greenest” way from the green energy to EVs (green traffic), points out the steps that can be taken to further improve the parameters of LA batteries and the changes in manufacturing technology that can increase the utility value of the new generation by adapting technical parameters (lower internal resistance, lower mass, faster charging, reduced thermal sensitivity).

GS Yuasa Energy Solutions Inc. (GYES) assembled a team of world class partner companies to develop the BESS solution. GYES is responsible for marketing GS Yuasa’s stationary battery technology in North America and is the project manager and business leader for the BESS.

The SLR battery technology was developed by GS Yuasa Engineering in Japan and is manufactured at GS Yuasa’s main manufacturing campus in Kyoto, Japan.
For the BESS Balance of Plant GYES selected additional parties to support the turkey system design and fabrication. GYES partners with: Greentech Renewables for system electrical design, Nuvation Energy for the BMS/EMS, EPC Power provides the Power Conversion System and the containers are fabricated by Module X Solutions.

Li-Metal is a Canadian-based vertically integrated battery materials company and innovator commercializing technologies to enable next-generation batteries for electric vehicles and other applications. Its patented lithium metal technology, next-generation battery anode technology and production methods are significantly more sustainable than existing solutions and offer lighter, more energy-dense and safer batteries. Li-Metal’s battery materials support battery developers’ ability to power more cost-effective electric vehicles that go farther and unlock the future of transportation.

Li-Metal uses its roll-to-roll PVD anode technology to produce lithium on polymer and metalized polymer anode products. Li-Metal and Mustang Vacuum Systems Inc. (MVS), its exclusive PVD machine building partner, plan to work together to produce these second-generation products at commercial-scale. Li-Metal is also working with select customers to qualify its second-generation battery anode products and plans to begin sampling the material more broadly in 2024.

Li-Metal and MVS plan to jointly develop and operate Li-Metal’s first commercial-scale PVD machine at MVS’ facility in Florida, which is expected to be commissioned by mid 2024. Li-Metal’s first commercial-scale PVD machine aims to deliver between 1-2 million m2 of anode for use by several of its next generation battery developers working to get their B and C samples qualified.

Founded in 1984, Midtronics’ entire focus is developing and producing leading edge battery management equipment and services for the global automotive industry. Our advancements in testing, diagnostic charging, monitoring, and analytics have provided value across the entire battery lifecycle in automotive, heavy truck and motor sport industries.

With an over 40-year history of technological innovation and engineering, OPTIMA® products offer unstoppable power for extreme enthusiasts and others who require THE ULTIMATE POWER SOURCE®. In the 1970s, OPTIMA Batteries introduced the first maintenance-free lead acid batteries for commercial and military use and the first high‐performance AGM automotive batteries. OPTIMA innovation didn’t stop there, as in the past two years, they have introduced two lines of OPTIMA ORANGETOP lithium batteries — Powersports (six battery models) and Marine/RV (two battery models) — as well as three new chargers/maintainers.

Servato introduced its Adaptive Charging technology prototypes in 2013. Since then, the technology has been deployed in thousands of telecom sites, managing tens of thousands of 12v VRLA batteries, for companies such as Cox, Comcast, Frontier, Consolidated and AT&T. Servato’s systems connect managed batteries to the cloud and gather data from the batteries during rest periods that are regulated by instrument grade state of health measurements. An algorithm embedded in the remote device uses state of health data to determine the frequency and duration of the charge cycle. An average of six state of health data points are gathered each day from each battery, and when trended reveal patterns relating to performance and health. As theorized in 2012 by the late electrochemist David Boden (former advisor to Servato), we are now seeing 12v VRLAs that are 10+ years old providing 15+ hours of standy power during outages at remote telecom sites. And batteries that were lasting less than two years in hot, dry environments are now lasting 7-8 years and in some cases up to ten years. This technology has significant potential to make lead batteries more competitive with Lithium and other chemistries for standy applications.

Wirtz Manufacturing Company, headquartered in Port Huron, MI, has played a pivotal role in shaping the global energy storage market. Since revolutionizing Lead-Acid Battery plate making technology in 1935 (US Pat. 2,079,727), consumers have relied on Wirtz equipment for the safe and reliable manufacture of lead-acid batteries to support countless industries. From harvesting grain to delivering mail, and from navigating the golf course to navigating outer space, Wirtz has provided the technology to deploy energy when and where it is needed. With 124 active global patents, and hundreds of patents laying the framework for today’s expertise, the Wirtz advantage is unmatched in energy storage.