Thank you to all the companies who submitted for the 2024 Innovation Award. For more information you can read the news release announcing ENTEK as the 2024 winner and watch the video of the 2024 Innovation Award submissions.
ENTEK, Winner
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
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”).
BDS believes in delivering quality products, where they matter. PbLiteTM is the latest manifestation of this, answering the manufacturer’s call to extract more value from their raw materials and improve the overall consistency of their battery products. BDS is proud to offer a product which reduces waste, increases plant efficiency, and improves our customers’ margins.
CAM SRL
CAM SRL’s R&D team designed and engineered FASMELT with economic funding awarded through Italy’s National Plan to implement The European Union’s 4th industrial revolution. FASMELT is a no gas melting pot, with rapid melting time, extremely low dross production, and most of all, roughly 60% lower energy costs by using magnetic induction. This clean system allows immediate production, and no need to maintain temperatures when not producing. It requires roughly 20 minutes liquify lead, ready to be fed to the rolling mill.
Clarios, Honorable Mention
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.
Daramic
The needs of Daramic’s customers drive their innovation, creativity and desire to deliver impactful solutions. They do this in three steps: 1. Knowing the needs of their customer by listening and understanding their concerns. 2. Move from 2v lab research in two R&D facilities, Japan & USA, to 12-volt batteries quickly. 3. Move beyond flooded lead batteries into VRLA by leveraging the best of the low cost flooded battery and combine with VRLA performance to deliver the next evolution in separator development.
Daramic® StratosphereTM integrates the proven features of flooded, GEL, and AGM lead-acid battery separator technologies to enhance robustness, cycle life, cost and reliable battery management system (BMS) communications. This represents a significant advancement and evolution in the field of lead batteries, reinforcing their position as one of the most cost-effective battery technologies available today.
Dr. Mészáros Tamás
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., Honorable Mention
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 Corp.
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.
Midtronics, Inc.
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 curiosity and innovation at the core of Midtronics values, we focus our efforts on solving the most impactful problems for our customers. Testing batteries in service environments can be difficult and time consuming. To improve this, Midtronics focused it’s resources and innovation on providing technicians a handheld battery tester capable of unparalleled speed and accuracy. To achieve this, Midtronics developed the MVT powered by MDX-AI diagnostic technology. The MVT powered by MDX-AI harnesses our almost 40 years of experience, expertise, and innovation to enable lightning-fast battery testing while maintaining professional accuracy.
OPTIMA Batteries
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.
The ORANGETOP is a game-changing product that has the scale to fit over 95% of powersports vehicles. The ORANGETOP brings the power, strength and performance of OPTIMA to a powersports market.
Servato Corp
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.
Servato owns the patented Adaptive Charging technology and is responsible for commercializing its potential, including technology development, sales and support of customers who have deployed the technology.
Wirtz Manufacturing
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.
As a world class tooling and specialized capital equipment technology company, Wirtz Manufacturing focuses on continuous improvement and innovation. For this reason, Wirtz has leveraged the benefits of traditional gravity casting and has repackaged the technology into a groundbreaking piece of continuous casting equipment. The Gravity FlowCaster offers a clear advantage in operational safety, manufacturing cost, industry sustainability, and product performance compared to historical casting methods.
Past Innovation Award Submissions
Gopher Resource, Winner
The SCRUM process uses furnace fuming technology to separate the tin and lead into a concentrated fume form with very high selectivity and efficiency, leaving behind a “cleaned” bulk iron sodium-silicate “SCRUM Slag.”
Gopher Resource’s innovative process separates 99% of useful metals from lead blast furnace slags, producing LME-grade tin and lead bullion that can be refined and used in new batteries. The remaining SCRUM Slag is an environmentally-friendly byproduct that can be repurposed and shows promising potential for commercialization. The ability to recover these metals from lead battery recycling slag in a safe, economically feasible way is an industry first.
Ace Green Recycling
ACE Green Recycling is a US-based green recycling technology company with global operations. Employing proprietary, world-class technology, ACE’s recycling process is Scope 1 emissions-free and fully electrified, recovering over 99% of battery materials from lead batteries recycling. Our groundbreaking approach is not only highly efficient, but also greener and safer than traditional methods, while also delivering superior cost economics. Already deployed at commercial scale, ACE’s green recycling technology aims to assist the battery industry in making electrification sustainable to help enable the global energy transition.
Daramic, Honorable Mention
Daramic® HiCharge™ helps to extend battery life in motive power and other deep cycle applications with increasing operations in partial-state-of-charge. Through a special waterloss feature and patented profile, HiCharge retards water loss, grid corrosion and helps prevent acid stratification, prolonging battery life.
STC S.r.l.
The U4Lead process by STC, protected by National and International (PCT) patent, is based on the use of UREA as chemical for the desulphurization of paste and electrolyte neutralization. Thanks to the great R&D team, the company discovered that it was possible to implement an even more efficient desulphurization process, able to overcome the above-mentioned limitations while ensuring at the same time all the advantages of the most recent desulphurization process.
Water Gremlin Co.
As a trial, Water Gremlin converted one of its coating machines to the new ultraviolet (UV) light cured coating process. To date approximately 10% of their coating capacity has been converted to a UV-curable coating, known as Gremlin Green. By doing so, it has impressively been able to reduce solvent usage by nearly 20%. Water Gremlin intends to continue to implement UV cure technology to eventually end all usage of organic solvents for coating in their facility. Water Gremlin’s commitment is to reduce solvent usage by more than 50% by the end of 2023 and by more than 80% in 2024 and beyond.
Thank you to all the companies who submitted for the 2022 Innovation Award. For more information you can read the news release announcing Advanced Battery Concepts as the 2022 winner and watch the video of the 2022 Innovation Award submissions.
Advanced Battery Concepts, Winner
ABC Home Emergency Energy Storage system build on a foundation of GreenSeal bipolar lead acid battery technology supported by a portfolio of 50+ patents and trade secrets. System solution to the residential energy stability issues plaguing aging grid infrastructure and over burdened generation sources. Additionally coupling with solar installations for a true microgrid solution.
Abertax Technologies
The new GEL CIRCULATION PROCESS does away with standard filling processes for GEL Batteries. it needs less investment in machinery, reduced production time & labour cost. It is an Environmental friendly process -no acid wastage & much better quality/performance of such manufactured batteries. From results, it seems that this system will be adopted as the standard by major Gel battery manufacturers.
Daramic
Daramic HD Plus reinvents the battery separator with an innovative design that increases life in golf cart and other deep cycle batteries. This state-of-the-art solution fights against antimony poisoning, helping improve battery performance where it matters most.
Hollingsworth & Vose
HV has recently developed PowerFill AGM to solve these challenges by enhancing the surface of the separator to create open channels. With the open channels on the PowerFill AGM separator, the gaseous species in the pocket can escape more easily from the battery during the acid filling process, thereby allowing acid to flow quickly and evenly into the center of the plates/AGM. The PowerFillTM patented technology can be applied to various types of AGM, and the resultant separators still retain the same strength and compression retention behaviour of the base AGM.
UFF
With the Blewin development, I made the necessary machine equipment suitable for large-scale use. The batteries with grids produced by this have increased the specific power of about 60 Wh / kg to 80 Wh / kg and have shown other technical advantages. Another important advantage of the Blewin system is that it minimizes pollution from lead processing.
Vivet Technology
Repeating Layer Manufacturing. by exploiting a mathematical characteristic in the battery design, we designed a manufacturing process that introduces new levels of manufacturing capabilities that have not been possible for the last 120 years of manufacturing. the new method be able to build a manufacturing system capable of lower time to market, Lower Cost, over 95% System availability.
Thank you to all the companies who submitted for the 2021 Innovation Award. For more information you can read the news release announcing Hammond Group as the 2021 winner and watch the video of the 2021 Innovation Award submissions.
Hammond, Winner
Hammond Performance Additives’ patent-pending innovation, lead silicate enables batteries to achieve the benefits of reduced acid stratification without any of the downsides inherent to traditional solutions. This additive integrates with the lead oxide plate structure significantly increasing surface area. These “micro-sponges” trap the acid electrolyte and slow its release during charging. By reducing the rate of electrolyte outflow, the acid density gradient is minimized.
Abertax Technologies Limited, Honorable Mention
Automated data collection from battery monitoring systems has become a necessity in today’s world. To complement our E2BMS product line the R&D team has created a novel modular software system that can adapt to the various network requirements of the battery industry, including those who monitor equipment at third party premises, improving sustainability and longevity of lead acid batteries.
Aqua Metal
Aqua Metals has invented a cleaner and more cost-efficient lead recycling technology, AquaRefining™, which utilizes a room temperature, closed-loop, waterbased process combined with non-toxic, biodegradable organic proprietary electrolyte to produce a lead purity of no less than 99.996%. Aqua Metals is expanding its proven, patented technology to lithium-ion.
CAM
The CAM Method, a system based on 50 years of research and development is the help you’re looking for. The CAM Method is a series of operating strategies that facilitate battery producers, allowing them to manufacture high quality, high performance industrial and SLI battery plates, while reducing energy costs.
Customized Energy Solutions
The product is a fast charger for Lead Acid battery powered electric vehicles. Currently, it is meant for fast charging batteries of Electric Rickshaws. It can also be modified for quick charging of VRLA batteries in Electric Scooters and bikes as well as heavy duty batteries in material handling equipment like Electric Forklift trucks, Platform Trucks, Tow Trucks as well as Golf carts.
Green Lead
Logical reforms in the recycling of LA batteries in order to:
- for the environment
- improving the energy efficiency of the lead „circular process”
- simplification lead logistics
A possible way to do this would be solved by the Green Lead Project with the extra benefit that lead grids that can be manufactured in one step as a final product can be used in better batteries.
Mojtaba Hosseini
Introduction to a new recycling system that allows you recover twice the amount of lead from used batteries and become number one in production and recycling lead acid batteries. I have made a compound that allow extraction of total lead in used batteries, lead oxide, lead ore/concentrate, and all other lead compunds. You can extract of the existing lead up to the last atom from the first smelting process of any lead product, compound, or concentrate. When lead acid batteries or other lead compounds are mixed with my compound for smelting, you will have no for mating of heavy lead slag or powder in bag filters. My compound turns complete lead content accessible.
Nanoramic Laboratories
Neocarbonix™ – an electrode technology platform that effectively eliminates polymer binders from the electrode active layer. Results have been demonstrated for both LIB cathodes and EDLC electrodes. Nanoramic’s Neocarbonix electrodes have significantly lower ESR, better C-rate capabilities, greater active material thickness for improved energy density, while also retaining or improving capacity.
PESO (Port Energy Systems Optomisation)
The PESO system demonstrates how lead-acid battery technology in a new configuration with lithium-ion technology and an intelligent control system contributes to the cost-effective and environmentally sound energy storage systems of a port. PESO demonstrates how this technology can be used in other ports to improve air quality, reduce carbon emissions and facilitate port electrification.
You can view the full video of all 2020 Innovation Award submissions here.
ArcActive, Winner
AACarbon
ArcActive has re-engineered the negative electrode of the Lead Battery to remove the Lead Grid and replace it with a non-woven Carbon Fibre Fabric (AACarbonTM). The benefit of this innovation is that it solves the number one technical challenge facing the industry (as identified by the CBI): achieving high and sustained Dynamic Charge Acceptance while delivering very low Water Consumption.
1-800-Battery
Battery Focused E-Commerce/SaaS Platform
1-800-Battery is the first e-commerce marketplace/Saas Platform that focuses on the unique problems of retailing Lead Acid Batteries on the Internet. We’re the pioneer of a disruptive business model: Connecting geolocated consumers with independent retail brick and mortar and mobile service providers. We call this “disconnected omnichannel”. We turn Where to Buy into Buy Now.
Abertax Technologies Limited
Battery Electrolyte Level Sensor Probe
Abertax currently has a very successful electrolyte level sensor in its product line, which presently carries a lead probe. The R&D team has now come up with a new development doing away with lead & replacing it with composite carbon fibre. This has been done in the best interest of Health and Safety of anyone handling the product plus a perspective towards a greener environment and sustainability.
Chittaranjan Ghosh
Novel Electrodes and Battery Charging Method
A novel pair of lead – acid battery electrodes, which are bagged in terelyne cloth bag without having used any pasting to avoid paste mixer, pasting machine and oven etc. By increasing active material ratio to structural material, higher energy density is achieved.
A battery charging method is provided which includes a combination of CC and CV mode to reduce the emission of harmful gases, conserve electrical energy and extend the life of flooded type lead acid batteries during Jar formation.
CMWTEC Technologie GmbH
Advanced High Rate Discharge Test Machine
Advanced High Rate Discharge (HRD) test machine with integrated impedance & DC internal Resistance measurement for automotive lead-acid batteries. Our new feature presents a new approach of an End-of Line test machine (EOL) in terms of its assembly, programming flexibility and the ability to accurately discriminate between acceptable and unacceptable batteries.
Daramic
Carbon Coated Separator
Daramic has invested heavily in research to understand how the separator may influence achieving CBI battery targets in partial state of charge cycle life, dynamic charge acceptance, water loss and corrosion. This has led to the development of a separator that increases acid to the negative, prevents active material swelling, and adds carbon that intimately contacts the negative plate.
Flow-Rite Controls
Sensor Suite
The Flow-Rite sensor suite measures, collects, and tracks essential characteristics of a deep cycle battery pack. These sensors allow you to manage the care for your deep cycle batteries either wirelessly or through a vehicle’s on-board computer. This allows you to monitor, track, and control your fleet 24/7.
Mega Amps International
EQLYTE
Introducing EQLYTE (EE-KEW-LITE), an effective optimisation of electrochemical hydrodynamics within flooded Lead Acid cells yielding increased discharge capacity and active material utilization. Electrolyte optimization is conducive to 25% – 35% more discharge capacity and improves the PbSO4 solubility facilitating a more efficient charge and discharge process with less raw material usage.
Power Sonic
The e-co2tainer
The e-co2tainer (pronounced Ecotainer) is a mobile unit where drivers can charge their electric cars at project locations. The required electricity is generated with solar panels and wind turbines which are on top of the unit and a generator placed inside the unit that works exclusively on Biofuel. A completely independent off grid solution.
PRO Charging Systems
Battery Optimization System (B.O.S.)
The Battery Optimization System (B.O.S.) is an active balancer for multiple batteries in a series configuration. The B.O.S. will keep the batteries balanced during charge, discharge, and rest. This allows for greater run times as well as prolonging battery life by means of energy shuttling which can be monitored via wireless communication to a phone or tablet with the free ProView Link app.
TBS Engineering
Automatic Plate Loader
Automation equipment to load positive and negative plates into a stacker without human intervention. The equipment scans a pallet of plates to determine the position of the stacks, lifts the stack and loads the plates into a plate shuffler designed to stop plates from sticking together. The shuffler then loads the plates into the feeders of the stacker. Plate loading up to 360 per/min is possible.
Very
IoT Inventory Management System
Interstate Batteries teamed up with Very to design and build an IoT-powered inventory management system to track the location of their batteries in retail stores and mechanic shops across the country. With this new system, drivers can use much smaller, more fuel efficient trucks and drive shorter routes because of the more efficient inventory management the solution enables.
The Wirtz Group of Companies
The RTR “Ready to Run” used lead acid battery breaking and separation system is a complete, fully assembled, piped, and electrically integrated, skidded breaking and separation system which can be shipped worldwide, installed and started up in less than a day, does not require special foundations, and can be ran by a single operator.
Please click on the company logos to view a short video about their Sally Breidegam Miksiewicz Innovation Award submission. You may also view the full playlist of videos here. Thank you to all the companies who submitted.
RSR Technologies Inc., Winner
SUPERSOFT-HYCYLE
An active R&D initiative in the secondary lead industry has produced a new alloy, SUPERSOFT-HYCYCLE, enabling lead batteries to function at 2x current standards. Use of the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory has helped verify this improvement. The alloy improves cycle life, dynamic charge acceptance and capacity.
Battery Rescue
The Battery Transport and Storage Container
Battery collection service to remote mine sites located in Western Australia. For our customers, such as BHP, the BTS Containers provided an environmentally superior and safer method, than wood pallets, for storing and transporting their used batteries. The use of battery powered 4G IoT technology has enabled us to overcome many of the transport challenges to large mine sites in remote areas.
Abertax Technologies
Wireless Battery Monitoring System – Charger Communication System
This new innovation patented by Abertax in cooperation with Industrie Elektronik Brilon (IEB). involves the development of wireless data transmission through Abertax e2 BMS. Once a battery is connected to the charger, it is identified wireless and transfers all its relevant battery data to the charger which in turn adjusts its charging regime according to the particular battery conditions.
Customized Energy Solutions
Lead Battery Operation & Maintenance Manual for Solar PV Plants
When lead acid battery banks at most Indian solar PV microgrids were observed to supply either less than half of their capacity or failing after a few minutes of discharge within just few months of operation, an O&M intervention in the form of a lead acid battery manual was envisaged, which helped increase solar plant output to 44 percent within just one month of operation.
Daramic
Daramic Shuttle Table by Huff Technologies
A key to understanding how the battery functions, including its failure modes, is to mimic real world scenarios during testing. Daramic has developed a proprietary motion testing method along with innovative new machinery. The Daramic Shuttle Table creates a battery testing paradigm shift that simulates real world battery use case scenarios.
Microporous
Microporous Charge Acceptance Booster Mat
The demand for EFB continues to grow with increased use of start-stop technology. High charge acceptance is a key requirement for EFB and motive power where opportunity charging is a core requirement. This invention is a high charge acceptance enhancing separator component with a unique formulation of high surface area carbon and other additives for fast charging capability in a battery.
Narada
Narada Frequency Regulation Energy Storage PCR Project
Narada frequency regulation energy storage PCR project was partnered with energy storage operator, Upside Group. The project was built to participate frequency regulation for the German power grid. The project location is Langenreichenbach. The construction capacity of of Narada’s frequency regulation energy storage PCR project is 75MW. The installed capacity of the first phase project is 16.4MW, and the peak energy storage capacity can reach 25MWh. This project consists of 18 containers, and the battery consists of 10584 units 1200 Ah lead-carbon valve regulated cell. It is powered by nine inverters, each of which can provide 1.8 MVA.
The battery is operated at partial state-of-charge so that it can accept and deliver charge all the time. It can supply more than one month of electricity supply to 80 households on each charge. This project has passed the certificate and review of the German power grid, and has participated in the EU power grid frequency auxiliary service officially.
Philadelphia Scientific
iBOS Charger-Splitter
iBOS Charger Splitter will half the number of chargers you need in your battery room. This enables forklift operators to sequentially charge two batteries with one charger. Creating a huge savings for your battery room!
Power-Sonic
DRM System
The Power Sonic Demand Response Module (DRM) is a fully integrated and unique energy storage solution for medium and high voltage grid connection. The system offers faster response times to variations in demand and supply, helping maintain grid stability and ensuring reliable, high-quality energy supply response through a range of application. Perfect for peak shaving, and frequency regulation.
Terrapure Environmental
LI Detector
Terrapure has developed a technology to detect and remove lithium-ion batteries—a significant equipment and safety risk—from the lead recycling stream. Called the Li-ion detector or LI Detector™, it uses high-frequency radio waves to detect lithium-ion batteries by scanning for their unique charging and protection circuitry. If detected, they can be easily removed by hand or automatically.
VOLTiFiC
Battery Sizing Software
The first universal battery sizing software capable of sizing critical applications across multiple vendors, technologies, and product lines. No more guessing battery capacity requirements. An unbiased, scientific approach to sizing and comparing battery solutions. You can also use it as sizing validation. Find the correct and best optimized battery solution in minutes, simply visit VOLTiFiC.COM.
Please click on the company logos to view a short video about their Sally Breidegam Miksiewicz Innovation Award submission. You may also view our playlist of all 2018 submissions. Thank you to all the companies who submitted.
Gridential Energy, Inc., Winner
Gridtential’s Silicon Joule® Technology
Gridtential Energy’s breakthrough Silicon Joule® battery architecture combines the traditional benefits of lead-acid batteries – low cost, recyclability, and safety – with a novel bipolar battery architecture. As demand in high-power applications increases across industries, Gridtential’s technology delivers the high dynamic charge acceptance (DCA) required to meet these evolving performance needs.
Abertax Technologies
One Valve Lid
An Innovation patented by Abertax solving a weakness of VRLA batteries during the charging process. It provides equal pressure in all cells of a battery preventing early failure caused by unequal loss of electrolyte and differences in charging and discharging voltages per cell. Moreover the new lid design can control the charging regime guaranteeing a perfect recharge without any cell gassing.
Daramic
Carbon Coated Separator Technology
Analysis of carbon’s use in improving dynamic charge acceptance coupled with a patented application process led to the invention of Carbon Coated Separator Technology. The solution reduces sulfation crystal growth – which means more active surface area on the plates for improved conductance of the electrode. We have created a separator that will increase the amount and speed of electrification.
GNB Industrial Power
Tensor x Gel
GNB Industrial Power (headquarter in Milton, Georgia), one of the market leaders in battery manufacturing and well known for reliable flooded and gel lead traction batteries for hard industrial use developed the next generation of lead batteries: TENSOR the unique high performance battery and TENSOR xGEL the innovative maintenance-free battery.
Highwater Innovations
Go Battery
The GO Battery is a Geometrically Optimized low aspect ratio, spiral-wound VRLA battery for high power. Results show that these improvements result in a 2-9X increase in specific power over available VRLA batteries. The GO Battery challenges the VRLA status quo. In the hands of the right battery manufacturing partner, the patented GO Battery design may prove to be the bane of Li-ion.
Terrapure Environmental
LI Detector
Terrapure has developed a technology to detect and remove lithium-ion batteries—a significant equipment and safety risk—from the lead recycling stream. Called the Li-ion detector or LI Detector™, it uses high-frequency radio waves to detect lithium-ion batteries by scanning for their unique charging and protection circuitry. If detected, they can be easily removed by hand or automatically.
UK Power Tech
Connector Design
UK Powertech has designed a new connector system, comprising of a new style connector with better materials, which is able to be fitted and also removed with minimum time and effort, combined with better connector maintenance and operating procedures. Working with customers and conducting in house testing, UK Powertech have combined an easy push fit, more corrosion resistant connector design with working practices which will minimize the build-up of a high resistance layer on the connector head.
UNISEG Products
Battery Transport and Storage
UNISEG Products has designed and developed the Battery Transport & Storage (BTS) Container as a safer, more environmentally sustainable and efficient method to store and transport used lead acid batteries destined for recycling. The BTS Container addresses many of the short comings of the widely used wooden pallet.
Winner of the 2017 Sally Breidegam Miksiewicz Innovation Award
Congratulations to NorthStar Battery, who were awarded the 2017 Sally Briedegam Miksiewicz Innovation Award for its Advanced Connected Energy mobile app . Thank you to everyone who submitted.
Please click on the company logos to view a short video about their Sally Breidegam Miksiewicz Innovation Award submission.
NorthStar Battery Company, Winner
NorthStar ACE™
Advanced Battery Concepts
Bipolar Lead Acid Battery
Aqua Metals
AquaRefining for Lead Recycling
Daramic
Daramic® EFS™ and Daramic® RipTide™
Gridential Energy, Inc.
Gridtential’s Silicon Joule® Technology
Hammond Group, Inc
Lead Acid Battery Lab E=(LAB)2
Remy Battery Co., Inc.
FreshStart Packaging
Winner of the 2016 Sally Breidegam Miksiewicz Innovation Award
Congratulations to Hammond Group, Inc, who were awarded the inaugural Sally Briedegam Miksiewicz Innovation Award for its advances in lead (PbA) battery chemistry. Thank you to everyone who submitted.
Honorable Mentions
Please click on the company logos to view a short video about their Sally Breidegam Miksiewicz Innovation Award submission.
Hammond Group, Inc, Winner
K2 Expanders and Lead Acid Battery Lab (LAB)2
Abertax Technologies
GEL Battery Production
Advanced Battery Concepts
GreenSeal Technology
Advanced Lead Acid Battery Consortium
Carbon in Negative Plates of VRLA Batteries
Aqua Metals
AquaRefining for Lead Recycling
Black Diamond Structures
Molecular Rebar Discrete Carbon Nanotubes
Club Assist U.S. LLC.
Safe2Start DC-DC Battery Charger
Daramic
DuraLife
Digatron Power Electronics GmbH
Digatron RE Series
Engineering Office Dr. Nitsche
Built to Order Manufacturing: VACForm and ConCure
Flow-Rite Controls
Battery Steward App and Web Portal
Glatfelter
Dynagrid NG-28 Synthetic Fibrous Web
Gridential Energy, Inc.
Gridtential Silicon Joule Technology
Highwater Innovations
Geometrically Optimized (GO) Battery
MAC Engineering & EneSys Inc.
Eliminating Paste Particles and Reducing Lead in Air
NorthStar Battery Company
The Blue Battery
Tulip Molded Plastics Corporation
Acid Ring Design to Eliminate Auxiliary Coatings
NorthStar Battery Company
Modular 8D Battery
Lead batteries will be the primary stored power source for these systems. Based upon our insights, we believe lead AGM – or absorbed glass mat batteries – will be the battery of choice for the next 20-plus years.