FIAMM Bringing Alternative Energy Sodium Batteries to North America

ELECTRONICS: FIAMM and Switzerland-based MES-DEA have partnered to create a new company called FZ Sonick that will manufacture and market alternative energy storage solutions throughout the world. This proven and highly reliable storage technology is available for immediate deployment. FIAMM’s North American headquarters are located in Waynesboro, Ga.

Currently, MES-DEA sells advanced battery technology under the ZEBRA brand for use in electric vehicles. A version of the ZEBRA batteries is scheduled to power the first electric vehicle fleet of the European postal service. The new company’s SONICK-branded sodium-nickel-chloride product portfolio will improve energy storage in wireless cell sites, telecom data centers, uninterruptible power supplies, wheelchairs, busses, trains, and electric utility SmartGrid applications, among others.

The SONICK advanced battery technology delivers numerous benefits versus existing energy storage solutions, such as increased capacity, longer lifecycle, zero emissions, low-cost raw materials, enhanced safety, and high energy density that reduces the battery size and weight compared to lithium ion and lead acid batteries.

Further, the SONICK sodium-nickel-chloride technology enables a wider range of applications than sodium sulfur (NaS) technology, which has received notable attention as an emerging alternative energy source. According to the Electricity Storage Association, NGK Insulators, Ltd. of Japan is currently the only manufacturer and supplier of sodium-based batteries; however, General Electric (GE) announced in May 2009 its plans to manufacture sodium-based batteries at a plant that is scheduled to open in mid-2011.

Based on projected market demand for energy storage solutions, FZ Sonick plans to increase annual production to 170 MW from the 90 MW level recently achieved by MES-DEA. The company is evaluating additional manufacturing capacity for this advanced battery technology in North America.

FZ Sonick will be headquartered in Stabio, Switzerland where MES-DEA currently operates its manufacturing facility with a staff of 190 employees. Research and development efforts will take place at FIAMM’s headquarters in Italy. As part of the financial terms of the partnership, FZ Sonick purchased all patents, intellectual property and manufacturing equipment that were previously owned by MES-DEA.

The addition of advanced battery technology complements FIAMM’s existing line of industrial lead-acid batteries traditionally used in telecoms, electric utilities, data centers and manufacturing sites.

-Edited by Kelsey Anderson