Battery demand is rising worldwide
Blackstone has the answer: Sustainable, clean, and efficient
The demand for batteries is growing and growing – while at the same time production costs are high and climate protection demands are increasing. Added to this are safety concerns such as the notorious fire hazard. Blackstone has developed an environmentally friendly and innovative solution to all these problems: The 3D screen printing of lithium-ion batteries in a water-based process. We print our batteries to fit any design and implement many technical advancements. The result: the production of contemporary energy storage systems and a solution to urgent questions about a new energy world.
At the same time, our plants are up to 70 % cheaper than conventional production facilities. We can reduce the manufacturing costs of batteries by up to 30 %. Today, we are already achieving an increased energy density of +20 %, and we expect an increase of 50 % for our coming solid-state batteries. Batteries from Blackstone: safe, non-combustible, environmentally friendly and powerful. We are shaping a sustainable energy transition. We are shaping the future.
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We open the door to a safe, clean and circular energy supply. Our vision is to make green electricity available in abundance, anytime, anywhere. To do this, we combine technical advances with sustainable environmental protection: The battery technologies we have developed enable energy-efficient production processes with reduced resource requirements and minimal waste products. At the same time, we significantly increase the gravimetric energy density, manufacture customer-specific designs with maximum flexibility and avoid toxins in production. Research and development make it possible: We rely on our own innovative 3D screen printing process and Blackstone Thick Layer Technology ©.
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Battery Technologies from Blackstone Resources
In 2018 we decided to set up our own battery production. In the same year we founded Blackstone Research GmbH, which is now called Blackstone Technology GmbH. Blackstone Resources has since made significant investments in research and development of next generation battery technology.
The goal of this commitment is at the core of our vision: The production and continuous development of new, sustainable and high-performance battery technologies with which we want to change the energy industry and positively influence society.
Whether electric cars, domestic energy storage or portable technologies: Today and in the future, the digital age demands modern battery solutions for a healthy, sustainable and productive life.
However, these technologies also require large quantities of battery materials, constant further development and new approaches to recycling and a circular economy. We believe that Blackstone Resources creates this value, which is why it can be considered the first vertically integrated battery company.
In our subsidiary, Blackstone Technology Holding AG, we bundle the operative business of production, research and development of our battery technologies. It also includes Blackstone Technology GmbH in Saxony, Germany. This company has the sole purpose of developing Blackstone’s know-how in the field of battery manufacturing.
The strategic location in Saxony offers access to a distinctive research landscape, high-tech mechanical engineering companies, an excellent infrastructure and many strategic customers such as the automotive industry.
The future is electric
In the future, we will increasingly drive electric vehicles, store energy at home using lithium batteries, use wearable technology and use increasingly powerful smartphones. This trend is inescapably linked to the digital age we are now entering. However, such technologies also require large amounts of battery materials and much better battery technology. We believe Blackstone Resources delivers this value by being the first vertically integrated battery cell and battery technology company. The market for lithium-ion batteries is already growing at a rapid pace. It is strongly influenced by the technological changes and developments that we have experienced with increasing frequency in recent years.
Blackstone's first battery production facilities
In November 2020, Blackstone Research opened its first manufacturing facilities, which will mass-produce the next generation of battery cells for industrial applications and electric vehicles.
The opening of these production facilities represents an important milestone for the company and brings the realization of its vision within reach. The first scaling stage of the installed systems will offer a production capacity of 0.5 GWh per year. But that is only the beginning. Space for a major expansion of these facilities is already available to Blackstone and is part of our roadmap.
Blackstone's proprietary battery technology
Blackstone has researched and developed a number of technologies that we expect will cause great change in the future.
Among the most promising technologies the company is currently developing are its proprietary 3D printing techniques for manufacturing lithium-ion batteries. Printed battery electrodes and solid-state battery technology are used here.
3D-printed batteries
This is a unique and patent-pending technology that can be used to manufacture both liquid-electrolyte batteries and solid-state batteries. This technology offers the potential to double the energy density and cuts manufacturing costs of lithium-ion battery technology in half.
Automated 3D-printing battery production could also save up to 70% of conventional capital expenditure. It could also reduce operational costs by 30%, when compared to current production technology. In addition to this, the flexibility of a 3D-printing system significantly increases manufacturing efficiency.
These advances would address some of the weaknesses that plague even the most advanced battery cell production today:
- There is a lack of flexibility to support component design, which must match product design.
- It is too expensive (target:< 80 USD/kWh).
- It is not applicable to future designs such as the manufacture of pure solid state batteries.
- The energy density achieved is too low (goal: range of 600 miles and> 300Wh/kg).
- The supply of raw materials remains insecure
- The carbon footprint is too high.
Blackstone addresses these weaknesses by:
- Use of a proven and patent-pending 3D printing technology used in the manufacture of lithium-ion batteries, offering maximum flexibility in production.
- Using its technology to achieve a CAPEX saving 30% and an OPEX saving of 10%, while with solid-state technology a CAPEX saving of 70% and OPEX saving of 30%
- Use of the world’s first 3D screen printing production process, with which solid-state batteries can be mass-produced.
- Using its technology to increase energy density by 20%, and by 100% when solid-state technology is used
- Using its own resources to shorten the supply chain and ensure long-term access to battery materials.
- Achieve a 25% reduction in energy consumption as the drying process effort is reduced by 50%. This represents the most significant manufacturing cost for battery cells – it accounts for 45% to 57% of total energy costs.
In addition, we see further advantages through the use of our technology. For example:
- Our Thick Layer Technology provides 20% more energy density, plus lower inactive material consumption.
- There is less complexity compared to traditional battery manufacturing & the possibility to print batteries in any shape with a single 3D-system (almost any dimension is possible).
- The ability to add additives to the printing process and the ability to print thin current collectors or embedded electronic components in the batteries.
- Automatic production at high speed is also possible.
Solid-state batteries
The manufacture of solid-state batteries offers the potential for a quantum leap in energy density and will significantly reduce the cost of battery technologies. In addition, there is the possibility of accelerating the charging process by about six times. These batteries are also safer as they avoid using flammable, dangerous and toxic substances that are typically found in liquid electrolyte batteries.
The use of Blackstone’s 3D-printing with solid-state technology will also create a strong foundation for mass-producing Blackstone`s lithium batteries.
This is our ultimate goal.