A Melbourne-developed battery that can power a home or be taken on the road, is moving towards local
production, with $6.77 million in support from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).
The $19.35 million project will see Clutch Industries establish and operate a scalable manufacturing line
in Coburg North, Victoria for its PowerNet battery, incorporating semi-automated assembly, testing,
quality assurance and product traceability.
The portable PowerNet is an innovative energy platform centred around a modular 4 kWh battery using
solid-state battery cells. The solid-state battery architecture delivers a safer, lighter and a more compact
energy storage system which fits more energy into a compact battery pack, making them well-suited to
use at home or on the move. The units can be combined to form a household energy storage system or
used individually to power caravans, 4WDs, boats and other off-grid applications.
The project is expected to help move the technology from product development into scalable Australian
manufacturing. Testing will also provide practical evidence about the battery’s real-world performance.
ARENA CEO Darren Miller said the project was an opportunity to turn promising battery technology into
Australian manufacturing capability.
“A battery that can support a household and then be taken on the road shows how flexible and
innovative energy storage technology is becoming,” Mr Miller said.
“ARENA’s support will help Clutch Industries move from product development into scalable local
manufacturing, while testing the PowerNet battery in different real-world settings to get crucial
performance data.”
“Projects like this can build Australian manufacturing skills and give locally developed energy
technologies the opportunity to demonstrate their value at commercial scale.”
Clutch Industries CEO, Brad Davis said “Clutch Industries has a long history of Australian manufacturing,
and through our Density battery business, we’re building on that experience to develop next generation
energy storage solutions right here in Australia. ARENA’s support will help us take the next major step in
scaling up local battery manufacturing.
“Our vision for Density goes well beyond a single product. We’re unlocking product innovation, using
breakthroughs in battery technology to create solutions that were previously impractical or simply not
possible.
“With Density products already available through major Australian retailers, we’re excited to continue
expanding the brand, growing our manufacturing capabilities and bringing Australian-developed battery
technology to more consumers.”
