FACT SHEET

Project for ARENA Emerging Renewables Program

Project Information Project Title: UltraBattery Distributed PV Support & UltraBattery for RAPS

Recipient: Smart Storage Pty Ltd trading as Ecoult

Subcontractors: CSIRO & East Penn Manufacturing

Project Number: Q00173

Report Period: 30 January – 30 April 2013

Background Australian energy storage company Ecoult has been awarded Australian Government funding through the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) to conduct small/mid-sized storage project development using UltraBattery technology to deliver cost effective storage solutions for homes and businesses in Australia and around the world.

Description of Project Sealed lead acid batteries (VRLAs) are today the dominant chemistry used in distributed energy storage. However, they have operating limitations. VRLA batteries steadily lose capacity with each discharge and must then be 'refreshed' periodically through an overcharge to restore capacity. Overcharging can be disruptive and ultimately sacrifices some of the useful life of the battery. In this project, Ecoult will apply CSIRO's breakthrough UltraBattery technology to deliver superior energy storage solutions in three types of application:

1. Remote Area Power Supply (RAPS) - off-grid renewable power solutions; 2. Distributed grid connected storage to support voltage and power fluctuations

that arise where there is dense concentration of small (rooftop) solar PV in residential areas; and

3. Improved diesel efficiencies. Recent Sandia National Laboratories tests show that UltraBattery can outperform VRLAs by a material multiple (>5X).

Objectives This 30-month project aims to:

a. Demonstrate the lower costs of storage achievable through using longer lived UltraBattery measured on a per kwh basis;

b. Demonstrate the lower operating costs achievable through the high temperature variant to UltraBattery and its ability operate in high temperature without air-conditioning;

c. Support UltraBattery longevity through the use of affordable Ecoult designed battery management modules (to keep the Ultrabatteries operating within optimal range of charge); and

d. Introduce CSIRO developed algorithms to be bundled with Ecoult battery packages to optimise use of the energy store and/or facilitate integration of increasing levels of renewable penetration.

More broadly this project also seeks to demonstrate the capabilities of Ecoult and CSIRO as knowledgeable and leading players in the Australian renewable energy industry. Extended useful life, coupled with reduced maintenance and battery use optimisation extracted through CSIRO algorithms will mean a lower effective cost of storage.

What is UltraBattery? Invented by Australia’s CSIRO, UltraBattery® is a completely new class of lead-acid technology: a hybrid, long-life lead-acid energy storage device containing both an Ultra-capacitor and a lead-acid battery in a common electrolyte. It operates very efficiently in continuous Partial State of Charge use without frequent overcharge maintenance cycles and is successfully deployed around the globe in automotive (such as hybrid electric vehicles), motive and stationary (such as grid storage, microgrid and renewable energy) applications. Standard valve-regulated lead-acid (VRLA) batteries can form ‘hard’ lead sulfate deposits inside the negative plate when operated continuously in a Partial State of Charge (PSoC) regime, unless given frequent refresh overcharge cycles. The capacitor integrated in the UltraBattery chemistry modifies the process associated with the formation and dissolving of sulfate crystals in the negative plate when charging and discharging. This enables the UltraBattery to operate with high efficiency in Partial State of Charge use, and combined with the cycling endurance of the technology, results in an ability to process a much greater amount of energy in the device’s usable lifetime – a significant multiple over standard VRLA battery technology. This capability is fundamental to the typical grid and renewables requirements for smoothing the variability and shifting of energy. With its high cycling life, high conversion efficiency and low operating costs, UltraBattery offers an economical $/kWh solution for whole of life for continuous regulation services and intermittency control. It is safe, recyclable and with virtually zero emissions the economic and environmentally sound alternative to conventional generation assets. The out-performance of UltraBattery across a range of key performance parameters has been proven in multiple tests by organisations including Sandia National Laboratory, the Advanced Lead Acid Battery Consortium (ALABC), CSIRO, Furukawa Battery, East Penn

Who’s involved? ARENA: The Australian Renewables Energy Agency are funding this project as part of the Emerging Renewables Program. The $126 million Emerging Renewables

Program supports the development of renewable energy technologies in Australia across the innovation chain. Ecoult: Smart Storage Pty Ltd (trading as Ecoult) are licensed to develop and market UltraBattery products for stationary applications. Ecoult are developing the UltraBattery products for this project. CSIRO: The Commonwealth Science and Industry Research Organisation are the inventors of UltraBattery and providing research and testing for this project. East Penn Manufacturing: Are one of the largest lead-acid battery manufacturers in the world. They have the license to manufacture UltraBatteries and will manufacture the UltraBatteries for this project.

Where is it taking place? The design and development activities are taking place at Ecoult’s offices in Sydney. The testing will be undertaken at CSIRO’s Newcastle research facility. The UltraBattery units will be manufactured at the East Penn Manufacturing plant in Lyon Station, PA, USA.

More Information: For more information contact Ecoult at info@ecoult.com or +61 (02) 9241 3001