The Australian battery materials firm Sicona Battery Technologies received a $45 million grant from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency. Sicona plans to use the funds to build and operate its first commercial-scale production facility for silicon-carbon anode material. The material is marketed under the name SiCx.
Production is expected to reach 230 metric tons per year. This volume is intended primarily for customer qualification and initial commercial sales. Sicona is currently working with BlueScope Steel Limited to determine if the plant can be built on BlueScope’s Port Kembla site. To this end, the two companies have signed an exclusivity agreement.
Silicon-Carbon Instead of Pure Graphite Anodes
According to Sicona, SiCx is expected to increase the energy density of lithium-ion batteries by more than 20 percent. The company also claims that charging speeds will be more than 40 percent faster than those of conventional graphite anodes. This technology is compatible with existing lithium-ion battery production lines. The company references independent tests and evaluations by global battery manufacturers and automotive companies.
Moving from the Lab to the Supply Chain
Sicona envisions applications in electric vehicles, AI data centers, power tools, defense, robotics, and drones. The Wollongong facility is intended to validate the process on a commercial scale.
This project follows a licensing and strategic partnership with Himadri in India that was finalized in May 2025 and included a follow-on investment of 17.5 million Australian dollars. Concurrently, Sicona is planning a facility with an annual capacity of 6,500 metric tons. The company’s long-term goal is to increase capacity to 26,500 metric tons.
