Fonterra’s Waitoa plant is trialling a new industrial-scale organic battery that could support greater energy security and distributed electricity generation for New Zealand.
The battery – which is believed to be a world first – is made from electrically conductive polymers, an organic-based compound with the ability to act like metal.
It was developed by PolyJoule, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) spin-off, which Fonterra is partnering with for the project.
Late last year the battery was installed on a Fonterra farm at Te Rapa. The battery was cycled daily, supporting dairy shed operations for 10 months.
It has since been shifted to the Waitoa UHT site, which can be affected by power disturbances leading to downtime and waste.
Fonterra chief operating officer Fraser Whineray said Fonterra is a significant electricity user at about 2.5% of the national grid, making a sustainable and secure electricity supply vital to the co-operative’s local sales and exports.
“At Fonterra we have a strategy to lead in sustainability, and innovation partnerships are a critical ingredient to achieving this.
“The PolyJoule battery has a remarkable discharge rate, which may ultimately link with ultra-fast charging our fleet, including Milk-E, our electric milk tanker.”
He said the trial is a significant milestone for Fonterra and he sees the technology having “big, game-changing applications” for the co-operative.
New Zealand is the first place where this type of battery has been installed and he cautioned it is early days in the technology’s development.
The trial includes exploring how the technology can be applied within Fonterra’s business and manufacturing.
“It’s the creativity of the engineering teams and the creativity teams to see what we can do with it for New Zealand,” he said.
While it will not assist Fonterra in reducing its coal usage, it could help Fonterra be more efficient in its energy usage, he said.
Its Waitoa site uses coal and it and Fonterra’s other coal-powered factories emit about 800,000t of carbon dioxide a year.
PolyJoule chief executive Eli Paster said he sees great opportunity for growth in NZ in terms of supporting energy security and job creation in the manufacturing and technology sectors.
“We both have sustainability front and centre of our strategy and understand the importance of a reliable, green supply of electricity for quickly chilling the raw milk on farm, processing and distribution,” he said.
The battery does not rely on lithium, nickel or lead to function, instead using easy-to-source materials. The batteries are safer and easier to manufacture, anywhere in the world, he said.
He also hinted at the possibility of PolyJoule establishing a battery manufacturing base in NZ in the future.
“When you look at where the grid is heading and the number of batteries needed for the region, building a manufacturing base in New Zealand could create hundreds of new jobs and a new green energy hub.”
What is happening at the Waitoa factory is indicative of what is happening around the world where power quality issues affect businesses, he said.
“Power quality issues aren’t unique to Fonterra. They are very common in the semi-conductor industry and the pharmaceutical industry and very common in the manufacturing industry.”
Paster said PolyJoule recognises the role energy storage will play in the future and it set out to make the best possible battery.
Development of the battery began in 2018-2019 with Fonterra coming on board in 2021.
A prototype of the battery was sent to NZ from the United States in April of that year to be tested on the farm at Te Rapa.
Polymers are essentially a repeating unit of something. PolyJoule has scaled and commercialised conducting polymer energy storage – the only company in the world to do so, he said.
“Most people aren’t paying attention to it because they are obsessed with electric vehicles, whereas we are obsessed with the electricity sector,” he said.
The PolyJoule battery installation is the third decarbonisation project Fonterra’s Waitoa site has recently adopted.
Last month the co-operative announced the site will install a new biomass boiler and it will also be home to Milk-E – NZ’s first electric milk tanker.
