Quantum, Sunlands cell technology gets US patent approval

Quantum Graphite’s joint venture (JV) partner Sunlands Energy has secured a patent green light for its thermal energy storage (TES) graphite cell technology from the powerful United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Management says the patent ensures its participation in the world’s biggest energy storage market.

Thermal energy storage cells are devices that temporarily store energy to be used later for power generation. The technology can be used to balance changing energy demand caused by the variable nature of renewable energy output.

Quantum says the devices could provide long-duration energy solutions and play an integral role in delivering stable and flexible energy to grids dependent on renewable power. The company is looking to develop thermal energy storage battery cells utilising graphite obtained from its Uley 2 deposit on the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia through its Sunlands JV and the first US patent could serve as a major shot in the arm.

The duo says the high-purity natural flake graphite found at Uley is important for Sunlands' downstream processing and technologies required to develop thermal energy storage. Wind and solar power generation is generally considered to be inconsistent and it is thought the systems could benefit from the flexibility and stability provided by TES batteries.

The company says its key market for the TES graphite cells is related to the retrofitting of coal-fired power stations. Storing energy from renewables in the form of heat, TES graphite cells can retain that heat for weeks at a time and deliver it to pre-existing coal boilers to generate steam.

Management says the high operating temperature of TES graphite cells ensures the reliable and consistent production of the high-temperature steam that drives the utility-scale turbines found at large grid-scale coal-fired power stations.

Quantum’s Uley 2 prospect holds a resource of 6.3 million tonnes at 11.1 per cent total graphitic carbon (TGC) for a total inventory of 697,000 tonnes of contained graphite. However, the company believes its exploration plan has the potential to unlock a significant upgrade to the resource and ensure a suitable extension to its projected mine life.

The US patent green light follows the South African grant for the same system in November 2021. Sunlands is now waiting on the Australian and European grants, which also includes the United Kingdom, that are expected before the end of this year.

Management says energy storage deployment achieved the highest quarter-on-quarter growth across all segments ever recorded in the US in the last three months of 2023. It adds that the US energy storage market is projected to grow by more than 100 per cent within the next five years and experience exponential growth from 2030.

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