Monday, June 11, 2018
By Kamal Swami
Indigenous Lithium-Ion Batteries To Be Manufactured In The Country
The government of India’s subsidiary Central Electro Chemical Research Institute (CECRI) has signed an agreement with RASSI Solar Power Pvt Ltd to share the technology for manufacturing lithium-ion batteries. According to information shared by the Ministry of Science and Technologgy, the MOU (Memorandum of Association) signed between the two groups has been made for the first time in the country. It would be interested to know that the India is one of the largest importers of such batteries and imported about batteries worth $150 million during the year 2017. India has been outsourcing batteries from China, Japan and South Korea.
Commenting on the agreement between CECRI and RASSI Solar Power Pvt Ltd, Hon. Harsh Vardhan, Miniter of Science and Technology, Government of the India, said, "Today's development is a validation of the capabilities of CSIR and its laboratories to meet technology in critical areas to support our industry, besides other sectors,"
At present these batteries are developed by group of scientists from Council for Scientific Industrial Research, CECRI, CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, CSIR-Central Glass and Ceramic Research Institute Kolkata and CSIR-India Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad.
According to the MoU, a manufacturing plant of these batteries would be established by the Rassi Group in the Krishangiri district of Tamil Nadu. In the words of Mr. C. Narsimhan, Chairman, Rassi Group, they will try to minimize the cost of manufacturing cell below Rs. 15,000 per KW to replace the lead acid battery.
