Nanotechnology Now - Press Release: "RUSNANO and Thunder Sky Group Set Agreement to Establish Joint Russian-Chinese Nanotech Plant"

Home > Press > RUSNANO and Thunder Sky Group Set Agreement to Establish Joint Russian-Chinese Nanotech Plant

Abstract:
Anatoly Chubais, RUSNANO CEO and Shaoping Lu, Managing Director of Thunder Sky Group Limited (China) signed the agreement today in Beijing to establish the first Russian production of ultra-capacity lithium-ion batteries.

RUSNANO and Thunder Sky Group Set Agreement to Establish Joint Russian-Chinese Nanotech Plant

Russia & China | Posted on April 25th, 2010

RUSNANO and Thunder Sky Group Limited will establish in Russia the joint company Lithium-Ion Technology to implement the joint project. The total budget of the project is estimated at 13.580 billion rubles. RUSNANO will invest 2.090 billion rubles in cash in project's equity and provide a loan of 5.500 billion rubles. Thunder Sky Group Limited will invest 2.090 billion rubles in cash, technologies and the intellectual property in project's equity and provide a loan of 3.900 billion rubles.

"This is a remarkable example of cooperation between Russia and China in the science and technology field. The project will help transfer and develop the world's latest technology in Russia", notes RUSNANO Managing Director Sergey Polikarpov.

The sales of the project's production are expected to reach 13.1 billion rubles in 2015.

The high-end lithium-ion batteries project implies building a plant in Novosibirsk (Russia) with four fully automated and environmentally friendly production lines from Thunder Sky. It will create more that 500 hi-tech jobs in the region. The flexible modular production process could be easily reconfigured depending on the customer's demand and the new technology emergence. Along with production and research units, a sales and marketing division will be established to advance the Thunder Sky technology on Russian and East European markets.

The Russian plant will produce batteries which will be primarily used in electric buses and minibuses. The batteries will also be used in uninterrupted power supply units in IT, telecommunications and renewable energy.

The battery production will be launched in 2011. The annual production capacity will reach 400 million ampere-hours by 2012, enough to power 12,000 electric vehicles a year. The guaranteed demand for major part of batteries produced in first four years is ensured by the Thunder Sky contracts with Chinese producers of electric vehicles. The Russian market sales are expected to grow along with the demand generated by the production of new and re-equipment of existing model such as GAZelle mini-trucks.

The Novosibirsk Chemical Concentrate Plant will supply the cathode material and lithium compounds for batteries production. Other imported ingredients will be gradually replaced by domestic production, give an impetus for the emergence of new cluster of high technology industries in Russia.

The project's Science and Technology center will adapt the nanotechnology developments of Russian scientists that will considerably improve characteristics of the Thunder Sky batteries and create new market niches for their application. The Russian production unit will ensure faster commercialization and implementation of the scientific developments.

The RUSNANO Supervisory Council approved the Corporation's participation in the project in December 2009. Since that time, RUSNANO and Thunder Sky prepared all documentation necessary to establish the joint Russian-Chinese venture.

Thunder Sky Battery Limited is a high-tech manufacturer, first company in the world that successfully replaced "PVDF solvent" by solvent binder in the production of rechargeable lithium-ion battery with high capacity and high power. Since the foundation in 1998, Thunder Sky has gained a number of patents in over 26 countries and areas by its original lithium-ion power battery technology as the only one to get this patent in the world.

Thunder Sky lithium-ion battery with high power, high capacity and high voltage are not only the ideal energy replacement for fuel and the perfect traction energy sources for those environmental protection transportation tools, but also the optimum power for mobile energy, solar energy, wind energy and other multi-power system.

One of the greatest advantages of Thunder Sky batteries is that they are free of "memory effect" after numerous cycles of charge and discharge. When used in public transportation, the batteries guarantee a 350-kilometers energy reserve after one charge. In the future, new technologies will make it possible to expand the energy reserve to 600 kilometers after one charge. Moreover, the batteries can carry out a quick recharge in only 30-minutes.

The largest markets for the electric vehicle batteries are Europe, USA and China. According to McKinsey 2009 forecast, about 10 percent of all cars on the roads will be battery-electric or plug-in vehicles, running solely on electric power. That will create the demand for batteries growing up to $60 billion a year.

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About RUSNANO
The Russian Corporation of Nanotechnologies (RUSNANO) was established in 2007 by the Federal law š 139-FZ to enable Government policy in the field of Nanotechnology.

To accomplish this task, RUSNANO co-invests in nanotechnology industry projects that have high commercial potential or social benefit. Early-stage investment by RUSNANO lowers the risk of its investment partners from the private sector.

RUSNANO participates in building nanotechnology infrastructure, which includes the nanotechnology centers of excellence, business incubators and early stage investment funds. RUSNANO provides scientific and educational programs that are required for its investment projects to succeed, and also supports the popularization of nanoscience and nanotechnology. RUSNANO selects promising spheres for investment based on longer-term sight created by the leading Russian and world experts.

To assist the Russian nanotechnology industry advance to the global market and strengthening of its international links RUSNANO develops partnerships with the leading nanotechnology centers in the world and organizes the annual Nanotechnology International Forum in Russia.

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Contacts:
Anna Fradkova, press-secretary of the international press office
P.: +7 495 5424444 add.1424
M.: +7 985 7299860

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