Gridtential Energy is a startup battery manufacturer that is applying chip and hard-drive manufacturing processes to lead acid batteries. The techniques are being used to bond active material to the battery plates as opposed to pasting or printing it on them. The advantage is that the active layer is less likely to separate from the plates so the battery last longer. In addition the active layer is much thinner for more efficient charging and discharging that reduces energy loss to heat buildup. The battery is also lighter. According to management “…the battery can be charged and discharged more than a regular battery, and can be charged and discharged to 80 percent of its capacity. In contrast basic lead acid batteries are more commonly charged and discharged closer to 40 to 50 percent of their capacity in order to make them last longer.”
The company recently received $1 million in funding from the Roda Group. In the early stages of development, the technology is not expected to be commercialized until 2016. The company is targeting the golf car, forklift and wheelchair markets first.