Hallifax, Nova Scotia — On March 13, Dalhousie University received five million in funding from the Government of Canada for the construction of a first-in-Canada battery innovation centre.
The funding specifically came from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI), and, according to a recent press release, will contribute to what will be an overall 20 million dollar facility.
The Canadian Battery Innovation Centre (CBIC) is expected to open in fall of 2025 and aims “to vastly accelerate battery science, commercial development and business activity in Nova Scotia.”
The building will consist of an ultra-low humidity dry room with a high-end manufacturing line for prototyping, fabricating and testing of new batteries.
Dr. Alice Aiken, Dalhousie’s vice-president, research innovation commented that “this funding from CFI’s Innovation Fund provides the foundational support Dalhousie needs to build an engine for battery science and commercialization for the country. It will turbocharge the pace of our battery scientists research and catalyze a new sector around batteries and clean tech in Nova Scotia by creating a key resource for industry research and development, and a pipeline of newly high skilled workers.”
The centre will be led by Dr. Michael Metzger and Dr. Chongyin Yang, battery researchers with the university, and its production line will allow researchers to create batteries using a wide range of materials, including the lithium used in conventional rechargeable batteries, as well as sodium, potassium and other more abundant materials.
Researchers will also be able to focus on the development of new methods of production to remove toxic solvents and polymer binders that are in the process of being banned or shelved by the industry.
“We will be able to produce 50 to 100 battery cells a week at the centre,” said Dr. Metzger. “Our focus is on high-quality and flexibility, so that we can test many different battery chemistries and material combinations.”
“By investing in cutting-edge infrastructure like the Canadian Battery Innovation Centre, the CFI supports excellent research that helps build the future of our economy,” said Roseann O’Reilly Runte, president and CEO of the Canada Foundation for Innovation. “The key to success lies in developing ideas, innovative processes and uses of materials while inspiring the next generation of researchers and creating job opportunities. With the support of the Government of Canada through the CFI, Dalhousie has this key firmly in hand.”
