Voltavate is establishing a new research and development (R&D) facility in Port Melbourne to help validate its battery separator technology under commercially relevant conditions and support its transition from laboratory-scale development to pilot-scale manufacturing.
Melbourne-headquartered Voltavate specialises in advanced battery separator technology, a component that influences the safety, operational efficiency, and scalability of battery cells.
The company has developed a separator using advanced nanomaterials that it said ensures uniform distribution of ions across the battery, enhancing performance and doubling battery life while reducing the risk of short circuits and thermal runaway. The company has also developed a platform that is designed to integrate directly into the manufacturing process.
Voltavate co-founder and Chief Executive Amir Hooshang Taheri said the drop-in solution enables manufacturers to produce their own separators in-house, allowing them to tailor separator properties to their specific cell designs while reducing dependence on third-party suppliers.
“We’re focused on improving how batteries are made — reducing production waste, enabling scalable manufacturing, and giving manufacturers more control over a key component of the battery,” he said.
Taheri said the new Port Melbourne facility will allow Voltavate to expand R&D capability, scale production and integrate its technology directly into battery cells. It will also support independent testing of its separator technology in battery cells under commercially relevant testing conditions.
“This project marks a critical step in moving from lab-scale development into real manufacturing environments,” he said.
The project is backed by $3.55 million (USD 2.57 million) in grant funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).
ARENA Chief Executive Officer Darren Miller said the agency’s support will help accelerate the transition from innovation to real-world deployment, strengthening local capability while contributing to more resilient and scalable battery manufacturing globally.
“This project demonstrates how Australia can play a stronger role in the global battery value chain by supporting the development of advanced manufacturing capabilities for clean energy technologies,” he said.
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