Japanese consortium kicks off demo project for waste tire-based batteries’

Tokyo – A grouping of 18 Japanese companies* have started a demo project to use waste tires for the production of storage batteries.

The project involves thermally decomposing end-of-life tires (ELTs) to extract materials for the battery electrodes and conductive materials.

The recovered materials are then combined with ion materials from natural sources such as eggshells to produce the battery, said a 22 July report by Eneos Materials, which is part of the project.

Twelve years in the making, the battery doesn't require rare metals, and repurposes gases and light oils from the thermal decomposition process.

According to Eneos, currently, 10 tonnes of ELTs can produce 'tire batteries' capable of meeting the power needs of 42 households (10kWh per household).

The project plans to increase capacity and yield through ongoing development.

The consortium expects to eventually use 100 kilotonnes of the 1 million tonnes of ELTs generated annually in Japan to produce storage batteries.

The field test will be carried out in Miyaki, Japan, and will include installing the tire batteries in street lights with solar panels.

The aim of the demo project is to confirm the operation of “dedicated control circuits” for the batteries.

Participating companies and their roles are:

Renesis Corp.: Intellectual property rights
Kunimi Kogyo Co., Ltd: Intellectual property rights
Tokyo Carbon Industry Co., Ltd: Electrode materials and manufacturing methods
Rix Co., Ltd: Manufacturing equipment support
Nishiken Graphics Co., Ltd: Development of related manufacturing equipment
Takaguchi Precision Industry Co., Ltd: Development of precision components
Place Home Co., Ltd: Development and sale of home storage batteries
Sanko Electric Co., Ltd: Development and mass production of various control circuit components
Fujikura Co., Ltd: Cooperation in manufacturing plant construction
Denkosha Co., Ltd: Manufacturing and installation of original streetlights
Sojitz Corp.: Support from tire manufacturers and networks
Nirai Co., Ltd: Development of original applications
Dainichi Seiko Co., Ltd: Development of truck-related storage batteries
Marubeni Corp.: Procurement and sales support for Tire Battery
Eneos Material Corp.: Supply of battery binders and quality improvement
Kusumoto Chemical Co., Ltd: Supply of essential materials and process technology guidance
Tanaka Indigo Co., Ltd: Supply of related chemical materials
Maruei Paper Tube Co., Ltd: Development of information collection technology