Indian Aluminum Giant Joins Forces With Israeli Cleantech Startup

Indian aluminum manufacturing giant Hindalco has joined forces with Israeli cleantech company Phinergy to decarbonize car emissions in India.

Hindalco, one of the biggest aluminum manufacturers in Asia, has agreed to work with Phinergy to develop aluminum-air batteries for electric vehicles (EVs) and for energy storage. Hindalco plans to recover the aluminum in the used batteries, preventing further electronic waste generation. 

Phinergy is an innovative cleantech company headquartered in Kfar Saba, Israel, developing breakthrough clean energy systems based on its patented metal-air technology. It generates energy by combining oxygen from ambient air with metals, specifically aluminum and zinc. 

Most EVs today use lithium-ion batteries, which are recyclable, but its recycling industry is not well-developed. Lithium cells and batteries can also present chemical and electrical hazards. Because of their high energy density, they can overheat and ignite under certain conditions, and once ignited, lithium cell and battery fires can be difficult to extinguish.

By contrast, aluminum-air batteries are easier to recycle because the infrastructure for aluminum recycling already exists. Aluminum is also inexpensive, safe, abundant, and its energy density is much higher than that of lithium.

“Aluminum-air batteries are expected to make EV adoption more convenient, and accelerate the transition to zero emission mobility,” Hindalco said.

David Mayer, CEO, Phinergy, said, “Phinergy strongly believes Aluminum-Air batteries will contribute to the clean energy revolution in India. The partnership with Hindalco, a global aluminum industry leader, is a major step in the deployment of Aluminum-Air batteries in India and we are confident this collaboration will significantly enhance the development of an ecosystem enabling to supply “aluminum as energy” made in India.“

Hindalco is the world’s largest aluminum company by revenues, and is one of Asia’s largest producers of primary aluminum. It was named the world’s most sustainable aluminum company in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) in 2020 and 2021.