Montréal, January 20, 2014

Press Release

SEI Corporation of Japan and Hydro-Québec’s research institute have signed an Intellectual Property Pool Collaboration Agreement for the commercialization of their new co-owned patents for low-cost electrode architecture

Hydro-Québec’s research Institute (IREQ) and SEI Corporation of Japan are pleased to announce that they have entered into an intellectual property pool collaboration agreement relating to the licensing of their respective intellectual property (IP) for lithium iron phosphate battery technologies and new electrode architecture.

With the fast-growing market for electrified transportation, this new low-cost electrode architecture combined with lithium iron phosphate technology will offer higher energy density combined to greater storage capacity.

The decision by IREQ and SEI Corporation to pool their respective IP for licensing purposes lays the foundation for responding to the growing demand from the global battery and automotive industries for reliable and outstanding battery technologies.

“This new partnership with a leading company as SEI Corporation will allow us to offer an attractive new electrode architecture technology due to its high cycle life, fast recharge times and unmatched safety for electric transportation and energy storage solutions,” mentioned Karim Zaghib, Director, Energy Storage and Conversion Department, Hydro-Québec’s research institute.

And “This new partnership with a license leading company as HQ’s IREQ will allow us to offer the New Business Model and the New Technology Concept in the lithium ion battery world” mentioned Takehiko Sawai, Representative Director, SEI Corporation.

About SEI Corporation
SEI (www.seicorp.jp) is R&D venture company, which was established 14 years ago to develop new battery materials or new electrode architecture and to solve the subject in battery production process. Our purpose is to propose and offer the technologies regarding new materials and electrodes or production process, but not mass production. At present, SEI collaborates with material maker, car maker or car parts maker of over 70 companies in the world wide. SEI has in view to realize the lithium ion battery world for higher energy, power and regeneration charge, longer calendar life, or higher safety and lower cost.

About IREQ
Hydro-Québec’s research institute, IREQ, is a global leader in the development of advanced materials for battery manufacturing and creates leading edge processes from its state of the art facilities. IREQ holds more than 800 patent rights and 40 licenses for battery materials used by some of the world’s most successful battery manufacturers and materials suppliers. Its areas of expertise include energy storage and is a lead partner with private sector companies in Québec to build EV and HEV charging stations in support of its technology developments. Its material development contributions are helping to develop safe, high-performance lithium ion batteries that can be charged more quickly and a greater number of times. IREQ promotes open innovation and partners with private firms, universities, government agencies and research centers in Québec and abroad. Its partnerships allows IREQ to develop, industrialize and market technologies resulting from those innovation projects.

About Hydro-Québec
Hydro-Québec (www.hydroquebec.com) is Canada’s largest electricity producer among the world’s largest hydroelectric power producer and a public utility that generates, transmits and distributes electricity. Its sole shareholder is the Québec government. It primarily exploits renewable generating options, in particular hydropower, and supports the development of other technologies—such as wind energy and biomass—through purchases from independent power producers. Its research institute, IREQ, conducts R&D in energy efficiency, energy storage and other energy-related fields. Hydro-Québec invests more than $100 million per year in research.

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FOR INFORMATION :

Louis-Olivier Batty
Hydro-Québec
514 289-4214
batty.louis-olivier@hydro.qc.ca

 

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