A joint venture between Indian Oil and Israel’s Phinergy has been declared last week for commercializing aluminum-air (Al-Air) battery technologies. The joint venture, IOC Phinergy (IOP), will be producing Al-Air systems in India and recycle the old aluminum.

Phinergy is a startup practicing and specialized in composite lithium-ion and aluminum-air/zinc-air battery systems. The current Indo-Israeli JV also proposes to generate fuel cells and indigenous hydrogen storage extracts to improve green versatility, Indian Oil declared in a statement.

A letter of intent (LOI) for practicing this technology was contracted between IOC Phinergy (IOP) and Maruti Suzuki India. An extra LOI concerning the same was endorsed between IOP and Ashok Leyland. The JV proposes to heighten the domestic power supply based on domestically-ready aluminum.

“We desire to magnify the strength of Indians while creating a smaller duplicate footprint. This technology to support indigenous batteries utilizing locally possible aluminum fits within the energy vision of India” stated Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

“The Joint Venture intends to produce aluminum air operations in India and implement an addition to India’s flagship ‘Make in India’ concept. As well as recycling the used aluminum will also make India ‘aatmanirbhar’ in matching energy conditions". Pradhan also claimed that, Apart from Maruti Suzuki, Ashok Leyland and Mahindra remain to be part of the validation of the technology.

In February 2020, Indian Oil proclaimed that it had received a minority ownership stake in Phinergy.

A metal-air battery doesn't need to be fully charged all the time like a traditional battery. It usually applies some sort of metal element (aluminum in this case) being the anode, and air as the cathode, accompanying a fluid electrolyte. Following the technology that IOP plans to deploy, aluminum would react with oxygen from the air to produce aluminum hydroxide.

This may begin the electrolysis method and generate a current to produce energy. The aluminum bases can then be restored and recycled from the aluminum hydroxide scraps.

In terms of the production of aluminum, Orissa is the most comprehensive bauxite-producing state considering more than half of the entire production of India. The whole recoverable resources in the state are considered to be approximately 1,370.5 million tonnes. The foremost bauxite region is in Kalahandi & Koraput regions which spreads further into Andhra Pradesh.

The major mining regions comprise Chandgiri, Manjimali, Pasenmali, Baphalimoli Parbat, Kathakal, Kodingandi, Pottangi, Kunnumali, and Karalput in Kalahandi and Koraput districts. The modern aluminum plant at Damanjoli affords an active store for bauxite in this area. The recommended aluminum manufactory at Doragurha will contribute further reason.