Technology
Three Chemistries. One Integrated Plant.
Co-locating complementary chemistries lets Vermicom match every storage need — hours to days — under one quality, supply and service system.
01 — 24–100 hr
Zinc-Air Fuel Cells
Long-duration stationary storage built on abundant zinc and air.
Zinc-air cells store energy in solid zinc and draw oxygen from the air to discharge — ultra-low cost, non-toxic and with infinite shelf life. Ideal for remote telecom towers, rural micro-grids and mining operations, zinc-air is the natural choice for Africa's long-duration gap.
Applications
- Remote telecom towers
- Rural micro-grids
- Mining operations
Differentiators
- Multi-day discharge — 24 to 100 hours
- Ultra-low cost, non-toxic, abundant zinc & air
- Infinite shelf life — no self-discharge in storage
- No thermal runaway risk; safe siting near demand
02 — 2–4 hr
Lithium-Ion
High-energy-density cells for EV and grid-firming duty.
The workhorse of modern storage. Vermicom's lithium-ion line targets electric vehicles, consumer electronics and the 2–4 hour grid-firming window, with LFP and NMC pathways supported by regional precursor and cathode feedstocks.
Applications
- Electric vehicles
- Consumer electronics
- Grid firming (2–4 hr)
Differentiators
- Mature, bankable cell architecture
- High energy density and fast charging
- LFP pathway aligned with domestic phosphates
- Approved vendor for German OEM
03 — 4–8 hr
Sodium-Ion
Cost-sensitive stationary storage from sodium-rich inputs.
Sodium-ion replaces lithium in cost-sensitive stationary roles, utilising abundant South African manganese and eliminating reliance on lithium and cobalt. Superior safety and strong performance across temperature extremes make it the low-cost bridge between Li-ion economics and long-duration need.
Applications
- Stationary storage (4–8 hr)
- Low-speed EVs
- Backup power
Differentiators
- No lithium, no cobalt, no copper current collectors
- Uses abundant South African manganese
- Superior safety across temperature extremes
- Up to 80% charge in under 15 minutes
Manufacturing Process
From Powder to Precision-Crafted Cells
Every chemistry flows through the same disciplined line — mixing, coating, calendering, slitting and electrode making — governed by a single quality system.
- 01
Mixing
Active material, binder and conductive agents are blended into uniform slurry.
- 02
Coating
Slurry is coated onto foil in precise layers with micron-level control.
- 03
Calendering
Rollers compress the electrode to target density and thickness.
- 04
Slitting
Master rolls are slit to exact cell geometry with clean edges.
- 05
Electrode Making
Finished electrodes feed cell assembly — the heart of the plant.
Cost Competitiveness
A Structural Cost Advantage vs. EU & North America
Four compounding advantages put Vermicom's landed cell cost below established Western production.
Estimated cell manufacturing cost (€/kWh equivalent)
Illustrative estimate derived from academic cell-manufacturing cost benchmarks, adjusted for South African input costs.
Utility costs
Competitive, reliable industrial electricity tariffs, incl. renewable wheeling.
Labor costs
Highly productive, skilled labor pool at rates below Europe & North America.
Logistics
Proximity to the Port of Ngqura for export and domestic customers.
Raw material proximity
Access to South African minerals reduces raw-material input costs.