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Taiwan's Investments in Lithium Batteries to Exceed NT$50 B. in 2012

2011/03/22 | By Steve Chuang

Taipei, March 22, 2011 (CENS)--With large-sized local enterprises actively venturing into development of lithium batteries, Taiwan's investments in the segment is estimated to exceed NT$50 billion in 2012, according to officials with the Ministry of Economic Affairs.

The Department of Industrial Technology (DOIT) under MOEA brought out a project report on how to bolster development of the lithium-battery industry, indicating that developing high-safety dynamic lithium-ion batteries is the key, mainly because such products are increasingly needed when electric cars have become the hottest issue in the automotive industry.

Taiwan-made high-safety dynamic lithium-ion batteries are expected to be heavily delivered in the near future, noted DOIT officials, as four of Taiwanese battery makers, namely AMITA Technologies Inc., Ltd., E-one Moli Energy Corp., Synergy ScienTech Corp., and Lion-Tech Co., Ltd., have applied the so-called STOBA high-safety material technology to produce their lithium-ion batteries, and already sent to clients for certifications.

Developed by Taiwan's leading R&D institution ITRI (Industrial Technology Research Institute), and already shared by the four said companies, the STOBA technology has been well recognized by foreign automakers, including BMW, Nissan and Toyota, confirmed DOIT officials. They added that the cutting-edge technology will help attract foreign investments from large-sized international automakers to accelerate development of Taiwan's dynamic lithium-ion battery industry.

In addition to battery makers, some Taiwanese heavyweight enterprises, including Formosa Plastic Group and Delta Electronics Inc., have actively invested in manufacturing lithium-ion batteries and related cathode materials due to the emergence of electric cars.

DOIT projected overall investment in the development of lithium-ion batteries in Taiwan to exceed NT$10 billion this year, hit NT$50 billion in 2012 and shoot up to NT$120 billion in 2015. The corresponding production value of the industry will also surge to NT$90 billion, NT$160 billion and NT$480 billion, respectively.