On July 30, 2026, Altech terminated its Cerenergy project in the Saxon section of the Schwarze Pumpe Industrial Park. The Schwarze Pumpe battery factory project failed because the company was unable to find a strategic partner, despite nine months of negotiations. Consequently, conditional federal funding of up to €46.7 million proved insufficient to secure the necessary financing. Altech is now dissolving the project company, selling back the land, and scrapping plans for up to 1,000 jobs.
Schwarze Pumpe battery plant project fails due to lack of capital
According to the company, Altech spent more than nine months searching for a financially strong partner. Negotiations with a European industrial group had reached an advanced stage but ultimately ended without a contract or a binding investment. Consequently, the management board saw little remaining prospect of the plant being built and commissioned.
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It was only on July 2 that Altech announced an extension to the deadline for the funding. Financial close was now targeted for September 30, 2026. However, the funding remained subject to conditions and covered approximately 30 percent of the projected construction costs. Altech had also estimated the cost of the first plant at around 156 million euros.
Approval and prototype could not save the plant
From a technical standpoint, the project had already advanced well beyond the conceptual phase. Authorities had granted environmental and construction permits for a production facility with an annual capacity of 120 megawatt-hours. Furthermore, in 2024, Altech and Fraunhofer tested a 60-kilowatt-hour storage prototype. The company planned to create 160 direct jobs for the initial phase of development.
The ceramic battery utilizes common salt, nickel, and a solid electrolyte; consequently, it requires neither lithium nor cobalt or graphite. For the Schwarze Pumpe battery factory, Altech planned stationary storage units for power grids, solar parks, and wind farms. According to the company, the batteries were also designed to last more than 15 years and be non-flammable.
Project Company to Dissolve; Fraunhofer Retains Patents
Altech controls 75 percent of the joint project company through a subsidiary, while the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft holds the remaining 25 percent. Both owners now intend to dissolve the company and realize the value of its remaining assets. Altech also expects to receive approximately 675,000 euros from selling the site back to the municipality of Spreetal.
However, Fraunhofer will retain the patents for Cerenergy. Institute Director Alexander Michaelis therefore does not view the project as a technical failure and intends to continue development. Nevertheless, the attempt to industrialize the technology at the Schwarze Pumpe battery plant has come to an end before construction could even begin. As a result, the Lusatia region loses a planned facility of the future and up to 1,000 anticipated jobs.
Author: Blackout News
Sources: CleanThinking (05.08.26) – Ad Hoc News (04.08.26) – Altech Batteries Limited (31.07.26)