)
Adelaide-based clean energy company 1414 Degrees (ASX: 14D) has signed an evaluation agreement with Ukrainian defence manufacturer Energia 2000 to test its silicon-anode battery technology across multiple military drone platforms, with proposed live battlefield testing in the Ukraine-Russia conflict.
Energia 2000 is a Ukrainian government-approved manufacturer producing 72,000 military drones and unmanned aerial vehicles per year, with plans to scale production to 360,000 units within 24 months.
1414 Degrees will retain full commercial rights to its SiNTL battery technology under an exclusive global licence, positioning around a supply, licensing, and royalty model.
No binding supply or revenue agreements have been executed at this stage, with commercial outcomes contingent on the evaluation program's results.
The six-stage testing program is expected to cost about $500,000, with the first stage running over two to six months.
The agreement centres on 1414 Degrees' SiNTL silicon-anode battery technology, which has demonstrated a specific capacity of 530 milliampere hours per gram (mAh/g) - significantly above graphite's theoretical maximum of 372 mAh/g.
The company is targeting 600 mAh/g, a performance threshold it says would deliver a step change in energy density for drone applications where weight and endurance are critical.
The deal comes less than a month after 1414 Degrees established a dedicated Aerospace & Defence Division, signalling a strategic pivot toward military and defence applications for its battery technology.
It also follows the appointment earlier this month of a six-member advisory board for the division, featuring the former CEO of DroneShield (ASX: DRO) James Walker alongside former senior executives from Lockheed Martin, Airbus US Space & Defense, Northrop Grumman, General Dynamics and GE Aviation.
Executive chairman Dr Kevin Moriarty says the Ukraine program represents "a direct and practical pathway to test SiNTL in one of the most demanding battery environments in the world".
"UAV performance is increasingly limited by battery range, endurance, charging time and reliability," he says.
"SiNTL was developed to address precisely these challenges. By working with Ukrainian defence-sector partners, we intend to generate the operational data needed to support future commercial discussions with defence, UAV and aerospace customers.
"Importantly, 14D retains full control of the SiNTL technology and is positioning the program around a scalable supply, licensing and royalty model.”
The evaluation will progress through six defined stages, beginning with laboratory and bench testing before advancing to integration with Energia 2000's drone platforms.
Proposed live battlefield testing represents the final phase, offering what 1414 Degrees describes as real-world validation under extreme operational conditions.
The company says all commercial outcomes, including potential supply contracts, licensing arrangements, and royalty streams, remain contingent on successful completion of the evaluation program.
Across its broader business operations, 1414 Degrees is advancing an integrated clean-energy and industrial decarbonisation platform spanning grid-scale storage, industrial heat, hydrogen and advanced battery materials.
The company owns the Aurora Energy Precinct in South Australia, a development-ready energy and industrial site spanning 16 square kilometres within the Upper Spencer Gulf Renewable Energy Zone.
)
