The sale of an NEC Corporation business division involved in manufacturing lithium-ion batteries will have no material impact on the group’s activities in energy storage, according to a company spokesman.
AESC (Automotive Energy Supply Corporation), a company owned 50-50 by NEC Corporation and carmaker Nissan, makes lithium-ion batteries, mainly for supply to the automotive sector, but also including stationary energy storage. Nissan confirmed yesterday that the entirety of that business will be sold to a Chinese investor, GSR Capital.
Nissan will implement the transaction by first taking full control of AESC – founded in 2007 to develop advanced lithium-ion batteries – by acquiring the combined 49% minority holding held by NEC Corporation and its wholly owned battery and electrode subsidiary, NEC Energy Devices (NECED).
The deal includes a stake held in AESC by NEC Energy Devices, which is an NEC business division making electrodes for lithium-ion cells, supplying AESC, among others. The deal is expected to be completed by the end of this year, but remains contingent on GSR purchasing all shares in NEC Energy Devices from NEC Corporation.
Meanwhile NEC Energy Solutions (NEC ES) sits further downstream in the energy storage value chain. This division, as the name implies, makes and delivers full-service solutions in stationary energy storage, for balancing grids and integrating renewable energy into networks and microgrids.
In short, NEC ES focuses on everything expect for the lithium cells themselves; in terms of hardware this includes battery systems, power conversion systems and control systems. But the company’s range of services offered on top of that include construction and commissioning, service and maintenance, warranties and financing.
“The rumour [that was reported] last week, was about NEC exiting the battery manufacturing business. It’s really the [electrode] and cell manufacturing business was sold,” said Roger Lin, marketing director for NEC ES.
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