| SK On CEO and President Lee Seok-hee speaks during a special lecture on Monday at Yonsei University in Seoul. (SK On) |
SK On CEO and President Lee Seok-hee has pledged to accelerate the company’s technological leadership in energy storage systems, highlighting safety as a key growth strategy.
According to SK On on Tuesday, Lee delivered a special lecture on Monday at Yonsei University in Seoul, speaking to professors and graduate students from battery and energy-related departments.
“Global demand for ESS is rapidly rising as the renewable energy sector continues to grow,” Lee said. “The ESS business will serve as a crucial growth driver following electric vehicles.”
Lee presented SK On’s key strategies for expanding its ESS business, which include high-safety, high-efficiency solutions such as LFP batteries and immersion cooling systems, customized modular designs for clients, and early fire suppression technologies. He emphasized that, by leveraging these strengths, the company aims to accelerate its global expansion, particularly in North America.
During the session, Lee showcased SK On’s leading battery safety technologies, including its advanced Battery Management System and Z-folding manufacturing process.
SK On’s BMS features a predictive safety diagnostic technology that proactively detects potential risks using real-time battery data, enhancing both cybersecurity and safety. It was the first system in Korea to receive international cybersecurity certification from Germany-based TUV Rheinland, along with Level 3 certification for its functional safety management system.
The company also produces high-nickel batteries with reinforced safety using its Z-folding technique, in which cathodes and anodes are stacked in a zigzag pattern between separators to prevent direct contact and reduce fire risk. SK On’s latest third-generation Z-folding process has improved production efficiency by about 2.5 times compared to earlier models.
“Safety and trust are our foremost priorities in the battery business,” Lee said. “With our proven record in safety and reliability, we will further strengthen our influence in the global ESS market.”
SK On continues to advance its industry-academia partnerships through executive lectures and collaborative education programs. The company operates contract-based graduate courses with KAIST, UNIST, Sungkyunkwan University and Hanyang University to nurture master’s and doctoral-level battery experts and runs joint research centers with Yonsei University and Hanyang University to foster next-generation technological talent.
Meanwhile, SK On plans to begin production of lithium iron phosphate battery cells for the US ESS market in the second half of next year at its Georgia manufacturing facility, converting part of its existing EV battery line for ESS production. In September, the battery maker signed a 1 gigawatt-hour ESS supply contract with US renewable energy developer Flatiron Energy Development and also secured priority negotiation rights with the company for an additional 6.2 GWh project slated through 2030.
