HPQ Silicon Affiliate Novacium Enhances Testing Capabilities by Acquiring Advanced Battery Testing Equipment

• The new equipment allows for comprehensive analyses of various Lithium battery formats, including button and up to 21700 cylindrical batteries.
• This acquisition significantly enhances our self-sufficiency, reducing dependency on external laboratories, accelerating testing processes, and enabling benchmarking of proprietary materials against commercial standards.

MONTREAL, June 21, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — HPQ Silicon Inc. (“HPQ” or the “Company”) (TSX-V: HPQ) (OTCQB: HPQFF) (FRA: O08), a technology company specializing in green engineering of silica and silicon material production, is pleased to announce the acquisition of new battery testing equipment by its France-based affiliate, NOVACIUM SAS (“Novacium”).

The new battery test bench, a TOB-BTS-5V6A analyzer, was recently received, installed, and operationalized in Novacium’s laboratory in Solaize (Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, France). This acquisition enhances Novacium’s laboratory-scale testing capabilities, enabling comprehensive analyses of Lithium batteries in various formats, including button up to 21700 cylindrical batteries.

“We are thrilled about the potential of this new capacity,” said Dr. Jed Kraiem, Ph.D., COO of Novacium. “It will speed up our testing processes and allow us to obtain critical information more efficiently. It’ll also enable us to benchmark our materials against other commercially available batteries, reducing the costs associated with external validation.”

Image collage of the TOB-BTS-5V6A Battery Analyzer. This state-of-the-art 8-channel analyzer, equipped with a climate chamber, enables comprehensive testing of polymer and cylindrical batteries. Key features include precise battery capacity measurement, detailed charge-discharge profiling, and advanced data visualization for accurate performance evaluation.

ADVANCED TESTING SYSTEM PROVIDES ENHANCED EFFICIENCY

The TOB-BTS-5V6A is an 8-channel battery analyzer designed for polymer and cylindrical batteries ranging from 12 mA to 6000 mA and up to 15V. Equipped with a climate chamber, it enables accurate battery capacity measurement, detailed charge-discharge profiling, extended cycle performance evaluation, C-rate and fast charge analyses, internal resistance measurement, and anode material characterization. The system features eight independently programmable channels, offering high precision and accuracy with a voltage range of 10 mV-5 V for charge and 2.5 V-5 V for discharge. Integrated software supports various operating modes, real-time monitoring, data visualization, and automated reporting. A robust data protection feature ensures test continuity and data integrity after power interruptions.

“Investing in high-precision testing equipment is crucial for advancing our development of future generations of silicon-based materials,” said Mr. Bernard Tourillon, President and CEO of HPQ Silicon Inc. and NOVACIUM SAS. “Rapid access to testing results enables us to optimize our research and development efforts, use our resources more effectively, and maintain a competitive edge in the market. Our goal is targeting performance metrics that exceed current industry standards.”

“We’ve been looking for ways to be self-sufficient in testing and validating our advanced silicon-based materials, and this acquisition is a major step towards that,” added Dr. Kraiem.

Clarification

The company refers to the transaction disclosed in its press release issued on June 5, 2024, relating to the acquisition of rights in the French company Novacium SAS and confirms that after the conclusion of this transaction, it will hold a 20% stake in Novacium SAS.

About NOVACIUM SAS

Novacium is an HPQ – affiliated company started in Q3 2022. This green technology startup is based in Lyon, France and is a partnership with HPQ and three of France’s leading research engineers, Dr. Jed KRAIEM PhD, Novacium’s Chief Operating Officer (“COO”), Dr. Oleksiy NICHIPORUK PhD, Novacium’s Chief Technical Officer (“CTO”), and Dr. Julien DEGOULANGE PhD, Novacium’s Chief Innovation Officer (“CIO”). Novacium is a new Research and Development company which allows the researchers to develop their own technology in high added value fields connected to renewable energy, and allows HPQ Silicon Inc, a Canadian company, to expand the depth and reach of its technical team to help develop its silicon and new renewable energy projects.

About HPQ Silicon

HPQ Silicon Inc. (TSX-V: HPQ) is a Quebec-based TSX Venture Exchange Tier 1 Industrial Issuer.

HPQ is developing, with the support of world-class technology partners PyroGenesis Canada Inc. and NOVACIUM SAS, new green processes crucial to make the critical materials needed to reach net zero emissions.

HPQ activities are centred around the following four (4) pillars:

1) Becoming a green low-cost (Capex and Opex) manufacturer of Fumed Silica using the FUMED SILICA REACTOR, a proprietary technology owned by HPQ being developed for HPQ by PyroGenesis.

2) Becoming a producer of silicon-based anode materials for battery applications with the assistance of NOVACIUM SAS.

3) HPQ SILICON affiliate NOVACIUM SAS is developing a low carbon, chemical based on demand and high-pressure autonomous hydrogen production system.

4) Becoming a zero CO₂ low-cost (Capex and Opex) producer of High Purity Silicon (2N+ to 4N) using our PUREVAP™ “Quartz Reduction Reactors” (QRR), a proprietary technology owned by HPQ being developed for HPQ by PyroGenesis.

For more information, please visit HPQ Silicon web site.

Disclaimers:

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements containing the words “may”, “plan”, “will”, “estimate”, “continue”, “anticipate”, “intend”, “expect”, “in the process” and other similar expressions which constitute “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements reflect the Company’s current expectation and assumptions and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, our expectations regarding the acceptance of our products by the market, our strategy to develop new products and enhance the capabilities of existing products, our strategy with respect to research and development, the impact of competitive products and pricing, new product development, and uncertainties related to the regulatory approval process. Such statements reflect the current views of the Company with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties and other risks detailed from time-to-time in the Company’s ongoing filings with the security’s regulatory authorities, which filings can be found at www.sedar.com. Actual results, events, and performance may differ materially. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements either as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This News Release is available on the company’s CEO Verified Discussion Forum, a moderated social media platform that enables civilized discussion and Q&A between Management and Shareholders.

Source: HPQ Silicon Inc.
For further information contact:
Bernard J. Tourillon, Chairman, President, and CEO Tel +1 (514) 846-3271
Patrick Levasseur, Director Tel: +1 (514) 262-9239
Email: Info@hpqsilicon.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c91a43cb-e606-41d2-8844-5b161d0a4603