Electric car battery factory to be built in Geelong

Plans are underway to build a huge lithium-ion battery production facility in Geelong, a city about an hour from Melbourne.

The goal is to create one of the largest gigafactories in the world, eventually generating up to 30 gigawatt hours (GWh) of storage capacity per year for electric vehicles and stationary energy storage units.

Construction on Avalon near the airport is expected to begin in the second half of 2023, with the goal of producing 2GWh equivalent batteries annually in the second half of 2024 and 6GWh in 2026.

When operations expand at full capacity, the plant is expected to directly employ around 1500 to 2000 workers. It would also be an excellent buyer for the large amounts of lithium and nickel mined in Australia’s sandy inland regions.

Production equipment for the first 2GWh production line was secured by binding contracts and secured financing. The device is expected to arrive in Australia by the end of May 2023.

The company behind this mission is called Recharge Industries, funded by Manhattan-based investment firm Scale Facilitation and Geelong – founded and led by David Collard, known as the youngest partner in history. PwC New York headquarters history.

Recharge Industries invited the listed engineering giant Accenture to conduct the design and construction. Both said they are now moving the project into the detailed engineering phase, which will lay the groundwork for the construction of the facility.

Accenture will advise on the layout, including utility planning and production line setup. The company will assist in procuring and shipping the necessary equipment, conduct final tests on all line equipment, and provide ongoing product and process technical support.

Recharge Industries CEO Rob Fitzpatrick said: “Establishing a sovereign production capacity to manufacture the most advanced lithium-ion battery cells is critical to our renewable energy economy. Australia – meet national needs, generate export income and secure supply chains.

“Our factory, which we are building with the backing of Accenture’s engineering expertise and capital projects and backed by C4V [a key technology partner] IP and battery technology, will create thousands of jobs and attract large-scale investment from key players in Australia, the Indo-Pacific region and other parts of the world.”

Industry experts from the United States, Europe and Australia are currently meeting in Geelong to discuss what is needed to create a “large-scale lithium-ion battery production base and battery manufacturing area”.

Mr Fitzpatrick added: “Australia has a choice: be a follower or a frontrunner in the world’s inevitable transition to renewable energy.

“As a key factor for delivery – reliable green energy storage – Recharge Industries is firmly underway, along with global leaders and key decision makers, to creating a strong domestic supply chain.

“The economic resilience this brings will benefit local jobs and investment, and benefit Victorians and Australians for decades to come.

“Finally, we are honored that those representatives – including Members of Parliament from the Victorian Government, industry advisers, Federal government agencies and the research sector – are with us. join this transformative commitment to change.”