Group14 Technologies, a battery materials manufacturer, has announced the construction of its second factory in Moses Lake, Washington state. The new factory will produce silicon battery materials for electric vehicles, making it the world’s largest factory of its kind.
According to a company statement, the first two factory modules will each supply 2,000 tonnes of the silicon-carbon anode material SCC55 and are expected to be operational by 2024. The entire one-million-square-foot site is planned to have at least six modules, producing a total of 12,000 tonnes of production capacity.
The construction of the new factory will create 600 new jobs in construction, production, and operations in the short term. However, the company expects to employ only 200 people for production and technology roles once the plant is operational.
Silicon is being used instead of graphite in the anode, increasing the energy density of the battery and its possible charging power. The announcement did not specify the investment amount, but Group14 Technologies raised $614 million from investors, including Porsche and Microsoft’s Climate Innovation Fund, and will receive an additional $100 million as a grant from the US government to finance the construction.
“By accelerating the timeline for market-ready, transformational battery technology, we are putting the power to electrify everything into the hands of U.S. workers who will become the backbone of the clean energy economy,” said Rick Luebbe, CEO and co-founder of Group14 Technologies.
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The new factory is a significant development for the US electric vehicle market and will help the country’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions. By building a domestic supply chain for battery materials, Group14 Technologies is strengthening the US’s global competitiveness in battery manufacturing.