Wales in line for latest battery mega-factory

(EurActiv, 12 Jun 2020) A firm that aims to make the United Kingdom a leading force in sustainable battery technology has picked Wales as the preferred site for its first giga-factory, which promises to bring thousands of jobs to one of Europe’s poorest regions.

Britishvolt plans to build “high performance, green lithium-ion batteries” for use in electric vehicles and has shortlisted the town of St Athan – located near the Welsh capital, Cardiff – as its preferred location for a factory that would trigger an estimated £1.2 billion in investment.

The firm says the site could create up to 4,000 jobs and a wider network of 15,000 indirect positions. The factory should be fully operational by the end of 2023.

“We’re looking to build a ‘gigaplant’ that is roughly 1km long, 500m wide and 30m high, so it’s a huge undertaking, and something as big as that doesn’t really just fit anywhere,” said Britishvolt’s Chief Operating Officer Orral Nadjari.

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EurActiv, 12 Jun 2020: Wales in line for latest battery mega-factory