Gigafactory developer eyes place in Collie’s coal to clean energy jobs transition
West Australian gigafactory developer Auzvolt has applied for a stake in the $200 million Collie Industrial Transition Fund, which seeks to help the town’s workforce move from coal dependent employment into clean energy jobs.
West Australian gigafactory developer Auzvolt has said it has applied for a stake in the $200 million (USD 136 million) Collie Industrial Transition Fund, toward realising its ambition of building a gigafactory in the coal-mining[2] town.
The fund is part of the WA government’s $547 million Collie Transition Package, which has already awarded International Graphite $6.5 million to advance its plans for a downstream graphite operations at its site in Collie.
Priority sectors of the fund include green manufacturing or minerals processing and future clean energy industries, which must guarantee economic benefit for the town.
Collie will see its coal power stations close by 2027 (Collie Power Station) and 2029 (Muja Power Station).
Auzvolt’s battery gigafactory would begin repackaging battery cells produced overseas to then move into locally manufacturing locally 5 GW of battery storage by 2027.
The gigafactory will source technology from project partner, Hong Kong-headquartered lithium-ion battery[3] technology company Green Renewable Sustainable Technology (GRST).
GRST uses a patented Water-based Manufacturing Recycle, Reuse, Regenerate (WATMAR) technology for water-based battery manufacturing and recycling.
The technology replaces toxic and polluting solvents and fluoropolymer binders through the production of water-based cathode and anode electrodes.
Research from the University of Technology Sydney recently forecast jobs in the electricity sector[4] to double by 2029, representing an increase of 33,000 workers.
Locals are already employed at the Western Australia gentailer Synergy’s 500 MW Collie Battery Energy Storage System[5] (CBESS), 16 kilometres from Collie and 14 kilometres from the Collie Power Station.
Due to be completed in 2025, the CBESS will provide 2000 MWh of power when full charged, using 640 container batteries[6], covering 40,000 square metres.
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References
- ^ Posts by Ev Foley (www.pv-magazine-australia.com)
- ^ coal-mining (www.pv-magazine-australia.com)
- ^ lithium-ion battery (www.pv-magazine-australia.com)
- ^ jobs in the electricity sector (www.pv-magazine-australia.com)
- ^ Collie Battery Energy Storage System (www.pv-magazine-australia.com)
- ^ 640 container batteries (www.pv-magazine-australia.com)
- ^ editors@pv-magazine.com (www.pv-magazine-australia.com)