Blyth selected as site for UK's first battery 'gigaplant'

Fri 11 December 2020 View all news

Blyth in Northumberland has been selected by Britishvolt as the site of the UK's first battery gigaplant. The planned £2.6bn total investment would be one of the UK's largest ever industrial investments and the largest in NE England since the arrival of Nissan in 1984. It is expected to provide 3,000 skilled jobs and up to 5,000 more in the wider supply chain.

Britishvolt has acquired exclusive rights to the 95-hectare site in Blyth and intends to begin construction in Summer 2021. The company says that "world-class lithium-ion batteries will be in production by the end of 2023".

The development would use renewable energy, possibly hydro-electric power generated in Norway and transmitted via a link under the North Sea, Britishvolt says.

The company's CEO, Orral Nadjari said: "Blyth meets all of our exacting requirements and could be tailor made.

"It is on the doorstep of major transport links, easily accessible renewable energy and the opportunity for a co-located supply chain, meets our target to make our gigaplant the world's cleanest and greenest battery facility.

"It is crucial for the UK automotive industry and for the entire economy that we are able to power the future - the sooner we start, the better."

Britishvolt says it is Britain’s foremost investor in battery technologies. Its stated aim is to establish the UK as the leading force in battery technology. 

The company says it believes that the UK is the right place for its investments because of the strength of its automotive and energy industry, its expertise and history of industrial and academic battery research and development.


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