UK battery industrialisation centre announces Aussie partnership

The Australian Government’s Powering Australia has signed an agreement with the UK battery industrialisation centre in Coventry.

The agreement aims to boost collaboration in battery research and innovation between Australia and the UK.

It supports the “Statement of Intent” signed by the Albanese Government in April 2023, which focuses on critical minerals, strengthening supply chains, achieving net zero goals and fostering new technology and job creation.

UKBIC, a £130m battery manufacturing facility, was set up by the UK Government through the Faraday Battery Challenge to help companies move from promising battery technology to large-scale production.

The facility covers 20,000 sqm and has equipment covering battery production from mixing and coating, to calendering, slitting cylindrical and pouch cell assembly, and formation, ageing, testing, as well as module and pack assembly.

CEO Shannon O’Rourke said: “We are delighted to have reached this agreement with the UKBIC team, less than six months into our formation as Powering Australia which is very much aligned to the Statement of Intent. Our organisation was established to help Australian businesses succeed in clean-tech manufacturing and being able to access world scale common user facilities like the UKBIC is major win.”

UKBIC managing director Sean Gilgunn said: “This is a great first step between the two organisations to encourage cooperation between the UK and Australia in battery technology. We’re looking forward to helping Powering Australia with its vision, and, in the future, to welcoming Australian companies that want to use our state-of-the-art facilities.”