Peter Carlsson worked as Tesla’s head of supply chain up to 2015 and has since co-founded Nordic energy firm Northvolt AB. The firm has today (7 March) received a €3.5m investment from InnoEnergy – the innovation hub for the European energy market – to support the development of Europe’s first large-scale battery factory.
Carlsson has teamed with Northvolt’s chief operating officer and former Tesla executive Paolo Cerruti to develop blueprints for a $4bn factory to be built in the Nordic region. The factory will produce lithium-ion battery cells and has an anticipated final production capacity of 32GWh.In comparison, Tesla’s Gigafactory is expected to have a 35GWh capacity by the end of 2018, although the company is hoping to roll-out at least three more factories in the future.
“InnoEnergy is the gateway to the largest and most valuable innovation ecosystem in Europe,” Carlsson said. “The investment will support us in realising our vision of creating Europe’s largest scale battery cell production facility. But – more than that – InnoEnergy’s vast network has the power to support us for years to come.”
The batteries produced in the factory will be used to create battery cells for electric vehicles (EVs) and energy storage systems. The Nordic location was insisted on due to the easy access to necessary materials and metals and the availability and affordability of a renewable power supply – Sweden, for example, has slashed emissions by 54.5% since 1990.
‘Revolutionary’ benefits
InnoEnergy’s involvement will support Northvolt in enhancing supply chains, processing designs and implementing environmental and recycling plans on mooted sites. Specifically, the group will provide access to a pan-European network of support systems and companies, in order to attract further development to the project.
“The development of a European large scale battery factory will be revolutionary, especially in terms of electrification of transport – which in itself could drastically reduce Europe’s carbon footprint,” InnoEnergy’s chief executive Diego Pavia said. Full article available on EDIE is found HERE.
