KORE Power to build massive lithium-ion battery manufacturing facility in Arizona

KORE Power has plans to construct a lithium-ion battery manufacturing facility in Maricopa County, Arizona.

Credit: KORE Power

The 1 million sq ft manufacturing facility, dubbed the KOREPlex, will support up to 12 GWh of battery cell production for the U.S. supply chain for lithium-ion battery cells that are critical to the future of electric vehicles, power grids and more. The facility will have the capacity to produce enough power for 3.2 million homes each year, the company stated in a press release. KORE plans to start construction of the facility by the end of the year with the goal of beginning production in Q2 2023.

“Arizona is thrilled to be selected as the home of the country’s first U.S.-owned lithium-ion battery manufacturing facility,” said Gov. Doug Ducey. “Not only will this facility create thousands of new jobs, it will position Arizona as an anchor in the global battery manufacturing supply chain. We’re grateful to CEO Lindsay Gorrill and the entire KORE Power team for choosing our state. We look forward to partnering in your success for many years to come to further sustainability here in Arizona and around the world.”

KORE Power is a U.S.-based developer of battery cell technology for the energy storage and electric transportation industries. Founded in 2018, the company leveraged the experience of its contract manufacturing partner to build and deploy more than 10 million battery cells to its global customer base.

The new KOREPlex facility will add to the company’s current annual production capacity of 2 GWh that is in the process of scaling up to 6 GWh to serve the growing battery market. KORE Power’s U.S. facility will create more than 3,000 new manufacturing jobs in Arizona.

KOREPlex will operate with net-zero carbon emissions through partnerships and solar + storage co-generation.

“We needed a location for our factory that had a track record of supporting energy storage, a growing clean transportation sector and a workforce that could deliver American-made battery technology that the supply chain so desperately needs,” Gorrill said. “Arizona hit a home run. We’re fully committed to be a cornerstone of the state’s clean economy, and we’re proud to bring advanced cell manufacturing home to the U.S.”

KORE Power plans to employ more than 3,000 full-time personnel at the facility, which will generate upwards of an estimated 10,000 direct and indirect jobs. The construction of KOREPlex will employ an estimated 3,400 workers during peak construction. It is expected construction will take about 18 months.

“KORE Power’s investment in Buckeye to produce clean, renewable energy aligns with the City Council’s sustainability goals and our goal for significant employment opportunities for our residents,” said Buckeye Mayor Eric Orsborn. “This project is not just a win for Buckeye but for the West Valley, the State of Arizona and the clean energy industry.”

KORE Power selected Maricopa County after a national site search and evaluation of the energy storage, manufacturing and electric transportation opportunities across the country. The Arizona site offered proximity to complimentary industries such as e-mobility, solar, semiconductor and utilities, workforce and logistics capacity and a pro-business tax and regulatory environment.

News item from KORE Power. Updated to reflect that there are additional U.S.-based lithium ion battery manufacturers.

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Original Source: https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2021/07/kore-power-to-build-massive-lithium-ion-battery-manufacturing-facility-in-arizona/