Sustainable and digitalized GIGAfactory for BATtery production with made-in-Europe machinery

Europe needs to consolidate efficiently its battery manufacturing value chain for large-scale cell production to enable a sustainable and ecological transition, minimizing the associated emissions, optimizing the battery performance and cost, and ensuring circularity. Emerging Gigafactories will enable increasing EU cell battery production capacity from the current 60 GWh to 900 GWh to meet the EU’s 2030 targets and ensure EU prosperity. For this purpose it is essential to promote EU-based machinery and providers to gain technological and industrial independence. It is also needed to integrate the local energy and materials supply chains to build a seamless, efficient and dynamic local ecosystem.

GIGABAT aims at strengthening the EU cell manufacturing industry and its value chain, by engaging its key players, for the development of GEN3b (Li-ion) batteries. This will require the development of new, energy-efficient, cell manufacturing machinery adapted to Gigafactory needs, as well as the validation in pilot plants to ensure correct functioning in real environments. Optimization of Gigafactories via sector coupling is also targeted, promoting sustainability, improving carbon footprint and energy management, and digitalizing made-in-Europe machinery. New Gigafactory design also including logistic and recyclability targets the whole digitalization of the production plant.

GIGABAT brings together existing suppliers ofthe battery value chain and will incorporate new companies to the market. It also contributes to integrate actors delivering cost competitive and optimized production machinery. The consortium involves academia, technology centres, equipment manufacturers, experts in LCA/LCC, recycling, logistics and digitalization, and two cell manufacturers: Volkswagen via its affiliated company PowerCo and Verkor. The EU battery ecosystem will also be reinforced with cooperation activities between the consortium and a stakeholder group comprising several Gigafactories.