This news about Basquevolt came out in June, but as we often say, we just don’t have time for everything. Nevertheless, given how important and interesting this news is, we had to share it.
The Basquevolt project, which expects an investment of €700 million, got started two years ago in secret, and its main goal is setting up a production line to make solid-state batteries by 2027. The production capacity will be 10 GWh a year, similar to large projects of a similar nature that are being set up in China), and it’s expected to create 800 new direct jobs.
The consortium of founding investors in the project, led by the Basque Government, includes Iberdrola, CIE Automotive, Enagás, EIT InnoEnergy, and CIC energiGUNE, whose research has facillitated the creation of this initiative.
This Basque research center, CIC energiGUNE, provides Basquevolt with technological support based on more than ten years of research in the field of solid-state batteries. The research team there is led by Michel Armand, the “father” of the polymeric solid electrolyte. Specifically, the technology that will be applied at Basquevolt will be based on the use of an electrolyte compound patented by CIC energiGUNE.
Basquevolt will initially develop technologies that include the patented polymer electrolyte compound and an anode with a high silicon content, which will help solve some of the challenges of solid-state batteries. The technologies to be applied by 10 CIC energiGUNE patents that have been licensed to Basquevolt as part of the launch.
This unique technology raises lithium batteries to a new level, supplying products to the market that have high energy density and are safer and more competitive, all while significantly bringing down the costs of manufacturing batteries with a manufacturing process that is more energy efficient and less expensive.
In sum, the batteries made in the Basque Country will offer greater energy density at a lower cost, which will allow for the manufacture of vehicles with greater range and a lower price. These are the two key elements necessary to guarantee a “comfortable” transition from fossil-fuel vehicles to electric ones.
This project is one of the two large initiatives in the Basque Autonomous Community to occupy a leading positing in the new industry of production and distribution of energy that Europe and the world are developing. The second project is the Basque Hydrogen Corridor.
The Community of Navarre is participating in the Ebro Hydrogen Corridor, along with the communities of Aragaon, Catalonia, and the Basque Country. Battery Packs Nabatt is looking to build an assembly plant for electric car batteries in Navarre, with the public company Sodena, as well as private Basque companies Fagor Ederlan and Ingeteam participating.
We hope to be able to speak about all of these in later entries. For now, we’ll leave you with articles about the public launch of the Basquevolte project.
Industrial News – 13/6/2022 – Great Britain
Basque solid state battery initiative launched
Basquevolt, an initiative of the Basque government with founder investors the energy companies Iberdrola and Enagás, industrial group CIE Automotive and research organisations EIT InnoEnergy and CIC energiGUNE, plans the development of prototype cells and the commissioning of a pilot production line in 2025, with a view to starting production in 2027.
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Enlit – 26/4/2022 – Netherlands
Basque gigafactory can unlock the holy grail of energy storage says research boss
Basquevolt, Europe’s first solid state battery gigafactory, is a huge challenge yet an even bigger opportunity, says Basque energy storage research institute head Nuria Gisbert.
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Last Updated on Dec 3, 2023 by About Basque Country
