ENTEK and Britishvolt have signed a non-binding MoU to develop battery separator technologies, with future plans to co-locate at a site in Northumberland.
Britishvolt, investor in battery cell technologies and associated R&D, has entered into a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding with ENTEK Membranes for the possible supply of battery separators, with an objective to co-locate as their lithium-ion gigaplant manufacturing facility, located in Cambois, near Blyth, Northumberland, scales up to full production.
The MoU’s core objective is to enable the scalable production of world-class lithium-battery separators to create and expand an onshore UK manufacturing ecosystem and supply chain.
The collaboration will take advantage of ENTEK’s robust technology and protected intellectual property related to coated lithium separator composites.
The MoU is the foundation for a long-term separator supply agreement that will allow ENTEK to invest in the UK’s first lithium battery separator plant.
Co-location at the Britishvolt gigaplant site in Northumberland, the best in the UK and one of the top sites in Europe, will allow access to an abundance of renewable energy, essential for power intensive manufacturing processes.
The agreement will see ENTEK invest in its UK production sites and expand capacity to meet demand.
ENTEK will make a staged investment in its UK production facilities beginning with a coating operation to be installed at, or near to, ENTEK’s current manufacturing site in Killingworth, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
This initial proposed facility is intended to serve Britishvolt’s early-stage battery production needs and the base separator material will be supplied by ENTEK’s US production facility.
Larry Keith, ENTEK CEO, said: “We are delighted to have been selected as Britishvolt’s preferred lithium-ion battery separator partner and eager to align our objectives and investments with their transformational plans to build a 30+ gigawatt hour factory in the UK.”
Isobel Sheldon OBE, Chief Strategy Officer, Britishvolt, said: “This is a hugely important and exciting collaboration, that fits perfectly with Britishvolt’s ESG-mandated business model. Battery manufacturing is hugely energy intensive, and to be able to collocate facilities where there is an abundance of renewable energy is a major boon for both the industry and society.
“We are aiming to produce some of the most low carbon, sustainable lithium-ion battery cells on the planet, and partnerships such as this will help us meet our goals.”
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