Design deal for Geelong gigafactory

A PLANNED Geelong battery manufacturing facility at Avalon Airport will soon begin design work after an international engineering firm signed a deal to plan the industrial hub.

Recharge Industries has retained US-based technical professional services firm Jacobs Solutions to lead the design of its Geelong “gigafactory”.

Jacobs will take charge of a comprehensive planning process for the Geelong factory, including master planning, structural engineering, civil engineering, and fire protection work.

Recharge, the brainchild of Scale Facilitation led by Geelong-born businessman David Collard, would be an internationally significant lithium-ion battery cell production facility.

The batteries are crucial components of renewable energy technologies including solar power and electric vehicles.

Recharge would generate about two gigawatt hours of storage capacity shortly after construction and would eventually ramp up to 30GWh – when the factory would employ between 1,500 and 2,000 workers.

The company has previously indicated it expects the factory to be up and running by 2026.

Local manufacturing leaders are bullish that the scale of the project will have a transformative impact on Geelong industry and position the region as a leader in renewable infrastructure production.

Recharge Industries chief executive officer Rob Fitzpatrick said the company was excited to start the partnership.

“Jacobs is a best in class, industrial design firm, and we are eager to get to work with them.

“They have outstanding experience at designing advanced battery facilities and understand the complexities involved in assuring the plant meets the highest production, environmentally sensitive and worker safety standards.”

Jacobs senior vice-president Koti Vadlamudi said the corporation’s experience delivering similar projects would be crucial in delivering the innovative project.

“This project will continue to help Recharge Industries create a more sustainable future and a more balanced battery supply chain.

“Jacobs’ track record of delivering large-scale, complex advanced manufacturing facilities and our mission to create a more connected, sustainable world suits this critically important program.”