SUPERCHARGE: Electrified industry welcomes Avalon battery factory plan

GEELONG could become a global leader in renewable energy manufacturing, industry advocates say, after a locally linked start-up confirmed plans for a green battery factory at Avalon Airport.

The project hints at a resurgence of the region’s trademark industrial economy as it emerges as an early leader in production of sustainable resources.

Recharge Industries would build one of the world’s largest lithium-ion battery cell production facilities by 2026 in a project tipped to create up to 2,000 in-house jobs.

The “gigafactory” would add about $14.9 billion directly to the region’s economy over 20 years once built – a contribution that could double if investors successfully attract international businesses that are part of its supply chain to relocate.

Lithium-ion batteries are crucial components for products such as electric vehicles and power storage, and have military and aerospace uses, which large-scale production set to surge as global markets increasingly shift towards green technologies.

Geelong Manufacturing Council chief executive officer Jennifer Conley said the project was a “huge opportunity” for the city and its manufacturing sector.

“Because it’s such a big investment in clean technology, it has a massive flow-on effect for putting Geelong on the [global] stage.

“It gives us an early mover advantage in the gigafactory space. It’s not common to have this size of factory outside of China.

“There’s no reason Geelong can’t be a global centre of excellence for clean technology development and the energy transition.”

Ms Conley said Geelong was already emerging as a leader in green technologies, with businesses big and small developing projects such as green hydrogen production and vehicle refuelling, waste-to-energy and sustainable construction materials.

The promised battery boost follows recent figures that indicated the region’s manufacturing sector is on the rise despite recent high-profile departures.

Census data from the 2021 count showed that manufacturing jobs across the Geelong region – which extends to Colac – grew for the first time in decades from the previous count in 2016, rising by 360 jobs to a total of 9,513.

That was despite the exit of Ford from its North Geelong car production line in the intervening period, which was in the wake of Alcoa closing its aluminium smelter at Point Henry in 2014.

“Though it’s early signs, we’ve come through and manufacturing is repositioned itself in Geelong,” Ms Conley said.

“There’s been this enormous and sometimes painful transition, but manufacturing always recreates itself and it is proving that again.”

Recharge Industries officially launched earlier this year and is within the portfolio of Scale Facilitation, which is a financing and business innovation firm founded by Geelong-raised David Collard, who is now its CEO.

Recharge Industries chief executive officer Rob Fitzpatrick said the planned site would combine manufacturing capabilities with research and development “to make batteries better, safer, and longer lasting, while reducing waste, emissions, and costs”.

“The Recharge Industries advanced manufacturing facilities planned for the Geelong area will uplift the local, regional, and national economies and communities on multiple levels,” he said.

“1,500 to 2,000 new advanced manufacturing facility jobs will be created, not to mention numerous additional jobs that will arise due to the expansion of the economy and labour force in the area.”