Group14 Technologies, a global manufacturer and supplier of advanced silicon battery technology, has begun construction of a second commercial-scale US Battery Active Materials (BAM-2) factory in Moses Lake, WA, in support of domestic efforts to advance the electric vehicle (EV) market. The one-million-square-foot campus will be home to the world’s largest factory of advanced silicon battery materials for EV programs to meet global decarbonization targets.

Leveraging a $614-million Series C round backed by Porsche AG and Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund, and a subsequent $100 million-grant from the US Department of Energy, Group14’s second BAM factory at 13400 East Wheeler Road in Moses Lake, WA, will join its first factory (earlier post) in Woodinville, WA, in manufacturing commercial quantities of SCC55, a a stable silicon-carbon composite anode with five times the capacity of graphite (current anode materials) that affords up to 50% more energy density than conventional graphite for lithium battery anodes.

SCC55 is a combination of carbon, silicon, and void space and is readily available as a drop-in ready for any blend ratio with graphite or as a complete displacement to deliver unmatched energy density and cycle life stability.Fully compatible with graphite, SCC55 boosts energy density by 30% over 1000 cycles even with a 20% blend, the company says.

The BAM-2 factory in Moses Lake will begin with two large-scale manufacturing modules, each capable of delivering 2,000 tons per year of SCC55. The production lines for the two initial modules are expected to come online and begin manufacturing SCC55 for customers in 2024. Built to run on renewable energy in the form of Washington State's abundant hydropower, the factory is expected to be part of a larger Group14 campus, comprising at least six modules, as the company looks to continue to expand its footprint in Moses Lake.

Group14 has committed to purchase more than $30 million in US steel for the first two BAM-2 modules, buildings and equipment and plans to work with American suppliers to secure necessary components, from asphalt to HVAC systems, to build a more robust domestic energy supply chain. By working closely with American suppliers, Group14’s goal is to ensure greater supply chain security and mitigate potential delivery disruptions.

To support the scale of the factory’s construction and operations, Group14’s project will employ more than 400 employees for the construction alone, partnering on the build with Clayco, Inc., a full-service engineering, design and construction firm with offices across the US.

Group14 expects to hire an additional 200 employees in Moses Lake across manufacturing, engineering and more to support the factory’s day-to-day operations for the first two modules.

To date, Group14 has raised $650 million in financing from investors and customers such as Porsche AG, Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund, OMERS Capital Markets, Decarbonization Partners, Amperex Technology Limited (ATL), BASF, Showa Denko and SK Inc.