- New battery materials laboratory opened in Bentley
- Important step towards WA becoming a global producer of battery materials for electric vehicles
- $3 million Cook Government grant through the Investment Attraction Fund to diversify WA’s economy and create local jobs
Western Australia has hit another milestone on its path to becoming a global battery materials manufacturing hub, with a new research and development laboratory facility opened in Bentley today.
The Cook Government has allocated $3 million through its signature Investment Attraction Fund to local company AustVolt, which is working towards developing and producing battery precursor cathode active material (pCAM).
pCAM is a vital component for manufacturing lithium battery cells, which have a range of uses including in electric vehicles.
The Bentley laboratory facility will allow AustVolt to produce samples of its pCAM product, which can be used in battery manufacturing trials with the electric vehicle industry.
It is an important step towards AustVolt’s full-scale manufacturing plant which, when built, will be able to produce 40,000 tonnes of pCAM per year enough to develop hundreds of thousands of lithium-ion electric vehicle batteries.
The Cook Government has granted AustVolt an 8.8 hectare land allocation in the Rockingham-Kwinana Strategic Industrial Area for its full-scale plant, with works expected to begin next year.
At full capacity, the project is expected to create hundreds of local jobs.
The Investment Attraction Fund was established to encourage new investment in the State, create local jobs and diversify the WA economy, with more than $148 million allocated to 40 job-creating projects across the State to date.
For more information on the Investment Attraction Fund, visit https://www.investandtrade.wa.gov.au/opportunities/investment-attraction-fund.
As stated by Premier Roger Cook:
“My Government is backing projects that create local jobs, strengthen our economy and set up our State for the long term.
“WA is positioning as a leader in the global supply chain for battery manufacturing and with this latest investment in AustVolt, we aremaking sure WA is in the box seat as the world shifts to a low-carbon future.
“Today’s opening of the AustVolt pCAM laboratory is another step towards WA becoming a major player in lithium battery manufacturing.
“The Investment Attraction Fund continues to drive a strong diversified economy that will secure a strong future for all Western Australians.”
