Record EV Battery Plant Breaks Ground in Washington

A rendering of the completed BAM-2 factory in Moses Lake, Wash. Image courtesy of Group14

Silicon battery manufacturer Group14 Technologies has begun constructing its second commercial-scale factory in Moses Lake, Wash.

The 1 million-square-foot U.S. Battery Active Materials factor, known as BAM-2, will produce silicon batteries for electric vehicles. The company expects the site’s initial annual output to be 20 GW of battery capacity.

In a statement, Group14 called the facility the world’s largest factory for advanced EV silicon battery materials. Silicon battery technology delivers higher energy density and charge rates than lithium-ion batteries for EV-related applications, according to the company.

BAM-2 is being financed with a $614 million Series C funding round from Porsche and Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund, as well as a $100 million grant from the Biden-Harris administration and the U.S. Department of Energy.

The project is located at 13400 E. Wheeler Road in Moses Lake. Group14’s first factory is situated in Woodinville, Wash. BAM-2 will begin with two large-scale manufacturing modules which will be individually capable of delivering 2,000 tons per year of SCC55, a battery technology comprising carbon, silicon and void space. The two initial modules are due online in 2024. The facility will ultimately be part of a larger planned campus, which will consist of at least six modules.

Clayco, a full-service engineering, design and construction firm, has been brought aboard the project. The facility will run on renewable energy through the utilization of hydroelectric power generation, according to the company’s statement.

Upwards of 400 employees will be hired to construct the facility, while another 200 people will be employed to handle manufacturing, engineering and other day-to-day functions. The sponsor is working with 20 community-based organizations on increasing the number of clean energy jobs in the area, with a focus on hiring and training.

Group14 will purchase more than $30 million worth of U.S. steel for its first two modules, buildings and equipment in Moses Lake and intends to source other critical components, including asphalt and HVAC systems, from U.S. manufacturers. The company believes that its domestic focus will help provide domestic energy supply chain security which will, in turn, mitigate potential delivery disruptions.