Dutch battery manufacturer Lithium Werks plans to open an R&D campus in Twente, in the Netherlands.
The company has raised €100 million ($117m) for investment in the site, with local business development agency Oost NL first mover on the project.
The company says it anticipates completion of the first building at the Technology Base campus by the end of 2019. At that stage, the complex should provide work for around 300 people and in five years’ time, Werks hopes to employ 2,000 at the campus.
The 42-acre site will be located near Twente airport and other collaborators on the project include the University of Twente, the municipality of Enschede and the province of Overijssel.
“Renewable energy sources such as wind and sun often produce the most energy at times when the demand is low,” said Kees Koolen, Chairman of the Board at Lithium Werks and initiator of the project. “This mismatch between supply and demand means it is still necessary to have conventional coal or gas power stations. With smart energy storage and transport solutions, the energy will be available at the right time and place. This will require both sufficient battery capacity – we need to produce many more batteries – and artificial intelligence software.”
Lithium Werks – which produces produces lithium iron phosphate batteries (LFP) – has absorbed Super B Lithium B.V. and Valence Technology Inc through M&A activity, corporate moves it says has substantially added to its knowledge base.
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The company also plans to employ artificial intelligence for mobility-as-a-service (MaaS) applications. Such technology could have additional uses, such as vehicle-to-grid and vehicle-to-home power. Mr. Koolen was also an early investor in Uber, establishing its international head office in Amsterdam.
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