Britishvolt partners with Sunbelt Rentals to lower carbon footprint of Gigaplant and develop heavy equipment battery solutions
June 1, 2022
- The strategic partnership will see the companies collaborate to develop battery cell solutions specific to heavy industry, underscoring the Britishvolt business model of creating customer-centric, specific cell chemistry solutions
- The deal is unique and enhances “economies of carbon” and the Britishvolt ESG Principles and Commitments
- Onsite rental facility will massively lower the carbon intensity of the workforce
Northumberland, UK, 01/06/2022 – Battery technology pioneer Britishvolt is delighted to enter a strategic partnership with Sunbelt Rentals to support the development of the company’s first full-scale 38GWh battery Gigaplant in Cambois, Northumberland, and create “economies of carbon”.
In addition, as part of Sunbelt Rentals’ ongoing ESG strategy, this long-term strategic partnership will also see the companies work closely to support the development of heavy plant and equipment battery solutions to help de-carbonise the construction and equipment rental sectors.
“Britishvolt’s cutting edge battery cell technology developments, tailor-made approach to customer requirements and ability to deliver battery solutions at volume, is the differentiator that sparked the initial interest from Sunbelt resulting in this exciting partnership. The fact that Britishvolt and Sunbelt will jointly operate an “onsite rental facility” is a huge boost to our ESG strategy and brings with it “economies of carbon” as it will dramatically reduce the construction supply chain carbon footprint.”
Tom Cowling, Chief Governance Officer, Britishvolt
“There is an increasing market demand for alternative powered equipment to support our varied customer base across multiple sectors. This latest partnership is going to enable us to service that demand in the future”.
The race to carbon zero is critical for today’s society, and batteries are an important component in achieving a successful energy transition. Britishvolt’s ambition is to create some of the planet’s most responsibly manufactured, sustainable, battery cells, primarily to power electric vehicles. This links closely with Sunbelt Rentals’ ‘Our Planet’ ESG strategy, which is the businesses’ action plan for positive change, implementing a blueprint for a greener future.
Britishvolt and Sunbelt Rentals have a shared vision of accelerating the transition to electrification through collaboration.
Wright continued, “This is an exciting opportunity for Sunbelt Rentals to support the future of green energy. Britishvolt is striving towards the same ambition for positive environmental change as we are, they aim to accelerate the electrification of society, to deliver sustainable, low-carbon batteries on the roadmap to decarbonisation.
This is more than just a commercial collaboration, it’s an opportunity for us to support an important part of the future of renewable energy in the UK. We are looking forward to working with Britishvolt and delivering on our shared vision for a greener future.”
The deal underscores that tailoring of cells isn’t only for performance vehicles and will see Britishvolt deliver batteries optimized for the construction industry and help Sunbelt Rentals deliver on its own decarbonistion road map.
In May Britishvolt announced the SPA with the Monbat Group to acquire the advanced technology battery cell developer and manufacturer EAS* for €36m. Nordhausen-based EAS is a pioneer in developing and producing large format lithium-ion cells using innovative and compact electrode production technology. EAS acquisition complements Britishvolt’s drive to lead in the R&D and manufacture of electrified transportation and sustainable energy storage.
Andy Wright, CEO of Sunbelt Rentals
Britishvolt: Power with Purpose
The Northumberland Gigaplant – Britishvolt’s first large, full-cycle Gigaplant in the UK – will have a total capacity of over 38 Gigawatt Hours by the end of the decade and will produce enough cells far in excess of 300,000 electric vehicle battery packs per year, intended primarily for use in the automotive industry. The development is a major boost for Northumberland, and the UK, delivering around 3,000 direct skilled jobs and another 5,000-plus in the associated supply chains.
Britishvolt’s collaborations with academia, industry and private enterprise will also help transition the UK from fossil fuels to a low carbon, battery-based electric future.
Britishvolt has already confirmed MoUs with Lotus Cars and Aston Martin Lagonda, which, alongside other commitments to be announced shortly, have cumulative demand in excess of 7GWh in 2024 and 2025, and set the stage for the full 38GWh factory capacity that will be supplied annually from its Gigaplant site in Northumberland.
The release of an official A-sample battery cell to customers, which is scheduled in 2022, will help to further accelerate commitments.
Britishvolt is one of the fastest growing battery technology companies in Europe and globally. The company is also in discussions with the Canadian Government regarding its expansion plans in the country.
Notes to Editors
For more information please contact:
Ben Kilbey, Britishvolt’s Chief Communications Officer
+44 7305 032904
About Britishvolt
Battery pioneer and technology innovator, Britishvolt, is focused on development of next-generation battery cell technologies and associated research and development. It is dedicated to developing the future of electrified transportation and sustainable energy storage, producing best-in-class, low-carbon, sustainable, responsibly manufactured lithium-ion battery solutions. Not all batteries are created equal.
Her Majesty’s UK Government announced on January 21, 2022, its support for Britishvolt from its Automotive Transformation Fund delivered by the Advanced Propulsion Centre.
Britishvolt acquired battery cell developer and manufacturer, EAS, in May 2022, that will allow it to develop and scale up its larger 46xx high-performance cell formats and get them to customers quicker and more efficiently. The deal is subject to completion and any regulatory approvals.
Britishvolt believes that low carbon, sustainable, responsibly manufactured battery cells can help positively change the planet. The time has come to transition from fossil fuels to clean, renewable, low carbon electricity. The world deserves a clean air future for all.
Sunbelt Rentals Ltd
Sunbelt Rentals forms part of FTSE 100 Company, Ashtead Group plc and is the UK’s largest equipment rental company with over 195 service centres nationwide, more than 3,700 employees and over 35,000 customers in the construction, industrial, infrastructure, utilities and event sectors.
Safe Harbour.
Certain statements in this press release concerning our future growth prospects are forward-looking statements regarding our future business expectation intended to qualify for the ‘safe harbor’ under the U.S. Private Securities Reform Act of 1995, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements.
The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding fluctuations in earnings, fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, our ability to manage growth, competition including those factors which may affect our cost advantage, equipment procurement, wage increases, our ability to attract and retain highly skilled professionals, time and cost overruns on fixed-price, fixed-time contracts or time and material construction contracts, customer concentration, restrictions on immigration, industry segment concentration, our ability to manage international operations, reduced demand, disruptions in telecommunication networks or system failures, our ability to successfully complete and integrate potential acquisitions, liability for damages related to battery service agreements, the success of the companies in which Britishvolt has made strategic partnerships, withdrawal or expiration of governmental fiscal incentives, political instability and regional conflicts, legal restrictions on raising capital or acquiring companies and unauthorised use of our intellectual property and general economic conditions affecting our industry. In addition, please note any forward-looking statements contained herein are based on assumptions we believe to be reasonable as of the date of this press release.
