The global demand for electric batteries is expected to top 2,000 gigawatt hours (GWh) by 2030 (up from 185 GWh in 2020). Driven mostly by electric vehicles, consumer electronics and battery energy storage solutions (BESS) that enable renewable energy to be stored and released into electricity grids as needed.

In response, there are currently 369 gigafactories – the huge manufacturing plants needed for battery production – in the global construction pipeline that are due to be built by 2030. Countries and regions around the world are investing, including China, North America and Europe.  

Electric battery technology has an important role to play in enabling the energy transition to renewables. Here’s how the gigafactories needed to manufacture batteries at speed and scale can be built more efficiently.
 

1. Reuse existing buildings

Gigafactories are technically complex sites, but with an integrated approach it’s possible to retrofit former manufacturing facilities and reuse as much of the existing buildings, services and equipment as possible. Reusing existing manufacturing facilities can also help to create job opportunities in communities which have suffered major losses and unemployment when former industries have closed.

Peter Hodgkinson, Director for Strategic Growth and Major Projects: Property & Buildings, WSP in Africa explained: “With any gigafactory, there are a range of factors that determine a project’s viability. From the government support needed to attract and incentivize investors and developers to build, operate and maintain facilities, to the availability of local human resources and reliable clean energy to power production. All these things help to determine the right place for a gigafactory.”

“Beyond that, projects also need to consider the end-to-end supply chain and the transport infrastructure required to transport raw materials and end products, and proximity to end-user demand for batteries.”
 

2. Use digital design

Gigafactories require highly specialized facilities for the battery manufacturing process such as clean and dry rooms which surpass the conventional requirements we are used to in the pharmaceutical and other technology sectors. These are ultra clean, dust and contaminant free, pressurized, temperature and humidity-controlled environments. Building Information Modelling (BIM) enables all components to be designed and tested in a digital environment before construction or retrofit, to enhance upfront planning, reduce risk and ensure an efficient project timeline.

Typically, around 66% of a project’s capital expenditure cost comes from retrofitting the building services and utilities needed, rather than from modifying the buildings themselves. Using BIM can help to simplify the complex process and manage the costs, helping to support the case for reusing an existing building, while also eliminating gaps in the battery limits between the multiple systems in these facilities.

Peter continued: “When it comes to the site and the existing building(s), thorough studies are essential to manage the risks of retrofitting, including geotechnical and environmental assessments, evaluating flood risks and the impacts of climate change, checking for ground contamination and asbestos, and testing concrete integrity to gauge the effects of age and chemicals. A documentation search is also vital to ascertain the safety of structures and services, encompassing existing drawings, reverse engineering and reviewing maintenance records.”
 

3. Improve energy efficiency

Gigafactories use a huge amount of energy to power production, so retrofitting energy-saving measures is vital to manage operating costs and reduce operational carbon emissions. For example, adding active measures such as onsite renewable power generation, ventilation and energy efficient lighting and controls, alongside passive measures like insulation and shading.

Looking at gigafactories through a sustainability lens also means ensuring these facilities continue to operate as efficiently as possible to lower their whole-life carbon footprint. Continuous monitoring of a facility can help identify opportunities to improve lifecycle management, especially as new technologies come on board and market demand changes.
 

4. Build in adaptability to be future ready

Currently, electric batteries are typically lithium-ion batteries, but battery design is evolving rapidly. New lithium-free technologies are being developed such as sodium-ion flow batteries for energy storage, with future potential for electric vehicle charging. To cope with changing demands and reduce the need for major reconfiguration in the future, today’s gigafactories need to have adaptability and scalability built in. Climate change is also a factor that needs to be considered for any build, particularly impact on local climate as well as being energy efficient in design.
 

5. Embrace sustainable circular economy principles

Using circular economy principles will help gigafactories design out waste and pollution at the start of a project and reuse and regenerate resources. From incorporating electric battery recycling facilities, to reclaiming and reusing waste heat from the manufacturing process.

Technologies enabling electric batteries and their components to be reused and recycled are also advancing, including circular ‘closed loop’ systems for reusing raw materials like lithium, cobalt, copper and nickel. To enable a more sustainable future, gigafactories need to be designed to support this part of the process too.