B.C. home to new high performance battery manufacturing plant
B.C. will be home to Western Canada's first high performance lithium-ion battery manufacturing plant
Canadians are more reliant on rechargeable batteries than ever before, especially lithium-ion. Lithium-ion batteries power our everyday devices from smartphones to electric toothbrushes and laptops. They're also vital for the operation of electric vehicles (EVs), and as backup storage for renewable energy, such as solar power.
In many ways a clean energy future is reliant on production of lithium-ion batteries, and B.C. is about to become home to Western Canada's first high performance lithium-ion battery cell manufacturing site, operated by E-One Moli Energy (Canada) Ltd. and powered by our renewable electricity.
Maple Ridge will soon be home to the new state of the art lithium-ion battery manufacturing plant. Once at full capacity, the company expects to produce up to 135 million lithium-ion cells annually to be used in everything from power tools and medical devices to high-performance vehicles and even zero-emissions aircraft.
Benefits of B.C. – clean energy and incentives
B.C. is the ideal place for businesses like E-One Moli Energy to set up shop, with 98% of the electricity we generate coming from clean and renewable resources. We also have competitive industrial rates and incentives that make B.C. among the lowest cost jurisdictions in North America. Our Electrification Plan provides funding programs to help new, eligible transmission and major distribution customers – particularly clean-tech and high-tech companies – reduce costs when connecting to our integrated grid.
Frank So, Executive Vice President at E-One Moli Energy has helped spearhead this effort to establish the production facility in Maple Ridge. "The dedicated support and expertise that BC Hydro has provided have been invaluable in helping our company navigate the process to connect to clean hydroelectricity," says So. "The level of support from all levels of government and BC Hydro helped with our final investment decision and we are excited to grow our business in B.C."
New-to-B.C. and existing businesses in B.C. that are looking to electrify new operations may be eligible to receive funding. We help to match new businesses with existing industrial sites to reduce the time and cost to connect. "As a western North American leader in clean electricity generation, we can help attract low-carbon businesses to B.C. by enabling companies to achieve their ESG targets by powering with renewable energy," says Keith Anderson, BC Hydro's VP, Customer, Business Development, and Energy Management. "We've provided E-One Moli Energy with funding to assist in transitioning some of their manufacturing processes from fossil fuels to clean electricity and help reduce the overall cost of connecting to our system. This demonstrates our commitment to supporting businesses and economic development in the province while also supporting the Province's CleanBC Plan."
About CleanBC
The CleanBC plan has set an aggressive target of reducing climate-changing emissions by 40% by 2030 – and to meet this target we need to use more clean electricity to power our economy. With the industrial sector accounting for 40 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions, BC Hydro is supporting this sector through programs and funding to transition from fossil fuels, choosing to electrify all or part of its operations, or by improving energy efficiency. At full production, E-One Moli Energy is expected to avoid 28 kilo tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually by connecting to our clean electricity grid. On top of significantly reducing emissions from operations by developing one of the most energy efficient, low-carbon manufacturing facilities in the world, the $1.05 billion plant is expected to create 450 permanent, skilled jobs that will generate new economic activity for the community, bolster B.C. as a clean tech hub, and diversify the industrial sector. If you're a clean or high-tech business looking to connect to clean hydroelectricity, we're here to help. Our dedicated support and expert advice will help assess industrial sites, facilitate the connection process, and use clean, renewable electricity. Learn more or contact our Business and Economic Development team directly.