Tata Group’s battery business, Agratas, is set to develop a new battery gigafactory in Somerset, which will be the largest in the UK.
As confirmed in a statement, the gigafactory will focus on manufacturing batteries for the electric vehicle (EV) industry.
The manufacturing facility will be developed Gravity Smart Campus near Bridgwater, with a significant land holding acquired at Gravity, making Agratas the first and primary occupier on the site.
As reported by Current±, the factory is expected to create 4,000 direct jobs and many more in the broader supply chain. The factory is expected to cost in the region of £4 billion, with engineering firm Stantec having been selected to design the facility.
The gigafactory, which will have an output of 40GWh, could supply almost half the projected battery manufacturing capacity required for the UK’s automotive sector, an area of the energy transition that continues to grow. Preliminary works on the site are in progress, with piling to establish the factory’s foundations set to start in Spring.
Construction will be completed in phases and is expected to be operational in 2026. Once complete, the gigafactory will become one of Europe’s largest battery manufacturing sites.
Tom Flack, CEO, Agratas, said: “Our multi-billion-pound investment will bring state-of-the-art technology to Somerset, helping to supercharge Britain’s transition to electric mobility whilst creating thousands of jobs in the process.
“We care deeply about the communities we operate in, so it’s imperative to us that we work with, and listen to, our new neighbours as we build our factory in Somerset. That’s why we’ll be holding an event for local residents very soon, so we can share more about our plans and introduce our team to the community.”
A look into UK gigafactories
In the past, the UK government has given funding for battery manufacturing development in Scotland, while a gigafactory planned by Britishvolt in Northumberland collapsed in January 2023 when Britishvolt went into administration after failing to find additional investors.
Britishvolt’s new owner, Australia-based Recharge Industries, plans to go ahead with a battery factory but with the revised goal of serving the energy storage system (ESS) market.
Less than 24 hours after the Britishvolt closure announcement, Andrew Forrest – the founder of the Australian iron ore giant Fortescue – unveiled plans for an advanced battery plant in Oxfordshire.
In 2020, it was reported that Tesla was thought to be considering building a gigafactory in the UK, but the project has not materialised.
The firm is active in the downstream ESS market, however, providing its battery energy storage system (BESS) product, the Megapack, for many UK projects, including one with Harmony Energy in 2022 and two for Fotowatio Renewable Ventures (FRV).
