Titans in lithium battery energy storage systems, eLumina, have today opened a $20-million manufacturing and development centre on the Gold Coast in a bid to tighten Australia’s energy storage sector and satiate the global appetite for lithium batteries.
eLumina’s newly opened factory at Yatala on the Gold Coast is Australia’s first factory capable of manufacturing community lithium batteries and electric vehicle (EV) chargers.
With the first model predicted to come off the production line in 2025, eLumina’s chief executive officer Lisa Marsh confirmed the company was excited to open the Yatala factory and provide employment opportunities for the area.
“We are ambitious to back 300 highly technical and sought-after jobs and we’re proud to partner with TAFE Queensland to support the training and pathways into these jobs,” says Marsh.
Watering the seeds of Queensland’s potential as a ‘tech hotspot’
eLumina’s factory marks an important milestone in Australia’s green energy future. Tech Council of Australia CEO Damian Kassabgi says the decision to open the factory on the Gold Coast nurtures Queensland’s fledgling identity as a technology hotspot and manufacturing hub.
Kassabgi says partnering with leading Australian organisations such as eLumina will assist the Tech Council’s ambition to grow the workforce.
“Our goal is to have 1.2 million technology workers in Australia by 2030 and we’re proud to partner with Australian organisations like eLumina whose jobs are supporting the renewable energy sector,” says Kassabgi.
eLumina’s achievement in being the first manufacturer in Australia to construct lithium batteries and EV chargers has earned the praise of numerous figures in the sustainability sector, namely Smart Energy Council CEO John Grimes.
“What the team at eLumina have done is truly innovative – applying cutting-edge practices to be the first in the country to manufacture community lithium batteries and EV chargers,” says Grimes.
Overcoming connectivity challenges unique to Australia
To combat the challenge of poor regional connectivity, eLumina is partnering with Addelec to facilitate the deployment of the company’s battery-integrated EV chargers. Addelec general manager Chris McPherson says Australia’s vast and expansive geography somewhat disadvantages the rollout of EVs.
“When we zoom out to the sheer size of Australia, we need to take a different approach,” he says. “Places like Europe have a high uptake of EVs as they’re navigating smaller and more densely populated areas.”
eLumina hopes to widen the accessibility scope of EV and emerge as a key player in Australia’s net-zero journey – and Marsh has confirmed plans for a successive factory.
“Our goal is for our next factory to be three times the size with the potential to employ up to 300 people directly and support many more,” says Marsh.
The Yatala factory not only seeks to diversify Australia’s manufacturing industry, but contribute to economic resilience and energy sovereignty.
“We’re proud to be contributing to pushing the dial forward on battery storage to secure Australia’s energy future and support the transition to net-zero,” concludes Marsh.
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