Siemens signs technology deal with Britishvolt to create ‘most efficient’ UK battery gigafactory

January 18, 2021
LinkedIn
Twitter
Reddit
Facebook
Email
The UK gigafactory is to be built in Northumberland, with Britishvolt helming the project. Image: Britishvolt

Siemens has partnered with the company behind what is to be the UK’s first lithium-ion battery gigafactory, providing it with its Digital Enterprise Technology.

Britishvolt will have access to Siemens’ electrification solutions, automation and Digital Twin manufacturing execution technology, with this system giving the company the opportunity to simulate gigaplant production processes and flows ahead of construction and completion as well as promising to speed up delivery times.

Siemens is also to provide Britishvolt with its design and simulation development tools, accelerating the time it takes for battery cells to go from laboratory to production at scale.

Having been unveiled in May, the gigafactory has gone through a location change, originally announcing South Wales as the location after Britishvolt signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Welsh government. However, it has now been relocated to Northumberland in England on a site that previously held the now demolished coal-fired Blyth Power Station.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

The gigafactory – which Carl Ennis, CEO Siemens GB and Ireland, described as a “vital” project – is to start delivering the first batteries at the end of 2023, with a production capacity of up to 35GWh. Ennis added that Siemens’ is to use its manufacturing and energy infrastructure technology and services to help Britishvolt to build “the most efficient, sustainable gigaplant”.

Our publisher Solar Media is once again hosting the annual Energy Storage Summit for 2021, taking place in an exciting new format on 23-24 February and 2-3 March 2021. See the website for more details.

Read Next

December 17, 2025
According to the Q4 2025 US Energy Storage Monitor from Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables and the American Clean Power Association (ACP), 2025 energy storage installations surpassed 2024 capacity.
December 17, 2025
It’s been a busy few weeks in the run-up to Christmas in Europe’s BESS project space, with M&A, final investment decisions (FID) and supplier deals in Germany, Belgium, Portugal, Italy, Finland, Romania and the UK totally around 800MW of capacity.
December 16, 2025
In this edition of the Energy-Storage.news US news roundup, EticaAG partners with Shell on battery immersion tech, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory begins utility-scale battery testing, and ON.Energy announces a transformer supply agreement.
December 16, 2025
 Utility Georgia Power has reached an agreement with the Public Interest Advocacy (PIA) staff of the Georgia Public Service Commission (PSC), that, if approved, will help lower energy costs and meet electricity demand in the state.
December 15, 2025
A new battery energy storage system (BESS) cybersecurity whitepaper from consultancy firm The Brattle Group and cybersecurity solutions provider Dragos claims that a single 100MW/400MWh BESS outage could result in US$1.2 million in monthly losses.