Investing in WA’s future

On Monday we highlighted the Sila Nanotechnologies announcement of plans to open a hydro powered operation in Moses Lake to produce advanced lithium-ion anode battery materials for electric vehicles. Today we highlight another major WA clean energy announcement:

Woodinville’s lithium-silicon battery manufacturer Group14 Technologies announced that they closed a $400 million Series C led by Germany’s Porsche AG, to increase the company’s manufacturing ability. Group14 already has a factory outside of Seattle that produces 120 tons of silicon-carbon composite per year. But the new Series C funding will bankroll construction of another factory in central Washington, which will produce enough battery materials for 600,000 EVs per year when it’s fully operational in late 2023. Group14 says their “next-generation materials help lithium-silicon batteries deliver 50% higher performance than traditional lithium-ion batteries, eliminating range and charge anxiety.” CEO and co-founder Rick Luebbe told Canary Media, “Silicon batteries are here. ​The technology is proven. Now it’s about scaling to meet the demand.” 

Group14 Technologies factory floor in Woodinville on March 1. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)

Luebbe talks more about Group14 in this excellent article in the Everett Herald: In Snohomish County, climate change is an economic game changer

He talks about Group14’s purpose, plans, and promise, all with an overarching theme summed up by Everett City Council member Paul Roberts : “It seems a green economic revolution has begun. There’s no going back from decarbonization.”

On Friday, we’ll bring you news of yet another major WA clean energy announcement.

P.S. – After reading so much about lithium-silicon and lithium-ion, you may be wondering “where’s all this lithium coming from?” The Pacific Northwest may be home to the largest lithium deposit in the United States.