Amara Raja to set up 16 GWh Lithium-ion Battery giga plant in Telangana
Indian battery giant Amara Raja Batteries Limited (ARBL) is investing over ₹ 9,500 crores over the next ten years for establishing state-of-the-art research and manufacturing facilities for lithium-ion battery in Mahbubnagar district, Telangana. The company has signed a MoU with the Government of Telangana in this regard, by which the 'Amara Raja Giga Corridor' will be set up to cater to the emerging battery demand.
The initial facilities would include a first-of-its kind advanced energy research and innovation center in Hyderabad, dubbed the 'Amara Raja E-hub'. This facility will be equipped with advanced laboratories and testing infrastructure for material research, prototyping, product life cycle analysis and Proof of Concept demonstration.
The E-hub will also cater to the development needs of the Amara Raja as well as to provide a range of facilities open to other players in the energy and mobility ecosystem.
Speaking on the development, Jayadev Galla, Chairman and Managing Director, Amara Raja Batteries, said, "This strategic partnership with the Government of Telangana is a giant leap for Amara Raja and will bring in the impetus for innovations in sustainable technologies for the whole region, in addition to generating employment opportunities. We have had a long association with the state and are excited to finally have the opportunity to establish an industrial base here."
Vikramadithya Gourineni, Executive Director, New Energy Business, said, "This latest step is in line with the 'Energy & Mobility' roadmap that we laid out last year. Our ambition is to develop a robust Indian ecosystem with R&D, incubation, testing, and manufacturing – a Giga Corridor for emerging technologies in Energy and Mobility."
Amara Raja envisions the E-hub to serve as a much-needed catalyst for multi-stakeholder collaboration and fostering entrepreneurship in these emerging sectors, in line with the 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' vision of the Government of India.
In addition, as part of its journey towards giga scale manufacturing of advanced cell technology products, the company would be establishing commercial scale pilot plant and the first giga scale cell production facility.
The proposed battery manufacturing facility will have an ultimate capacity of up to 16 GWh and a battery pack Assembly unit of up to 5 GWh, according to the company's press statement.
It is to be noted that Amara Raja announced the incorporation of a subsidiary named 'Amara Raja Advanced Cell Technologies Pvt. Ltd.' early last month. The company is already working on li-ion cell chemistries specifically suited for Indian subcontinent conditions, and already supplies lithium battery packs and chargers to some E2Ws and E3W manufacturers.
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