Saft, a designer and manufacturer of industrial batteries, has inaugurated an automated lithium-ion battery factory in Jacksonville, Fla.
This production facility is dedicated to building advanced lithium-ion cells and batteries for energy storage for renewable energy, smart grid support, broadband back-up power, transportation and defense, the company says.
The factory, Saft's 16th facility worldwide, features a 1 MW solar power rooftop photovoltaic system and fully automated, totally flexible production lines capable of building new lithium-ion technologies.
Saft says it was presented with incentives from the State of Florida and the City of Jacksonville to build the plant. Construction of the 235,000 square-foot facility was further funded by a $95.5 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Energy under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.