Augusta Greenlights Massive Battery Plant Project

Augusta Greenlights Massive Battery Plant Project

In a significant boost to the local economy and green energy manufacturing, the Augusta Planning Commission has granted a special exception to allow plans for a substantial battery manufacturing facility on the site of the former Proctor and Gamble plant on Mike Padgett Highway. The facility, expected to generate approximately 1,000 jobs, is part of a project spearheaded by Alpharetta-based Stryten Energy, LLC.

Details on the Project

The exception, unanimously approved during the commission’s July 1 meeting, aims to amend the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance, permitting the receiving, storage, and processing of sulfuric acid. This element is vital in the proposed manufacturing that Stryten Energy plans to undertake at the facility.

Sulfuric Acid Safety Concerns

Amid concerns raised by the commission regarding the safety of transporting chemicals, reflecting memories of a 2005 train collision near Graniteville that resulted in a fatal chlorine gas cloud, Stryten Energy’s Central Power Division vice president Scott Childers assured the commission of the low risks associated with sulfuric acid. According to Childers, sulfuric acid, widely found in automotive batteries, is nowhere as hazardous as chlorine gas and only results in minor skin irritation upon contact, given that it is not consumed.

Scope of the Project

Seeking to enhance its footprint in the rapidly expanding battery manufacturing industry in Georgia, Stryten Energy plans to produce vanadium redox flow batteries, known commonly as “grid” batteries. These batteries are efficient in servicing commercial buildings by allowing them to become self-reliant or “go off the grid.” The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory explains that this powerful battery consists of two tanks of electrolyte solutions that combine to create a renewable electric charge. It is important to note that the smallest of these batteries is the size of an average shipping container.

Phase-wise Employment and Economic Upliftment

The proposed project will proceed in three stages. In the first stage, 20 – 100 people will find employment, leading to an addition of 300 jobs in the second stage. Ultimately, by the end of the decade, the project aims to create employment for about 1,000 people. This is seen as an enormous boost to the city’s industrial sector and workforce. Cal Wray, President of the Development Authority of Augusta, affirmed his belief that Stryten Energy’s project would ensure that the city remains at the forefront of technical progress.

What’s Next?

The special exemption granted by the Planning Commission still needs the Augusta Commission’s approval. However, with the Planning Commission’s unanimous vote and the economic prosperity the project promises, optimism is high that the city commissioners will echo the same sentiments.