Northvolt receives its environmental permit

The building of facility begins immediately. Photo: Northvolt.

Northvolt has now received the environmental permit for the construction of Europe's largest lithium-ion battery factory in Skellefteå. On-site landscaping, which marks the first stage of the construction phase, commences on June 8th.

The factory will be built in Skellefteå municipality in northern Sweden. The environmental condition, which covers both construction and operation, was granted by the Land and Environmental Court in Umeå less than six months after the last application was submitted. The license was issued for the first part of the factory which will be completed by 2020 to produce eight GWh cell capacity annually. The complete factory is ready in 2023 and will then produce at least 32 GWh per year when it reaches full capacity.

"Now we mark an important milestone for Northvolt and the battery value chain that is now beginning to take shape in Europe. We will start building in Skellefteå tomorrow, which means we are well placed to keep our schedule, "says Peter Carlsson, CEO, and founder, Northvolt.

The first phase of the construction, which mainly consists of land preparations, is expected to be completed in the second half of 2019 and financed under the current financing. Northvolt has initiated a process to support the financing required for investments in buildings, materials, and equipment that will take place in the next phase until the first part of the plant is completed by the end of 2020.