The Gold Coast is set to host Australia’s first factory producing community lithium batteries and EV chargers, as eLumina nears completion of its $20 million manufacturing facility.

The factory will create 300 jobs on the Gold Coast, and produce 300 batteries per year, capable of providing up to 100 Queensland households with reliable and cheaper renewable energy.

CEO Lisa Marsh says the global demand for batteries is soaring and eLumina has a record solar uptake and energy generation in the country.

“But we need battery storage at scale to harness its full potential,” she says.

“Through battery storage we can capture this energy and ensure reliable and cheaper off-grid power to all Australians. This insulates communities from power outages and saves them money.”

To expedite the deployment of the EV chargers, eLumina has engaged with EV charging station installer Addelec.

Addelec general manager Chris McPherson says the amount of EVs on the road continues to grow, and charging infrastructure needs to keep up with that.

“The eLumina D1 with built in battery storage is a great option to have, especially considering the power challenges we have across Australia,” he says.

“Producing EV chargers in Australia will make it easier to meet demand and to support the exciting transformation to more sustainable transport.”

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate says the Gold Coast has an ambitious plan to secure a larger slice of the clean energy sector and the skilled jobs it creates.

“eLumina choosing the Gold Coast as home for Australia’s first factory building both lithium community batteries and EV chargers, shows our city has the right settings, ambitions, and support for businesses for advanced manufacturing to thrive,” he says.

eLumina is an Australian-owned manufacturer of EV chargers. The company offers a wide range of battery energy storage systems in various capacities to cater to the diverse needs of industrial and commercial settings.