A Giant Leap Forward in Battery Manufacturing
A Giant Leap Forward in Battery Manufacturing
Toward a "Valley of the Battery" in the Hauts-de-France region
Committed to building a carbon-free future, France aims to promote clean mobility to foster energy efficiency.
Committed to building a carbon-free future, France aims to promote clean mobility to foster energy efficiency. To do so, it must win the battle for autonomy and produce batteries domestically to power electric vehicles.
This marks the birth of a “Battery Valley” in the Hauts-de-France region.
The region is, in fact, home to several projects for mega-factories dedicated to the production of lithium-ion batteries made in France. These gigafactories—a term coined by Tesla during the construction of its first large-scale factory in Nevada to manufacture batteries for its electric vehicles—will be built in Douai, Douvrin, and Dunkirk.
State-of-the-art technology across an area of approximately 150,000 m² is essential for these plants to remain competitive. Sandrine Cheminaud, Director of Market Development for the Process Industries at Equans France, discusses the imperative need for a European industry: “From a technological standpoint, we will need to build an ecosystem for the manufacturing of European process equipment.”
“ From a technological standpoint, we will need to build an ecosystem for the manufacturing of European process equipment. ”
Solution Integrator
Thanks to its expertise in the design, installation, maintenance, and operation of multi-technical facilities, as well as the development of deep, specialized expertise in the European gigafactory market, Equans has developed a range of dedicated solutions. In particular, for the heart of these mega-factories: anhydrous cleanrooms.
These battery manufacturing areas are characterized by extreme complexity, a high level of technical sophistication, and excellent control over dust and humidity levels. This is essential given the risks involved: even the slightest speck of dust or droplet of water could impair a battery’s performance in a vehicle, reduce its lifespan, or even cause a fire.
This “clean concept” is, in fact, one of Equans’s flagship areas of expertise. The company designs and builds these facilities, but also offers solutions for electrolyte storage and distribution, as well as electrical engineering and fire safety services.
Equans has also developed turnkey solutions for the unloading, storage, distribution, and recovery of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), a solvent widely used in the manufacture of Li-ion batteries.
A dedicated team and a single point of contact manage the project from start to finish with a turnkey, customized approach. From the very beginning of the project, they analyze risks with their clients and propose ways to optimize the process. The use of BIM at every stage facilitates management of the entire project lifecycle through 3D monitoring and a coordinated, real-time view.
“ “We define and design systems that are more high-performing, more autonomous, more robust, and more energy-efficient,” explains Bilel Kaabeche, Chief Operating Officer at Equans France.
“Our expertise is also demonstrated by our ability to take on projects of this scale, with extremely tight schedules.”
“ We design and develop systems that are more high-performance, more autonomous, more robust, and more energy-efficient. ”
Our Experts Share Their Insights
Energy Efficiency with Vincent Waeber, Project Manager
Once operational and with support from Equans’ Digital division, gigafactory customers—all of whom are aiming for Industry 4.0—use hypervision systems that enable real-time production analysis. Equans’ expertise is further demonstrated by its ability to mobilize the extensive resources required for these very large-scale projects.
They can include up to fifty drafters, as well as an equal number of back-office engineers and on-site supervisors, and between 700 and 1,000 people on-site. Whether for projects in the Hauts-de-France region or in countries such as Sweden, Norway, Italy, or Germany, Equans is one of the few companies capable—as Jacques Marneau, Project Director at Equans France, points out—“of taking on responsibility for projects spanning hundreds of thousands of square meters and worth several hundred million euros. It’s a real organizational challenge.”
TARGETED EXPECTATIONS IN A HIGHLY DEMANDING ENVIRONMENT
Gigafactory builders expect their service providers to deliver solutions that rise to the challenge of major stakes. It is up to the contracted company to master the management of the ultra-complex environment of anhydrous rooms and to equip them with the most cutting-edge technology. It will also need to demonstrate its ability to develop solutions tailored to areas with explosive atmospheres, while mitigating associated risks—especially during electrolyte distribution.
Manufacturers also want optimization of their plants’ installation costs and energy expenses, a reduction in the environmental footprint of buildings and operations, and easier equipment maintenance through the integration of best operating practices from the design phase onward.Equans provides precise and relevant solutions to all of these needs.
Feedback on the AESC Project
Testimonial from Alexandre Frati, Assistant Director of Construction at AESC
- THE NMP IN FULL
N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) is used as an organic solvent in the production of lithium-ion battery cathodes. Since this volatile organic compound (VOC) cannot be released into the environment, Equans has developed a sustainable NMP recovery process tailored to each facility and based on an innovative, patented condensation design. With one key objective: to reuse this solvent thereafter.
Our Experts Share Their Insights
- THE CLEAN CONCEPT: ESSENTIAL EXPERTISE IN A GIGAFACTORY
Battery manufacturing requires a specific, controlled environment: rooms that are clean, have a controlled atmosphere, and are anhydrous—meaning they are completely free of dust and moisture. Even the slightest contamination could cause a fire, damage the production process, or impair the battery’s performance.
- EQUANS: THE FOUNDATIONS OF DISTINCTIVE EXPERTISE
For more than twenty-five years, Equans France has been designing and building cleanrooms and anhydrous facilities. In 2012, the company partnered with one of its long-standing clients, Batscap—a semiconductor specialist—which was looking to enter the lithium microbattery sector. Equans then installed its first large-scale anhydrous facility, covering approximately 1,500 m². This initial experience was built upon in 2018, when the company embarked on an unprecedented venture—gigafactories—which has made it the only design-and-build firm today capable of handling all the technical components of a mega-factory. This applies to clients as diverse as Asian companies looking to establish a presence in Europe, startups drawn to the innovation associated with this growing market, long-standing players in niche battery markets expanding their operations into the electric vehicle market, and automakers seeking to bring battery production in-house.
Read the rest of the article
Our approach to recruiting? Combining simplicity and flexibility
Would you like to play an active role in the upcoming energy, industrial, and digital transitions? Join our team, all of whom are committed to decarbonizing our clients’ production, digitizing their production methods, and reindustrializing regions.
Whether you’re just starting your career or already have more experience, our recruitment process is designed to be agile and flexible. Here, there are no complicated processes.
We’re committed to making your application process as simple as possible. Our recruitment portal allows you to apply for our job openings quickly and easily. If you have any questions, our ambassadors are here to help. For any other inquiries, our teams are at your disposal.
