The Battery Belt's newest manufacturing plant is bringing hundreds of jobs to North Carolina by going atomic.
Forge Nano, a world-leading company in material science, announced in a press release that it will use proprietary Atomic Armor technology to produce safer, longer-lasting, and faster-charging lithium-ion batteries at the soon-to-be-built Forge Battery in Raleigh.
"New jobs, new investment, and new opportunities for our people are coming fast as we embrace this vital new sector of the global economy," North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper said in the release, adding that the state is continuing its "momentum" toward clean energy.
Forge Nano notes that its atomic layer deposition (ALD) "is 50x more efficient than conventional ALD," the development of which began in the 1960s, according to Wiley Online Library. The first patent was filed in 1974 by Dr. Tuomo Suntola, a Finnish inventor.
Most electric vehicles are powered by lithium batteries, making this exciting news for both our planet and owners of EVs, as well as those hesitant to make the switch from gas-powered cars because of range anxiety and other factors.
Passenger cars produce more than 3 billion tons of carbon pollution annually.
While EVs don't emit any of that heat-trapping gas linked to rising global temperatures and extreme weather events, making them a better choice for our planet in the long run, the mining and manufacturing process of lithium can cause water and air contamination.
However, the Atomic Armor coating, which Forge Nano says, "creates a nano shield to prevent negative reactions," is expected to increase the efficiency of the production process while also lowering battery costs.
Forge Nano explained in a press release that this is done by "removing electrolyte additives and reducing electrolyte consumption."
Construction on Forge Battery is scheduled to begin in 2024. Production of the batteries is expected by 2026, with tax revenue from operations reportedly going toward "economically challenged communities throughout the state."
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