St Baker battery factory eyes 2GWh of production in Philippines

The energy innovation vehicle of former coal baron Trevor St Baker has inked a deal with the Philippines government to more than double the output of battery manufacturing facilities it is building in the archipelago, to a potential output of 2GWh a year.

The St Baker Energy Innovation Fund is currently developing two factories in New Clark City in the Philippines as part of $10 million project capable of producing the equivalent of 600MWh or about 15,000 lithium iron phosphate batteries a year. 

As part of three memoranda of understanding overseen by Philippines president Ferdinand Marcos Jnr and Trevor St Baker on Monday, the fund has agreed to “rapildy scale” the StB Gigafactory to an annual capacity of up to 2GWh in the next six years.

St Baker says significant progress has been made on the StB GigaFactory, with first battery production runs expected to start between May and August, followed by full commercial operation and supply – including to Australia, the US and the ASEAN region – expected to be underway by October 2024. 

“This operation is paving the way for the Philippines to assume a prominent role in the global battery industry. It will provide high value jobs in the Philippines.”

Another deal will see the StBEIF-backed company, Pure EV, look at developing zero carbon transport and fast charging infrastructure in the New Clark City region in conjunction with the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BDCA), a government agency responsible for developing former military reservations.

The MoU will see Pure-EVs provide a technical and commercial feasibility report for the implementation of electric vehicle public transport deployment alongside fast charging infrastructure. The project also aims to create a model for other areas and, by providing fast charging infrastructure, further encourage the takeup of electric vehicles. 

A third company backed by the St Baker fund, Energy DeCarb, will also collaborate with the BCDA to assess the feasibility of installing solar panels on factory roofs and the stadium in New Clark City. This would be the first demonstration of large battery-backed rooftop solar in the Philippines.

“Together, we are not just building factories or installing solar panels and batteries; we are laying the groundwork for a sustainable and prosperous future in both our countries,” St Baker told the Philippine Business Forum at the Ritz Carlton Hotel on Monday.

“This initiative underscores our dedication to not only manufacturing sustainable energy solutions but also actively contributing to the renewable energy infrastructure of the Philippines.”