A community battery and EV charger factory has opened, providing skills, jobs, and research opportunities for Queensland’s EV and tech industries future
eLumina has officially opened Australia’s first factory capable of producing community lithium batteries and EV chargers, with the first model set off the production line in 2025.
The new $20m Manufacturing and Development Centre on the Gold Coast will strengthen Australia’s energy storage sector and help meet global battery demand. The factory will produce 300 batteries and EV chargers a year and support up to 300 jobs on the Gold Coast.
eLumina’s CEO, Lisa Marsh, said, “We are extremely proud to officially open our factory here in Yatala on the Gold Coast. We are ambitious about supporting 300 highly technical and sought-after jobs, and we’re proud to partner with TAFE Queensland to support the training and pathways into these jobs.”
Importantly, these jobs will be critical in shaping Australia’s tech and energy future. Tech Council of Australia CEO Damian Kassabgi said, “Queensland, particularly on the Gold Coast, is emerging as a tech hotspot and a manufacturing hub. Our goal is to have 1.2 million tech workers in Australia by 2030, and we’re proud to partner with Australian organisations like eLumina, whose jobs support the renewable energy sector.”
A key challenge is connectivity across Australia, particularly in regional and rural areas. eLumina’s partnership with Addelec is supporting the deployment of their battery-integrated EV chargers with a focus on regional connectivity.
Addelec’s General Manager, Chris McPherson, said, “When we look globally, especially at places like Europe with a high uptake of EVs, they’re navigating smaller and more densely populated areas. When we zoom out to the sheer size of Australia, we need to take a different approach.”
“Considering existing power challenges across Australia, and in turn we hope to see an uptake in EV users across Australia,” McPherson said. eLumina now has their sights set on manufacturing of these batteries, looking to the future of manufacturing in Queensland. “Our goal is for our next factory to be three times the size with the potential to employ up to 300 people directly and support many more.”
“Our factory diversifies Australia’s manufacturing industry, building economic resilience, contributing to energy sovereignty, and strengthening a ‘Gold Coast Made’ economy.”
“We’re proud to be contributing to Australia’s energy future through pushing the dial forward on battery storage to secure Australia’s energy future and support the transition to net-zero,” Marsh said.
eLumina is an Australian-owned company manufacturing world-class lithium battery energy storage systems and battery-integrated electric vehicle chargers. It offers various battery energy storage systems in various capacities to cater to the diverse requirements of industrial and commercial settings. Operated by Australians with a global presence, eLumina’s dedicated team of engineers strives to create a one-stop shop for innovative energy solutions, redefining energy interactions and preparing businesses for the new generation of energy infrastructures.