New £2.5bn hub aims to put UK at centre of electrification excellence
An ambitious new project is aiming to create a UK centre of excellence in electrification in the West Midlands.
Greenpower Park is a joint venture between business, councils and universities who hope to create up to 6,000 skilled jobs and attract £2.5 billion in investment for EV and clean energy projects.
The West Midlands Gigafactory is the site’s anchor tenant, with the project’s backers hoping to bring in research, development and manufacturing projects from industry and academia to create an end-to-end electrification and clean energy ecosystem.
The planned battery plant will eventually have capacity to produce enough batteries for 600,000 EVs a year and Greenpower Park’s backers say they have already been approached by a number of Asian battery manufacturers considering a move to the site.
The project aims to attract and support new ventures through its investment zone status, approved planning permission and what backers call an ‘unprecedented’ regional incentives package.
“In a decisive stride towards fortifying Britain’s position as a global leader in electrification innovation, the unveiling of Greenpower Park with the West Midlands Gigafactory marks a transformative moment for the nation’s net zero landscape,” said Cllr Jim O’Boyle, cabinet member for jobs, regeneration and climate change at Coventry City Council.
“This ambitious initiative is not merely about setting the groundwork for the next generation of electric technologies and sustainable manufacturing practices. It is a clarion call to the world that the UK is open for business, ready to lead the charge in the green industrial revolution.”
The project’s backers, which include Coventry City Council, Coventry Airport, Warwick Manufacturing Group at University of Warwick, and Coventry University, believe that with more than 210,000 local students enrolled in relevant degrees and vocational courses, and its location at the heart of UK manufacturing, the park can become a pivotal site in the UK’s transition to an electrified economy.
Earlier this year Agratas confirmed that it had acquired land at Somerset’s Gravity Smart Campus for its own £4bn battery factory. That site, due to open in 2026 will initially supply batteries for Jaguar and Land Rover models as well as other brands within the parent Tata group.
