Energy company bringing 1,000 new jobs to Edgecombe County

Friday, August 16, 2024

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Gov. Roy Cooper announced Thursday that a battery maker will bring 1,000 new jobs to Edgecombe County.

Natron Energy Inc., described as a global leader in sodium-ion battery technology, will build the first sodium-ion battery gigafactory in the United States at the Kingsboro megasite, Cooper said. The company will invest nearly $1.4 billion in Edgecombe County.

"North Carolina's momentum in the clean energy economy reaches epic proportions with today's news," Cooper said. "Natron Energy's choice to build this large and unique battery factory in our state will help the nation reduce greenhouse gas emissions while creating good jobs in Rocky Mount, Nash and Edgecombe counties, and many other places in eastern North Carolina."

Natron Energy was founded in 2012 and is headquartered in Santa Clara, California. Its batteries are seen as an efficient alternative to lead-acid and lithium-ion batteries across many performance measures, such as cycle life and power density.

They also don't need rare earth metals and critical minerals such as cobalt or lithium. And unlike the batteries in electric vehicles and bicycles, for example, Natron's sodium-ion batteries are non-flammable.

Natron's products are used for backup power systems for data centers, military and defense uses, and powering electric vehicle fast charging stations, among other uses.

The Edgecombe County facility will enable a 40x scale-up of Natron's current production capacity.
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"North Carolina, with its leadership in clean energy manufacturing and commitment to fostering innovation, is an ideal home for Natron and this groundbreaking facility," said Colin Wessells, Founder and co-CEO of Natron Energy. "This facility will drastically increase the company's production capacity, creating a sustainable growth trajectory as we seek to fundamentally change the way that industrial power is used. We're grateful for the partnership of Governor Cooper, Secretary (Machelle Baker) Sanders, and various state and local officials for their support. We look forward to becoming a member of the North Carolina business community for years to come."

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The North Carolina Department of Commerce coordinated the state's recruitment of Natron Energy.

"North Carolina has quickly become the heart of a rapidly growing network of battery manufacturers and their suppliers, which is turbocharging our state's economy," said Sanders, North Carolina's commerce secretary. "I'm pleased to see a cutting-edge company like Natron Energy select one of our state's premier megasites where I know they'll thrive, thanks to North Carolina's continued investments in infrastructure and workforce training systems."

Natron Energy's Edgecombe County project will be facilitated in part by a Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) approved by the state's Economic Investment Committee earlier Thursday. During the 12-year term of this grant, the project is estimated to grow the state's economy by $3.4 billion.

"As the world progresses toward a clean energy future, business operators are increasingly in need of safe, reliable, and efficient energy storage systems," said Wendell Brooks, co-CEO of Natron Energy. "The Kingsboro megasite offers not only ideal site characteristics but access to a world-class labor force and a business-friendly climate. With today's announcement, Natron will be well-positioned to meet that growing demand. The state of North Carolina is a leader in clean energy manufacturing, and we're proud to have the opportunity to contribute to that growing legacy in Edgecombe County."

Salaries for the new jobs will vary by position, but taken together will average $64,071. Edgecombe County's average annual wage stands at $43,183.