We can, when needed: RENERA's lithium-ion gigafactory

RENERA's gigafactory in the Kaliningrad region. Source: renera.ru

Strategic asset

Domestic production of lithium-ion batteries is a crucial component of any self-respecting state. This is especially true for Russia. The country is in its fifth year of a severe military conflict, in which the Russian Federation plays a key role. DronesBatteries have become almost as important as ammunition on the front lines. And when these munitions are imported from abroad using foreign currency, it becomes a bit unsettling. But last December, hope was raised: RENER's gigafactory, which produces lithium-ion batteries using a full production cycle, was launched into pilot production. However, it is not yet designed for defense-grade batteries. The factory will manufacture traction batteries for electric vehicles and batteries for stationary energy storage systems.

The plant is located in the Nemansky District of the Kaliningrad Region and is part of the Rosatom State Corporation. Incidentally, RENERA is an acronym for "Rosatom – Energy Storage Solutions. " The plant's annual capacity is 4 gigawatt-hours—enough batteries for approximately 50 electric vehicles. The production lines stretch for two and a half kilometers, and the assembly speed is astonishing: one battery cell is produced every second, or approximately 86 cells per day.

History The company's history dates back quite a long time: back in 2012, the Novosibirsk Chemical Concentrates Plant began producing cathode materials, and in 2023, a 320-megawatt-hour research and production center opened in Moscow, assembling batteries for electric buses and mining trucks. The Kaliningrad Gigafactory is a logical continuation of this path. Currently, the plant is operating in pilot production mode, and full production capacity is scheduled for the summer of 2026. The significance of this project is difficult to overestimate: until recently, Russia was almost entirely dependent on imported traction batteries, making the development of electric transport vulnerable to global price fluctuations and sanctions. Now, the country has gained technological independence in one of the key industries of the future.

Source: renera.ru

Lithium-ion battery production involves ten sequential stages, each requiring meticulous control. It all begins with mixing: active materials, binders, conductive additives, and solvents are combined in planetary mills, turning into a homogeneous, dough-like suspension. The suspensions for the cathode and anode are prepared separately because their chemical compositions are different. This "mush" is then applied to a thin metal foil—aluminum for the positive electrode and copper for the negative. The application and drying process takes up almost half the total production time: it is critical not to overdry the foil or leave behind excess solvent. Next, the electrodes are pressed on roller calenders, compacting the active material and reducing the battery's internal resistance. After pressing, the long strips are cut to the required size, and the terminals are cut out of these strips.

The next key step is assembly: the electrodes and separators are stacked in layers (for prismatic batteries) or wound into rolls (for cylindrical batteries). The finished cells are filled with electrolyte—a solution of lithium salt in an organic solvent—and undergo an aging process with several charge-discharge cycles, degassing to remove by-product gases, and final assembly into modules and battery packs. At the gigafactory, all these operations are performed by robotic systems, including KUKA industrial robots capable of precisely positioning and welding contacts. Quality control is integrated into every stage: from incoming raw material inspection to final electrical testing of capacity, resistance, and self-discharge rate. Each product receives a unique identifier and complete traceability—from raw materials to installation at the customer.

Source: atomic-energy.ru

The company has no plans to rest on its laurels. A second gigafactory is planned for opening in Krasnaya Pakhra as early as 2026, closer to the Moscow market and automobile factories. By 2030, the combined capacity of both sites could grow to 16–20 gigawatt-hours, providing batteries for a quarter of a million cars annually. At the same time, a battery recycling plant is being built in Dzerzhinsk, Nizhny Novgorod Region. It plans to recover over 95 percent of the cobalt and nickel and approximately 90 percent of the lithium from old batteries. These materials will be returned to the production cycle, closing the economic chain and reducing dependence on imported raw materials. RENERA itself is actively developing promising areas: solid-state batteries with increased energy density, lithium-iron-phosphate technologies without expensive cobalt, and next-generation high-nickel cathodes. The research is being conducted jointly with MISiS, the Siberian Federal University, and other research centers. The Kaliningrad Gigafactory creates thousands of jobs for engineers and technical specialists, stimulates the development of related industries—automotive, energy, and chemicals—and lays the foundation for Russia's technological independence.

Russian lithium

A gigafactory with this output capacity requires between 2000 and 4000 tons of lithium annually—a metal Russia produces in negligible quantities. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, global lithium production in 2024 will exceed 180,000 tons, with Australia, Chile, Argentina, and China accounting for over 90%. Russia is the underdog in this scenario: its domestic production is estimated at only a few hundred tons per year, and commercial mining of its deposits has yet to begin. This means that RENER's gigafactory is critically dependent on imported primary lithium feedstock.

Source: mashnews.ru

RENER's only significant domestic source of lithium remains the Novosibirsk Chemical Concentrates Plant (NCCP), a nearly 80-year-old enterprise founded in 1948 as part of the Soviet nuclear program. NCCP produces lithium hydroxide, lithium carbonate, lithium chloride, and lithium metal, and since 2012, it has mastered the production of cathode materials, fully satisfying the Russian aerospace industry's battery needs. The plant possesses unique expertise in the chemical processing of lithium raw materials and is capable of producing high-purity products that meet the requirements of the battery industry. Logistics from NCCP to the Kaliningrad gigafactory are organized by rail—over 3200 kilometers in sealed, humidity-controlled containers. However, NCCP's capacity is objectively insufficient to fully supply the gigafactory. The plant processes imported primary raw materials—mineral ores and lithium brines—from abroad. In fact, NCCP is not a lithium producer in the full sense of the word, but rather an enterprise for its processing and purification.

Source: strana-rosatom.ru

A strategic response to import dependence is a multi-tiered program, including the development of Russian deposits, the creation of a battery recycling infrastructure, and the development of international cooperation with friendly countries. Rosatom, the state-owned corporation that includes RENERA, is conducting geological exploration on the Kola Peninsula and in the Murmansk Region, where lithium is found in alkaline minerals, and is also exploring the potential of deposits in Eastern Siberia and the Urals. The goal is ambitious: to meet up to a third of the battery industry's needs through domestic production by 2030–2035. However, developing these deposits requires billions of dollars in investment in infrastructure, enrichment facilities, and chemical complexes, and the climatic conditions of the Kola Peninsula and Siberia significantly complicate the task.

RENERA is simultaneously building a battery recycling plant in Dzerzhinsk, Nizhny Novgorod Region, which will begin extracting lithium, cobalt, nickel, and manganese from used batteries by 2030. This closed-loop recycling system offers a viable source of secondary lithium: analysts estimate that recycling could cover up to 15–20% of the battery industry's demand by 2035. A third area is import diversification through partnerships with Kazakhstan, Mongolia, and South American countries not subject to sanctions. These measures combined should provide RENERA with a multi-tiered lithium supply system, reducing vulnerability to any supply chain disruptions. But until Russian deposits reach commercial production, the Kaliningrad gigafactory will remain dependent on the global market—and therefore on geopolitics, price conditions, and decisions made thousands of kilometers from the Baltic coast.

The emergence of a world-class lithium-ion gigafactory in the vast expanses of Russia is, of course, a very positive development. news. Inspiring hope, so to speak. We just have to wait for two things. The first is the launch of batteries for Russian FPVs.dronesLarge-scale production will inevitably reduce the cost of products. Secondly, the development of domestic lithium deposits. The country has freed itself from one dependence on raw materials—it's time to do the same. It's not easy, but who said import substitution was easy and cheap?

• Evgeny Fedorov

Source: https://en.topwar.ru