Macron dreams of “Battery Valley”: How France is trying to bring green factories into the country
E-batteries, solar plants, wind farms: the French President is currently launching a series of green industrial projects. But are they really that ecological – or rather protectionist?
“Vert” is green: Emmanuel Macron presenting “France 2030”, one of his many investment plans.
Image: Ludovic Marin/EPA
Local politicians in Dunkirk are already dreaming of a “Battery Valley” – based on the Silicon Valley in California. In any case, Emmanuel Macron announced last week that two new gigafactories for electric batteries will be built in the northern French port city. The Taiwanese company Prologium is investing 5.2 billion euros, the Chinese lithium processor XTV 1.5 billion. The Gravelines nuclear power plant and a new offshore wind farm in the English Channel are to supply the electricity.
