The battery plant hopes to stimulate the New Orleans economy

The electronic age is bringing about a new industrial revolution.

New Orleans East is now a player in the race to build a better rechargeable battery.

On Tuesday, city leaders cut the ribbon for the new ADVANO facility in the east.

The company is developing a “more efficient” lithium-ion battery in an industrial park across from NASA’s Michoud Assembly Center.

“That’s what’s exciting because we can actually outpace this market and be a leader in battery technology,” said Chris York, CEO of ADVANO.

York said the process involves replacing the graphite at the core of today's Chinese-made batteries with a silicon-carbon composite material.

York claims its battery can hold a charge for longer while requiring less time to charge.

The first goal is to develop the technology for electric vehicles and then expand it to products such as cell phones, smart watches and computers.

“We plan to be one of the top three players in this market to reach the next level of battery range and development,” said York.

To be successful, ADVANO must repurpose a process originally developed at Tulane University to produce battery materials.

Mayor Latoya Cantrell called ADVANO not only the next generation of rechargeable batteries, but also high-tech jobs.

“The future is right here and right here in the city of New Orleans,” Cantrell said.

While ADVANO is a pilot program, New Orleans leaders hope New Orleans East can one day become a hub for this type of advanced energy technology.

“I’m just happy that we’re in New Orleans East and that we’re in New Orleans,” said Councilman Oliver Thomas. “We can be proud of that.”

ADVANO currently employs 15 people in New Orleans.

The company aims to increase that number to 50 by the end of next year.

If ADVANO is able to expand its operations, CEO York says this could ultimately mean up to 300 well-paying jobs for the region.

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