In addition to Münster, Ulm and an industrial zone near Salzgitter were initially under consideration as sites. The Fraunhofer Society, as the body behind the research institute, has now opted for MEET (Münster Electrochemical Energy Technology) at the University of Münster. The decisive factors in favor of MEET were the knowledge already in place in the areas of materials and cell development for batteries and the expertise at the nearby RWTH Aachen University in cell and battery production.

The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) is funding the forthcoming “Forschungsfertigung Batteriezelle (FFB)”, as the center is to be called, to the tune of EUR 500 million. Last November the Federal Ministry of Economics also promised a billion euros from its own budget for battery cell production up to 2021. An agreement between Germany and France was also put in place in December to support collaboration between companies and research bodies of both countries in battery research.