What is happening now at IPower LLC?

The construction of a battery plant in the territory of FEZ Brest is actively discussed in mass media of the Republic of Belarus and outside the country. Many diverse points of view on the situation, and sometimes distorted presentation of information creates around the theme even more excitement. What is IPower LLC and how to implement the project of the first battery factory in Belarus?

IPower LLC— built on the territory of the FEZ Brest plant for the production of lead-acid batteries. Basically the battery in the Republic of Belarus imported from Poland, Russia and Ukraine. With the commissioning of the plant IPower LLC the main demand of the domestic market will be achieved through own production, the supply of batteries is scheduled for export. The project implementation actually creates a new industry, providing a win-win relationship with the research institutes with experience in storage technologies and energy storage.

IPower LLC is included in the structure of the Group of companies 1AK-GROUP, which aims — the establishment of a closed battery production in Belarus.

The first step in the realization of the task was the construction of a plant for processing of waste batteries and the production of fine lead in the city of Beloozersk — Belinvesttorg-Splav LLC. This is an important step in the development of circular economy as each spent battery is re-used in the manufacture of a new battery at the expense of recovered lead and not have a negative impact on the environment.

The structure of the Group of companies 1AK-GROUP also includes:

Zubr Energy LLC — a plant for manufacturing storage batteries for supply to the conveyor line of the world's automakers.

Belinvesttorg LLC ("First battery company")  wholesale and retail network of the Group of companies.

International experience

In the world practice in the manufacture of batteries has accumulated rich experience. In the EU and the CIS such companies employ about 100 years. Despite serious technological process plants located right in the city. More details can be read here: Example of the battery production plants in other countries. 

Environmental aspects

The plant IPower LLC applied the latest standards in security and environmental protection. Environmental regulations applied in the European Union, much softer accepted in the Republic of Belarus, for example, concentrations of lead and its compounds in the soil in Germany for industrial land is set at 2000 mg/kg soil, Spain — 2800 mg/kg In the Republic of Belarus the accounting standard is 40 mg/kg.

Sanitary-protective zone of the plant, in accordance with the requirements of Sanitary norms and rules "Requirements to sanitary protection zones of organizations, structures, and other objects that impact on human health and the environment", approved by the decree of the Ministry of health of the Republic of Belarus from 11.10.2017 N 91, is 500 m. the same requirements for sanitary-protective area for plants for the production of batteries used in Russia and Kazakhstan. In this case, the term "sanitary protection zone" is not in the EU.

In accordance with the calculations made by the accredited and certified organization, safe rate of dispersion of lead in this area for IPower LLC is up to 124 kg. the technological solutions Adopted have allowed us to ensure the rate of lead emissions in the project plant a little more than 3 kg, which is 40 times lower than the safe standards of dissipation.

As the project was planned?

IPower LLC— the first in the Republic of Belarus enterprise producing lead-acid batteries and has passed a thorough inspection at all stages of implementation.

What equipment is installed at IPower LLC?

Equipment developed by vendors specifically for the project accumulator plant IPower LLC. On the basis of tenders and contests were chosen the following suppliers of technological and engineering equipment:

Finish line operations — LaPneumatica (Italy)

Line forming charge — Sovema (Italy), O. M. I.(Italy)

Line Assembly operations for cars and trucks — LaPneumatica (Italy), AccurateProduct/Moojin (Denmark/South Korea)

Line pastoralisme — Roche (France), Accurate Product/Moojin/Frimax (Denmark/South Korea/Spain)

Line mix your music without limits paste — Sanhuan (China)

Chamber of ripening and drying of electrode plates Sanhuan (China)

Production line lead oxide — Sanhuan (China)

Production line lead-calcium ribbon Sanhuan (China)

Gas cleaning equipment — ekofil'tr (Russia)

Equipment for wastewater treatment — EcoSoft (Ukraine) (Italy)

Laboratory equipment — Digatron (Germany), Termotechno (Sweden)

The delivery was carried out throughout 2018 in stages. In the beginning the specialists of IPower LLC carried out the acceptance on the premises of the manufacturer tested the equipment and checked for compliance with technical requirements. After, the representatives of the manufacturers visited Belarus for the implementation of the installation of the equipment and its preparation for commissioning works.

Representatives of TOP management of manufacturers when visiting the IPower LLC willingly shared their experience with Belarusian companies.

Additional measures of control over the environment.

To monitor the state of the environment in the zone of influence of battery factory, developed and implemented the following measures: created public group environmental control;

• FEZ Brest has concluded the contract with "Polesski agrarian-ecological Institute NAS of Belarus" for the monitoring of environmental objects in the FEZ Brest;
• the laboratory of the Brest regional Cheios a social-hygienic monitoring of pollutants in ambient air (lead, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, formaldehyde, carbon monoxide) and chemical substances in the soil (total lead content and the concentration of mobile forms of lead) on the border of the sanitary protection zone of IPower LLC, and on the border (territory) of nearby settlements;
• approved the schedule of carrying out internal environmental monitoring of the enterprise to effectively control the exposure levels and emissions with the involvement of accredited laboratories:
• 

The results of the conducted research , IPower LLC informs the official website of the Group of companies, as well as through the media

Working with the public

Informing the General public about the stages of construction , IPower LLC is carried out through:

• Official corporate website https://1ak-group. com/
• Social network: Facebook,  Instagram, Linkedin. 
• The publication in the media.

In the period from December 2017 to August 2019, inclusive, for the construction of a battery factory IPower  LLC in the media published more than 1,000 materials initiated by a Group of companies. Activities on public awareness were implemented including with the support of the administration of FEZ Brest.

National and regional (Brest) the media is actively involved in the coverage of the topic construction of a battery factory, asked clarifying questions and took part in organized press conferences and meetings.

The press service of the Group of companies 1AK-GROUP on a regular basis information on the progress of the project. During construction of the plant was organized six press conferences and a tour of the production. Also a tour of the plant organized for the group of public control over the environmental conditions in the FEZ Brest log in rejected by a majority of the representatives of the initiative group, which opposes the construction of IPower LLC. During a visit to the plant shown installed treatment plants, filters, as well as technical and laboratory equipment of the enterprise.

Active opponents of the construction after visiting the factory said that they are not experts and cannot make my opinions about the plant.

In this regard, with the support of the administration of FEZ Brest visited IPower LLC representatives of TOP management of the enterprises included in the SEZ, as wellthe same specialists (ecologists, engineers on labor protection, chief engineers, power engineers, head of area supply, ventilation and sanitation, section foremaster operation and maintenance of sewage treatment plants, etc.)

During the implementation of the project held on 12 round tables and meetings with participation of representatives from IPower LLC, public administration bodies, representatives of initiative groups and experts in various fields of production of lead-acid batteries and the environment.

On the official website of the Group of companies 1AK-GROUP and a hotline where anyone can ask a question on the activities of the enterprise.

What is happening now?

June 13, 2019 , IPower LLC is under the suspension of the construction. The enterprise carries on production processes and the whole formed up to this time staff is on vacation at his own expense. It should be noted that IPower LLC assembled a unique team of specialists and engineers having experience in major international companies (EXIDE), on battery plants in Ukraine, Bulgaria, Poland. Development and training of new employees taken to work in the shops, was carried out including with the support of foreign experts. Representatives of manufacturers of equipment came on production in Belarus, to train personnel in the intricacies of the installed equipment to the production process was the most safe and productive.

We continue to remain open, including for professional community and is ready to accept delegation of representatives of the battery industry to review the production and decisions to ensure ecological security.