Westborough, MA & Hopkinsville, KY – Ascend Elements has announced plans to invest $310 million in Phase 1 and up to $1 billion over multiple phases to construct a sustainable lithium-ion battery materials facility in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, with groundbreaking anticipated in the fourth quarter of 2022.
The first-of-its-kind manufacturing facility, dubbed “Apex 1”, will house the company’s innovative Hydro-to-Cathode™ direct precursor synthesis process technology, which will take in black mass from recycled electric vehicle batteries and produce enough lithium-ion battery precursor and sustainable cathode active material to equip up to 250,000 electric vehicles per year.
Compared to conventional cathode manufacturing, this closed-loop production system generates less waste and carbon emissions. Apex 1 will have chemical recycling capabilities and an on-site wastewater treatment facility.
The 500,000-square-foot Apex 1 facility, situated on more than 140 acres in Commerce Industrial Park II in Hopkinsville, will begin operations in late 2023. With the potential expansion phases, the facility could employ up to 400 individuals in a wide range of positions, including engineers, chemists, warehouse associates, and manufacturing operators.
During construction and the first decade of operation, the project is anticipated to have a potential economic impact of $4.4 billion in Kentucky.
O’Kronley stated that the company considered more than fifty locations for this facility, but only the Hopkinsville location met all requirements. The location provides convenient access to transportation, renewable energy, and a diverse workforce. Another essential requirement was proximity to electric vehicle manufacturers and lithium-ion battery factories in the southeast United States.
Ascend Elements, headquartered in Westborough, Massachusetts, is revolutionizing the production of lithium-ion battery materials by establishing a sustainable supply chain using recycled feedstock.
Its Hydro-to-Cathode™ technology directly synthesizes new cathode active materials from spent lithium-ion cells more efficiently than conventional methods, resulting in lower costs, enhanced performance, and decreased GHG emissions.
Ascend Elements is advancing the lithium-ion battery industry with a sustainable, closed-loop battery economy by reducing the number of batteries sent to landfills and using a cleaner manufacturing process.
Moreover, the Ascend Elements Base 1 battery recycling facility in Covington, Georgia is a significant source of recycled battery feedstock (black mass) for the Apex 1 facility.