New lithium-ion battery recycling facility coming to Hopkinsville, creating 60 jobs - Courier Journal

New lithium-ion battery recycling facility coming to Hopkinsville

New lithium-ion battery recycling facility coming to Hopkinsville, creating 60 jobs
Ana Rocío Álvarez Bríñez

Massachusstts-based Ascend Elements and SK ecoplant, formerly known as SK Engineering and Construction, announced the construction of a lithium-ion battery recycling facility in Christian County, a release from Gov. Andy Beshear's office stated.

According to the release, the companies will invest $65.8 million to build a facility that will create 60 full-time jobs for people in Kentucky. Construction of the location is supposed to start in November and is expected to finish by January 2025.

"The EV battery materials industry will continue to grow in the United States, and Kentucky is at the center of it all," Michael O’Kronley, CEO of Ascend Elements, said.

The plant will be 100,000-square-feet that "will annually produce around 12,000 metric tons of black mass, a fine powder that contains the valuable cathode and anode materials inside an EV battery," the release stated.

The black mass production that comes out of the Kentucky facility will help supply a new Apex 1 engineered battery materials facility that is expected to start operating next year.

“Our automotive and EV-related growth has shown no signs of slowing down as we continue to position ourselves as the national leader in the electric future," Beshear said. "This is another great project bringing dozens of quality jobs to West Kentucky, and I look forward to all this partnership can achieve as part of Team Kentucky.”

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