Plans scaled back for producing EV battery materials in Hopkinsville as federal grant is canceled

by Jennifer P. Brown, Hoptown Chronicle, Kentucky Lantern
March 3, 2025

Ascend Elements, the electric vehicle battery materials manufacturer that is constructing a plant in Hopkinsville’s Commerce Park II, is scaling back some of its plans for production at the local facility. 

Ascend and the U.S. Department of Energy mutually agreed to cancel a $164 million federal grant for part of the manufacturing infrastructure at the company’s Apex 1 facility, the company announced.

Because of “changing market conditions,” Ascend is canceling plans at the Hopkinsville facility for production of cathode active material, or CAM, a main component in lithium-ion batteries. However, it will produce precursor cathode active material, or pCAM, and lithium carbonate in Hopkinsville. 

A separate $316 million Department of Energy grant for the pCAM infrastructure at Ascend remains active, according to the company’s statement. According to federal spending records, Ascend has received $205 million of that grant. 

Initially, company representatives and local and state economic development officials said the plant would employ 250 workers, based on a $310 million investment. 

However, days before a ground-breaking ceremony in October 2022, federal officials announced additional investments with $480 million in Department of Energy grant funds — $164 million for CAM manufacturing infrastructure and $316 million for pCAM manufacturing infrastructure. The grant came from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed during President Joe Biden’s administration. 

“It’s the largest economic development project in Christian County,” Gov. Andy Beshear said at the ground-breaking ceremony. “And now … the largest investment in Western Kentucky.”

Officials projected that future expansion could push the project to a $1 billion investment employing 400 or more people.

It was not immediately clear how eliminating the CAM infrastructure line will affect the size of Ascend’s workforce. 

“We are grateful to the U.S. DOE for selecting Ascend Elements to receive this funding, but current market conditions do not support advancement of the CAM project at Apex 1,” said Roger Lin, vice president of government affairs at Ascend Elements. “We are 100% committed to completing construction of the Apex 1 campus in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, but the facility will only produce pCAM and lithium carbonate, a critical mineral. We’re just not seeing significant market demand for CAM right now, but we have buyers lined up to purchase sustainable, domestically produced pCAM and lithium carbonate.” 

Ascend’s Apex 1 facility is projected to be operational in the third quarter of 2026.

This story is republished from Hoptown Chronicle.

Kentucky Lantern is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Kentucky Lantern maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jamie Lucke for questions: info@kentuckylantern.com.

The post Plans scaled back for producing EV battery materials in Hopkinsville as federal grant is canceled appeared first on kentuckylantern.com

SUMMARY: Temperatures are rising from the 20s to the 30s in Clarksville, with a mix of clouds and sun. Today’s high is expected to reach 55 degrees, with evening temperatures around 49-45 degrees. Overnight, temperatures will drop to 42 degrees in the city, slightly colder in the suburbs. Tomorrow morning, expect light rain showers, with stronger winds and steady rain later in the day. Wind gusts could reach 40-50 mph. On Wednesday, temperatures will start in the 50s but drop into the 40s, with potential light snow overnight. The weekend looks mild and dry, with highs back into the 50s.

WLKY Meteorologist Matt Milosevich has the latest on a seasonably mild Monday, ahead of impact weather in the midweek forecast.

Subscribe to WLKY on YouTube now for more: http://bit.ly/1e5KyMO

Get more Louisville news: http://www.wlky.com
Like us: http://www.facebook.com/wlkynews
Follow us: http://twitter.com/WLKY
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wlky/

Source

SUMMARY: The Med Center Health Foundation is accepting scholarship applications for the 2025-2026 academic year through March 28. Scholarships are available for students in South Central Kentucky, including the Carrel K. Sumner Family Memorial Scholarship, Charles M. Stewart Scholarship, Floyd Ellis Scholarship, Gary Alan Woodward ‘Serving Others’ Scholarship, Helen Dinning Scholarship, Herbert A. Oldham Scholarship, and the Marion Boyd Scholarship Fund. These awards support full-time students at various local colleges, including Western Kentucky University and Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College. Applications can be submitted via MedCenterHealth.org/scholarships.

Read the full article

The post Med Center Health Foundation accepting scholarship applications appeared first on www.wnky.com