Piedmont Lithium
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🇺🇸 A Foundry’s Closure Devastated This Tennessee Town But a New Lithium Plant Is Giving It Hope
The Tennessee Lithium project, announced on September 1, 2022, will focus on converting lithium hydroxide to power the cathodes in lithium-ion vehicle batteries. Tennessee was selected for its central role in America’s “Battery Belt” and as a key contributor to the U.S. electrification economy. “It came down to multiple factors, the first being the quality of the site,” said Blair. The North Etowah Industrial Park has excellent rail access and is near other EV battery component manufacturers in the “battery belt.” Etowah City Manager Russ Blair told the local paper in September 2022 that Piedmont planned to invest nearly $600 million into the county.
“Shortly after we announced the location for Tennessee Lithium, we were honored to be selected in October 2022 for a $141.7 million U.S. Department of Energy grant to support project construction,” said Piedmont spokesperson Erin Sanders.