Lithium Valley Clean Tech Hub Receives a Half a Million Strategy Grant to Boost Economic Growth in the Region and Make it a Global Leader in Clean Energy Production
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Raul Ruiz, M.D. (CA-25) released the following statement after the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) announcement of selecting the Lithium Valley Clean Tech Hub as a Phase 1 Tech Hubs Designation and Strategy Development Grant winner:
“Imperial Valley and the clean lithium extraction technology from geothermal energy production is poised to pave the way for our necessary climate change goals, energy independence from fossil fuel, and clean energy economic development with battery manufacturing and recycling. Lithium valley is a strategic national security opportunity for a stable and secure supply of critical minerals,” said Dr. Ruiz. “I’m thrilled our local consortium received the Tech Hub Strategy Development Grant and I’m excited to get to work with incredible partners on this enormous opportunity for our local communities, state, and nation.”
“Imperial County, along with our coalition partners, is excited to share the success of our tech hub grant award, and we are encouraged that a full tech hub designation will follow in the near future,” said Chairman of the Imperial County Board of Supervisors, Ryan E. Kelley.
"UC Riverside is looking forward to working with Imperial County and our other consortium partners to establish Southern Inland California as a national leader in sustainable lithium technology,” said UCR Professor Cybart.
Background:
Tech Hubs was authorized by the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act – a key part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, which he signed into law in August 2022. It is an economic development initiative designed to drive regional innovation and job creation by strengthening a region’s capacity to manufacture, commercialize, and deploy technology that will advance American competitiveness. The program invests directly in burgeoning, high-potential U.S. regions and aims to transform them into globally competitive innovation centers.
The Economic Development Administration awarded 29 Strategy Development Grants (SDG) to help communities significantly increase local coordination and planning activities. Such development could make selected grantees more competitive for future Tech Hubs funding opportunities.
Lithium Valley Clean Tech Strategy Development Consortium
* 2023 Tech Hubs Strategy Development Grant Recipient
Lead Agency: University of California, Riverside
State Served: California
Applicant-Defined Region: Imperial Valley – El Centro and Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario MSAs with strategic partners from San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA
Core Technology Area: lithium battery supply chain and recycling
The Lithium Valley Clean Tech Strategy Development Consortium will develop the regional coalition and strategic framework to further develop and implement direct lithium extraction from regional lithium brine deposits, contributing to a sustainable, inclusive, advanced-energy ecosystem in Southern California and securing the national lithium-based energy supply chain.