Sixth District Battery-Maker 6K Awarded $107 Million Grant to Strengthen Domestic Supply Chains
Award is part of a $530 million grant award to Massachusetts companies to boost local economy, supercharge U.S. battery supply chains and EV market
Salem, MA— Congressman Seth Moulton, Senators Edward J. Markey and Elizabeth Warren, and Congressman Jim McGovern (MA-02) applaud the Department of Energy (DOE) announcement that two Massachusetts companies companies – 6K Inc. and Ascend Elements – received grants totalling $530 million in federal dollars as part of a federal program to support innovation in battery manufacturing, recycling, and materials processing across the United States to meet demand in the expanding electric vehicle (EV) market and to strengthen domestic supply chains.
6K, which is headquartered in North Andover, will receive a $107 million, of which $50 million will be funded through federal share from the Department of Energy, to accelerate domestic production of cathode battery material.
“Massachusetts ingenuity and innovation has and continues to inspire the next generation of climate solutions,” said the members of the Massachusetts delegation. “We applaud today’s announcement from the Department of Energy awarding two Massachusetts businesses, 6K Inc. and Ascend Elements, with historic federal support as they work to supercharge our nation’s clean energy future, meet the growing demand for electric vehicles, and support good-paying jobs – not only for Massachusetts workers in North Andover and Westborough, but all across the nation.”
DOE’s awards come from its Battery Materials Processing and Battery Component Manufacturing and Recycling program, which is funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Specifically, 6K Inc. of North Andover will receive $50 million for a demonstration project aimed at domestically producing multiple battery chemistries using microwave plasma processing technology. Ascend Elements of Westborough will receive awards totaling $480 million to construct a manufacturing plant which will use recycled batteries as raw material and to reduce dependence on foreign material suppliers.
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