• EVWire
  • Posts
  • Poland government offers Ascend Elements $320 million for recycling plant

Poland government offers Ascend Elements $320 million for recycling plant

This is to support the construction of a production facility for recycled cathode material in Poland.

Author

Jaan Juurikas
May 09, 2025 • Reading Time: 3 minutes

EVWire brief: The Ministry of Economic Development and Technology in Poland today offered Ascend Elements up to USD $320 million to support construction of a sustainable precursor cathode active material (pCAM) manufacturing facility in Poland. The cash subsidy of 1.22 billion Polish Zloty (PLN) is one of the largest grants ever offered by the Republic of Poland.

“This offer of support from the Polish government marks a significant step forward in Ascend Elements’ European growth strategy. We are committed to building a sustainable battery materials supply chain on both sides of the Atlantic, and we greatly appreciate the Ministry’s offer of significant financial support.”

— Linh Austin, President and CEO at Ascend Elements

Ascend Elements has already identified a location in Poland for the construction of its first advanced battery materials (pCAM) manufacturing facility in Europe. The company plans to commercialize its innovative technology for the manufacture of sustainable nickel, manganese, and cobalt (NMC) pCAM made from recycled lithium-ion battery materials at the new facility in Poland.

This isn’t the first time the company has ascended in Poland — In 2024, Ascend Elements and Elemental Strategic Metals established a joint venture to own and operate the AE Elemental JV battery recycling facility in Zawiercie, Poland. But the new pCAM facility in Poland will be solely owned and operated by Ascend Elements.

“Battery sector projects are a key part of PAIH’s investment portfolio. The Ascend Elements project is one of the largest U.S. investments in recent years, strengthening Poland’s role in the battery supply chain and supporting regional development, including technology development and cooperation with local educational institutions.”

— Pawel Pudlowski, Ph.D., Vice President of the Management Board at the Polish Investment and Trade Agency (PAIH)

In the United States, Ascend Elements owns and operates one of North America’s largest battery recycling facilities in Covington, Georgia. A new lithium recovery line at the Georgia plant is expected to produce up to 3,000 metric tons of Lithium Carbonate (Li₂CO₃) annually, making Ascend Elements the first U.S. company to produce Li₂CO₃ from recycled content. In Hopkinsville, Kentucky, the company is building an advanced Hydro-to-Cathode® pCAM manufacturing facility to produce engineered battery materials for up to 750,000 electric vehicle batteries annually. When operational in late 2026, the facility is expected to be North America’s largest NMC pCAM manufacturer.

DIG DEEPER: Find the latest Battery industry news in our 🔋 BATTERYWIRE feed.

Reply

or to participate.