Scaling Manufacturing of High-Performance Battery Cells to Accelerate Zero-Emissions Transportation
2 Documents in Project
Summary
SCH Number
2023010531
Public Agency
California Energy Commission
Document Title
Scaling Manufacturing of High-Performance Battery Cells to Accelerate Zero-Emissions Transportation
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
4/22/2026
Document Description
Under grant Agreement ZVI-22-020, the California Energy Commission will provide a grant of
$ 10,220,285 to American Lithium Energy Corp. (ALE) to help it carry out the project. This project will install new equipment in an existing facility for scaling manufacturing of high-performance battery cells to accelerate zero-emissions transportation. The project site is located in a light industrial park. American Lithium Energy will expand manufacturing of electric vehicle (EV) batteries to accelerate adoption of zero-emission vehicles across the State of California. In support of California’s economic competitiveness in technology and manufacturing, ALE’s increased battery manufacturing will reduce the State’s dependence on petroleum-based fuels, support workforce development in California, and increase the use of U.S.- and California-based raw materials and equipment suppliers. Beneficiaries will include users of lithium-ion batteries, such as manufacturers of EVs, and their customers.
Contact Information
Name
Taiying Zhang
Agency Name
California Energy Commission
Job Title
Air Pollution Specialist
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Location
Cities
Vista
Counties
San Diego
Regions
Southern California
Cross Streets
1395 Aspen Way, Vista, CA 92081
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, section 15301
Reasons for Exemption
Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, section 15301 provides that the operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features, involving negligible or no expansion of existing or former use are exempt from CEQA.
The proposed work would happen in the existing buildings and is scoped to include tenant improvements only, including light demo, concrete grinding/polishing, painting, compressed air, and power drops for additional manufacturing capacity. The project therefore involves negligible expansion of existing or former use of the sites. For these reasons, this project will have no significant impact on the environment and is exempt under CEQA Guidelines section 15301.
The project does not involve any unusual circumstances, will not result in damage to any scenic resources within a highway officially designated as a state scenic highway, none of the sites are included on any list compiled pursuant to Government Code section 65962.5, and the project will not cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource. The project, when considered as a whole, will not result in a cumulative impact that is significant on the environment. Therefore, none of the exceptions to exemptions listed in CEQA Guidelines section 15300.2 apply to this project and this project will not have a significant effect on the environment.