CALMADE: California Manufacturing for Activated Dry Electrode
Summary
SCH Number
2025110416
Public Agency
California Energy Commission
Document Title
CALMADE: California Manufacturing for Activated Dry Electrode
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
11/12/2025
Document Description
LiCAP Technologies, Inc. proposes to retrofit a vacant facility to accommodate the installation of a 500 MWh Activated Dry Electrode® (ADE) manufacturing line. This commercial-scale manufacturing operations focused on LiCAP’s proprietary ADE process, a solvent-free method of producing lithium-ion battery electrodes. This project will increase domestic battery supply chain security and clean energy jobs.
Contact Information
Name
Taiying Zhang
Agency Name
California Energy Commission
Job Title
Air Pollution Specialist
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Location
Cities
Sacramento
Counties
Sacramento
Regions
Northern California
Cross Streets
5849 88th Street, Sacramento, CA
Zip
95828
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, sections 15301 and 15303
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.
This project involves retrofitting a vacant facility to accommodate the installation of a manufacturing line to produce lithium-ion battery electrodes.The site is in an area zoned for heavy industrial, and was previously a manufacturing facility. Minor modifications to the facility such as limited interior remodeling, installation of process equipment, and upgrades to plumbing, electrical, HVAC and utilities will be completed in order to support manufacturing. All improvements will be interior to the existing building footprint. Upon completion of these modifications, operations will consist of receiving and storing raw materials, dry mixing and processing electrode powders, roll-to-roll lamination, slitting, packaging, quality control, and shipping finished electrode rolls to customers. The project therefore involves negligible expansion of existing or former use of the site. For these reasons this project will have no significant impact on the environment and is exempt under CEQA Guidelines section 15301.
Cal. Code regs., tit. 14, section 15303 provides that the construction and location of limited number of new, small facilities or structures; installation of small new equipment and facilities in small structures; and the conversion of existing small structures from one use to another where only minor modifications are made in the exterior of the structure are exempt from CEQA.
The modifications to the existing site will be interior modifications including interior tenant improvements within approximately 15,000 square feet for office and R&D use, as well as the installation of specialized Activated Dry Electrode manufacturing equipment. Required modifications will include upgrades to plumbing, electrical, HVAC, and utilities to support the production and R&D equipment. No exterior or site work is anticipated, and all improvements are internal to the existing building footprint. For these reasons, work under this project will have no significant impact on the environment and is exempt under CEQA Guidelines section 15303.?
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.