Sepion Manufacturing Expansion
Summary
SCH Number
2026040330
Public Agency
California Energy Commission
Document Title
Sepion Manufacturing Expansion
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
4/8/2026
Document Description
This project will establish a manufacturing facility for coated battery separator production with an initial volume of 50,000 square meters per year. This volume of battery separator will feed the production of approximately 5 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of battery capacity, translating into powering 50,000 zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) at 100 kWh capacity per ZEV per year. This project supports the manufacturing of a polymer coating material to sell to lithium battery manufacturers, increasing domestic battery supply chain security.
Contact Information
Name
Taiying Zhang
Agency Name
California Energy Commission
Job Title
Air Pollution Specialist
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Location
Cities
Alameda
Counties
Alameda
Regions
Southern California
Cross Streets
950 Marina Village Pkwy. Ste. 102, Alameda, CA 94608
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Cal. Code Reg., tit. 14, section 15301
Reasons for Exemption
The lead agency for the proposed project, the City of Alameda, determined the project is allowed by zoning, that the proposed expansion to be performed is allowed by right, and therefore the project is ministerially exempt pursuant to Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, section 15268.
Public Resources Code § 21080.1 (a) provides that the lead agency shall be responsible for determining whether a project is exempt from CEQA and whether an environmental impact report, a negative declaration, or a mitigated negative declaration shall be required for any project that is subject to CEQA. That determination shall be final and conclusive on all persons, including responsible agencies, unless challenged.
The City of Alameda found this project exempt under Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14 section 15268 and this determination is therefore final and conclusive upon the Energy Commission, which is a responsible agency for this project.
The proposed grant recipient Sepion Technologies, Inc. has an existing label-scale manufacturing line for polymer materials at the existing project facility in Alameda. This project will design and build an expansion at the facility to enable the production of ~ 50 million square meters of advanced separator material per year, supporting ~ 5 GWh of battery capacity. The expansion will build-out around 6,000 square feet of interior office space to production space. There will be no exterior development but some adaptation of existing internal infrastructure will be needed to support the expanded production. All manufacturing, testing, and material handling activities will occur within enclosed building areas.
This project therefore consists of the minor alteration of existing structures, facilities, or mechanical equipment involving negligible or no expansion of existing or former use of the site. The Energy Commission therefore finds this project exempt from CEQA pursuant to Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, 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.