Excerpt from the Desert Sun - Story by Loyd Miller

CALIPATRIA– Controlled Thermal Resources (CTR) marked an historic moment on January 26, breaking ground on the world's inaugural integrated lithium and renewable power production facility. This development is a crucial part of the multi-billion-dollar clean energy Lithium Valley Campus, located at Hell's Kitchen, on the outskirts of the Salton Sea near Calipatria, California.

“Lithium Valley begins! Imperial County is blessed with a natural resource that can supply our national security needs," Imperial County Supervisor Ryan Kelley said emphasizing the significance of the occasion. "Today's announcement is a keystone of Lithium Valley in Imperial County. These strategic minerals extracted from the geothermal brine will provide a domestic supply for the United States of America.”

The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by local and state elected representatives and John Podesta, Senior Advisor to the President for Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation. The event celebrated the groundbreaking production facility, designed to propel the nation toward energy independence.

“This has been a massive collaborative effort that required a coordinated approach across all levels of government," CTR CEO Rod Colwell said, "and an incredible amount of support from the community.”

The Lithium Valley Campus, a $1.85 billion initiative, comprises seven stages, incorporating a clean energy geothermal power plant seamlessly integrated with a lithium extraction and production facility. The facility aims to extract 25,000 metric tons of battery-grade lithium annually, sufficient to power approximately 400,000 cars.

The Salton Sea Geothermal Field is believed to be one of the world's largest lithium brine sources, with the capacity to support the production of nearly 400 million electric vehicle batteries.

Imperial Irrigation District Board President Alex Cardenas highlighted the long-standing collaboration between IID and CTR, emphasizing the importance of the 25-year power purpose agreement signed in January 2020. Cardenas acknowledged the visionary perspective of past IID Board President Jim Hanks, who emphasized the Salton Sea as the gem of Imperial County.

Cardenas concluded, “Issues related to the Lithium Valley, Colorado River, the Salton Sea, agriculture, and the U.S./Mexican border have brought unprecedented attention to our region. We are leading the way.”

The construction of the Lithium Valley Campus is expected to create around 480 construction jobs, encompassing battery material and battery manufacturing. Additionally, the project is anticipated to generate thousands of clean energy jobs for the community.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE