Lyten announced the Export-Import Bank of the United States is providing it with $650M in funding for two of its lithium-sulfur battery manufacturing projects.
The more than $1B Lyten Lithium-Sulfur Battery Gigafactory in the Reno AirLogistics Park north of Reno will be one of the benefactors of the newly awarded funding. The other project is in California.
The Reno gigafactory is estimated to be able to produce 10 gigawatt hours of batteries annually. The company is currently in the midst of a qualification process to use its batteries in EVs, trucks and aviation. Lyten also makes batteries for satellites, drones and defense applications.
Production in the factory is targeted to be completed entirely domestically. Economic developers have been aiming for the creation of a “lithium loop” in the Silver State. The loop would create a process in which lithium would be mined, manufactured and recycled in Nevada.
On Nov. 8, NEVBEX reported the facility will be 1.25MSF. The design firm is SSOE Group, and the general contractor is Turner Construction.
Lithium-sulfur cells, the ones used by Lyten, are not only more sustainable than other batteries but lighter as well. The full buildout of the factory is expected to employ more than 1,000 people. Lyten also plans to work with the University of Nevada and the Truckee Meadows Community College to train workers for the factory. Groundbreaking is scheduled for early this year and Phase One is scheduled to come online in 2027.