ENTEK

PROJECT STATEMENT

ENTEK’s facility will support the emerging Li-ion EV battery market by providing manufacturers with U.S.-produced battery separators.

PROJECT SUMMARY

LPO closed a  $1.3 billion direct loan ($1.2 billion of principal and $139.3 million of capitalized interest) to ENTEK Lithium Separators LLC (ENTEK). The loan will substantially finance a new facility in Terre Haute, Indiana to manufacture lithium-ion battery separators. The ENTEK facility will be the only U.S.-owned and U.S.-based producer of ‘wet-process’ lithium-ion battery separator materials that can be used across industries such as data centers, energy storage, consumer electronics, and electric vehicles.

TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION

A battery separator is a membrane sandwiched between the anode and cathode of a battery. The principal functions of the battery separator are to prevent electronic conduction (i.e., shorts or direct contact) between the anode and cathode while permitting ionic conduction via the electrolyte. Separators play an essential role in the performance and safety of lithium-ion batteries. 

ECONOMIC IMPACT

The project will make a significant contribution to growth in domestic battery separator capacity, strengthen America's energy supply chain and reduce reliance on foreign components. The project is expected to create 763 construction jobs and 635 operational jobs.

ENTEK has committed to creating opportunities for local labor, prioritizing hiring local workers who have been displaced from manufacturing industries. To recruit workers, ENTEK has forged partnerships with various institutions, such as Ivy Tech Community College, Indiana State University, and various community-based organizations. ENTEK is partnering with Ivy Tech to provide access to specialized training and apprenticeship programs, creating recruitment opportunities for disadvantaged communities. ENTEK has also been working very closely with local building and trades unions.

PROJECT STATISTICS

* Estimated at the time of closing