BHE Renewables has been awarded a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to support construction of a demonstration plant near the Salton Sea.

The plant will convert lithium chloride into battery-grade lithium hydroxide. The nearly $15 million grant from the DOE is in addition to a $6 million matching grant from the California Energy Commission that was awarded last year. The demonstration plant will be built to recover lithium reliably and cost-effectively from geothermal brine. According to Berkshire Hathaway Energy ( BHE ) Vice President of Government Relations , " Successful lithium production from geothermal brine could be the catalyst to revive Imperial Valley's decades-old geothermal power industry , not just creating new jobs but also making the price of baseload geothermal power more cost effective for the benefit of California customers." Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia said , " While the Salton Sea Geothermal Resource Area is home to the largest deposits of lithium reserves in North America , virtually none is produced in the United States. As global demand for lithium continues to grow and California works to achieve zero-emission goals , we are presented with the perfect opportunity for our region to be part of this push and lead economic recovery."