Rachel Dahl
Churchill County is one of 15 rural counties participating in the Nevada Tech Hub Lithium Loop consortium, including every Nevada county except Clark. The coalition highlights Northern and rural Nevada's critical role in building a secure, domestic lithium supply chain, from mining and processing to battery manufacturing and recycling.
Nevada's bid to become a global leader in lithium battery innovation got a $21 million boost last summer when the University of Nevada was designated as a Lithium Tech Hub.
The U.S. Economic Development Administration awarded UNR and its 75+ consortium partners a Phase 2 Tech Hub Implementation grant, positioning the region at the forefront of the domestic lithium supply chain. The designation and funding were secured with a $7.5 million match approved by the Nevada Legislature through the Interim Finance Committee and support the Lithium Loop, a statewide effort to develop battery technology, train a new workforce, and expand clean energy infrastructure.
"This is about transforming Nevada's economy," U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen said during the announcement in Reno last summer. "The Lithium Loop Tech Hub will create thousands of good-paying jobs while making Northern Nevada a center for battery and electric vehicle innovation."
Nevada's Tech Hub was one of just 12 projects nationwide to receive an implementation award from the U.S. Economic Development Administration, selected from a pool of 489 applicants. The Tech Hub program was created under the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act to transform high-potential regions into globally competitive innovation centers. Led by UNR, the initiative includes investment in STEM education, business development, and career pathways—with special attention to underserved populations, including tribal and Indigenous communities through the Nevada Native Nations Center.
Governor Joe Lombardo called the initiative "critical for the advancement of America's energy future," and UNR President Brian Sandoval said the combined state and federal funding will support "a generational shift in the economic future of Nevada."
The impact of the Tech Hub includes:
- An estimated 50,000 new jobs created over five years
- Major investments in workforce development and clean energy innovation
- Support for tribal and rural communities, including the Nevada Native Nations Center
- Expanded commercialization of lithium battery research and supply chain resilience
Nevada is uniquely positioned, with the only operating lithium mine in the U.S., North America's largest active lithium mine, and a fast-growing network of EV battery developers and recyclers.
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