New award - lithios INC. Control number: 3467-1549 lithios has invented a novel, cost-effective electrified method of extracting lithium from low-grade US brines

The Department of Energy Advanced Research Projects Agency awarded Lithios Inc. a $32.987 million cooperative agreement on July 24, 2026, under the Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy program (CFDA 81.135) to develop and demonstrate its Advanced Lithium Extraction (ALE) technology at a commercial scale.

Lithios will operate ALE at an existing U.S. facility with access to lithium-containing brine, extracting 100 tons per year of lithium carbonate to demonstrate the technology's readiness for commercial scaling. ALE is a novel, patent-pending electrified extraction method that captures lithium atoms in an electrode while leaving impurities in the brine, then releases the lithium into a clean recovery solution for processing into solid, market-ready lithium carbonate. The company plans to build a kiloton-scale commercial facility by 2030.

The award addresses ARPA-E's mission to advance disruptive energy technologies that reduce dependence on imported energy resources and improve energy storage infrastructure resilience and security. By expanding domestic U.S. lithium supply, the project directly supports the program's objective of advancing novel, potentially disruptive energy technologies.

Performance is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The period of performance runs from July 24, 2026, through July 23, 2029.

Our patent-pending, arpa-e-supported technology, advanced lithium extraction (ALE), extracts lithium from brine by (1) capturing only lithium atoms in an electrode and leaving all impurities behind, (2) replacing the lithium-depleted, contaminant-rich brine with a clean recovery solution, (3) releasing lithium from the electrode into the recovery solution, and (4) processing the recovery solution to produce solid, market-ready lithium carbonate. This project nexus, for next-generation extraction of untapped lithium sources will operate ALE in the US at an existing facility with access to lithium-containing brine, extracting 100 tons per year of lithium to demonstrate ales readiness for commercial scaleup. A kiloton-scale commercial facility will follow by 2030. Lithios anticipates rapid market adoption to meet growing lithium demand with best-in-class economics. By advancing ALE to expand the US domestic lithium supply, nexus directly addresses (1) the scaleup program objective of advancing a novel, potentially disruptive energy technology and (2) arpa-ES mission areas of reducing dependence on imported energy resources; improving the resilience, security, and reliability of energy storage and delivery infrastructure; and ensuring that the US maintains its lead in advanced energy technologies.