On March 5th, 2023, West Virginia state leaders broke ground on a project aimed at building the future of American manufacturing on a foundation of clean energy. The groundbreaking event took place on over 2,000 acres of land at the former Century Aluminum site in Jackson County. Top executives from Berkshire Hathaway Energy Renewables, Precision Castparts Corp., and Our Next Energy Inc. joined the state leaders in this event.

The project includes a new titanium melt facility that will employ around 200 people to manufacture titanium products for the aerospace and other industries. The idea for this project originated from a letter sent by Senator Glenn Jeffries, R-Putnam, to Warren Buffet, Chairperson of Berkshire Hathaway.

In addition to the original $500 million investment, Our Next Energy (ONE) announced that it would build a new Aries Grid factory on the same site. The factory is expected to bring an additional $22 million in investment to the project and generate 105 more jobs. Scheduled to open in 2025, the factory will build Aries Grid utility-scale battery storage systems using Michigan-made lithium iron phosphate battery cells.

Mujeeb Ijaz, CEO and founder of ONE, stated that this project represents a historic transition to renewable energy-based manufacturing in the U.S. and will set a standard for others to follow. The factory will start producing batteries in 2025.

The state leaders present at the groundbreaking event expressed their excitement for the project and the potential economic benefits it will bring to the area. U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., Chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, said that these types of investments and the businesses and jobs they bring to West Virginia are exactly what he had in mind when he wrote the Inflation Reduction Act and led negotiations for the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito noted the commitment that Berkshire Hathaway Energy Renewables made to the nonprofits in Jackson County, showing that this is not just an economic investment but also an investment in the community.

Governor Jim Justice expressed his pride in the state and the Legislature’s role in making this project possible. He emphasized that while the state does not want to forget its coal miners and gas workers, it also wants to embrace alternative sources of energy and opportunities for the state’s future.

The groundbreaking event marks an important milestone for West Virginia, as it moves towards a future that embraces clean energy and sustainable manufacturing.

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