NEO Battery Materials Enters into Letter of Intent with Canadian Municipality for Commercial Facility Land Lease

NEO Battery Materials Ltd.
NEO Battery Materials Ltd.

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TORONTO, Oct. 29, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

  • Letter of Intent Entered with Undisclosed Canadian Municipality for Purposes of Commercial Facility Land Lease

  • Intending to Secure Approximately 8 Acres of Municipal Land with Tax Incentives and Favourable Lease Terms

  • Plans to Construct and Operate Silicon Anode Manufacturing Plant Capable of Producing 5,000 Tons Per Year

  • To Capitalize on Aggressive Policies and Financial Support Provided by Canadian Governmental Authorities and Entities

NEO Battery Materials Ltd. (“NEO” or the “Company”) (TSXV: NBM) (OTC: NBMFF), a low-cost silicon anode materials developer that enables longer-running, rapid-charging lithium-ion batteries, is pleased to announce that the Company has entered into a non-binding letter of intent (the “LOI”) on September 6, 2024, with a Canadian municipality to lease approximately 8 acres of land for the construction and operation of NEO’s planned commercial manufacturing facility. The municipality and detailed terms will remain confidential until a definitive or formal agreement is reached. There are no material terms or considerations with respect to the LOI.

The Company intends to lease 8 acres or 350,000 square feet of municipal land to construct and operate its silicon anode commercial facility for lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles (EV) and electronics. The LOI provides a framework for a long-term lease agreement to support NEO’s goal of commercializing Canada’s first advanced silicon anode project and the municipality’s economic development goals. With tax incentives and favourable lease rates compared to commercial market properties, the terms reinforce the Company’s priority of cost-effective expansion.

NEO plans to develop a multi-building manufacturing facility, which is expected to produce an aggregate silicon anode capacity of 5,000 tons annually. This facility will provide the Company with the necessary infrastructure and capability to meet the growing demand for high-performance, low-cost battery anode materials in the North American battery and EV market.

Canada currently houses and will house major battery companies, including NextStar Energy (LG Energy Solution & Stellantis Joint Venture), PowerCo (Volkswagen’s Battery Arm), Northvolt, and E-One Moli Energy. In 2024, Canada ranked first place in BloombergNEF’s Global Lithium-Ion Battery Supply Chain Ranking. Based on the criteria of supply chain reliability, sustainability, and potency, Canada has surpassed China from previous year’s rankings.

Mr. Spencer Huh, Director, President, and CEO of NEO, commented, “We are pleased to have entered into this LOI with the municipality after monthslong deliberation. This development aligns with our corporate strategy of initiating commercialization efforts in Canada to capitalize on aggressive government policies and financial support for battery and energy storage projects. Moreover, with the build-out of Canada’s EV ecosystem, we hope to accelerate zero-emission vehicle demand by producing low-cost silicon anode materials.”