U.S. company EVelution Energy has commenced construction of a 28 MW solar power plant in Yuma County, Arizona. This facility will supply electricity to America’s first industrial cobalt processing plant that operates entirely on solar energy.
The solar installation will span approximately 61 hectares. The electricity generated will directly power a future production complex valued at around $450 million, where metallic cobalt and cobalt sulfate will be produced. Any surplus energy is planned to be stored in battery systems or fed into the local power grid.
Once fully operational by the end of 2029, the plant will be capable of processing roughly 24,000 tons of cobalt hydroxide annually. From this raw material, it will produce about 20,000 tons of battery-grade cobalt sulfate and around 3,000 tons of metallic cobalt for industrial use. According to the company, this output could meet up to 40% of the projected U.S. demand for cobalt.
Despite localizing the processing stage, the raw materials are set to be imported from the Democratic Republic of the Congo—EVelution has already secured long-term supply agreements with that country.
The project is being promoted as a step toward reducing U.S. reliance on foreign processing of critical minerals, much of which is currently concentrated in China. American materials and engineering solutions will be used in its construction. The company estimates that the initiative will generate over 6,200 jobs and deliver a substantial economic boost to the region.
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