Cirba Solutions, a Wixom-based cross-chemistry battery management and materials processor, has received $75 million from the U.S. Department of Energy to expand critical mineral upgrading assets at its lithium-ion processing facility in Lancaster, Ohio.
At full operation, the estimated 150,000-square-foot facility will produce enough battery-grade critical minerals used in cathode production to power more than 200,000 new electric vehicles (EVs) annually. It also will create an additional estimated 150 jobs to the greater Lancaster area. The facility will become one of the largest commercial-scale battery recycling facilities in North America.
The funds are from DOE’s Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains and are the result of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed in November of last year.
Prior to this federal funding award, Cirba Solutions announced its commitment to invest more than $200 million to expand the Lancaster facility, which will collect, disassemble, shred, and upgrade the critical minerals from lithium-ion batteries to be reused to produce new lithium-ion batteries.
“The funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will help strengthen the United States’ domestic lithium-ion battery supply chain for the EV market and create a sustainable supply of the critical minerals used to make batteries,” says David Klanecky, president and CEO of Cirba Solutions. “The time and cost to mine and process new materials is significant, and the need for these battery materials is becoming increasingly urgent. Battery recycling is a viable solution to help meet the rising demand for EV batteries.”
In September, Cirba Solutions announced plans to construct a 75,000-square-foot facility in Eloy, Ariz. to recycle lithium-ion batteries. The Eloy facility is expected to process enough battery material to power 50,000 EVs annually. The company aims to increase its lithium-ion battery processing capacity by approximately 600 percent over the next few years and open several new processing facilities throughout North America. Currently, the company has six active facilities processing all battery chemistries.
“The electrification of our transportation system is significantly growing year-over-year,” Klanecky says. “Increasing our capacity to recycle lithium-ion batteries will advance the country’s goal of building a robust EV lithium-ion battery supply chain to help realize America’s electric future.”
