US DoE invests in lithium battery recycling programmes

The Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office (AMMTO) has announced a funding pot of $2 million for the recycling and reuse of Li-ion batteries, administered through the ReCell Center located at Argonne National Laboratory.

Both institutions answer to the US Department of Energy. Through this investment announced today, AMMTO aims to encourage what it calls ‘Cooperative Research and Development Agreements’ between the National Laboratories that are part of the ReCell Center and industry partners. These ‘CRADA’ projects will require a 50% cost share between the DoE and private partners, although RD&D projects outside these agreements will also be considered for funding.

A total of up to eight projects will be funded, likely for one year. The selected projects will focus on research, education, and workforce development, and will be tasked with de-risking and scaling up novel processes for the recycling and reuse of materials from the more than two million tons of Li-ion batteries projected to be available in the next ten years.

Focus areas will include the development of a room temperature process for recycling and reuse of electrodes, rejuvenation (re-manufacturing) of electrodes for direct reuse, recycling of electrolytes, and education and workforce development.

energy.gov