Andy Hamilton, Redwood’s vice president of manufacturing, says manual disassembly becomes less than ideal as the company begins to incorporate more material. We hope to further automate the , but it will probably be difficult to build an automated system that can handle the variety of batteries the company accepts.
After sorting and disassembling, the batteries, which still retain their charge, can be put on a conveyor belt and taken to one of four huge chambers for a process called firing. This process involves cooking the battery at high temperatures to discharge it and remove the solvent.
The material is ground into powder before entering the hydrometallurgical process to separate the individual elements.
Alyssa Kendall, an energy systems researcher at the University of California, Davis, says recycling won’t be able to meet demand for battery materials anytime soon, despite recent technological advances. By 2050, about half of the nickel and lithium supply will come from recycled batteries, as it is increasing functionally.
However, as battery chemistries evolve, that percentage is likely to change, as has already happened with cobalt. Manufacturers are continually looking for ways to further reduce the use of expensive metals. As a result, recycled cobalt could account for 85% of his required supply by 2040, says Kendall.
Even if recycling can’t replace mining entirely, it may reduce the social and environmental burden of producing new batteries by reducing the need for more mining. Many metals for batteries are mined in Africa, Asia and Latin America. According to the International Energy Agency, mining in these areas is often associated with human rights abuses such as forced and child labor and severe air and water pollution.
waiting for a tsunami of batteries
Some in the battery recycling industry argue that the industry does not need much policy support because battery materials are valuable enough to justify recycling. The move could give a further boost to recyclers like Redwood.
Because Redwood’s manufacturing plants are located in the United States, the company may be eligible for production tax credits under the recently passed Inflation Reduction Act. The IRA also drives demand for raw materials from costumes like Redwood. For a car to qualify for the $7,500 tax credit, automakers must source the materials and work with the United States or a free-trade partner to manufacture the battery.
