South Carolina is quickly turning into a focus of the EV revolution in America. Hyundai has begun development of a $5 billion manufacturing facility to construct electrical vehicles in South Carolina. BMW and Volvo have factories within the state. They don’t manufacture electrical vehicles but, however possible will achieve this quickly to ensure that these vehicles to be eligible for US tax incentives. This week, Redwood Supplies introduced it is going to begin development on a $3.2 billion battery recycling facility on 600 acres close to Charleston, South Carolina early subsequent 12 months.
Redwood Supplies takes in batteries which can be on the finish of their helpful life, breaks them all the way down to their fundamental metals similar to nickel, copper, cobalt, and lithium, after which makes use of these metals to fabricate new cathode and anode merchandise, that are probably the most important and costly elements in an EV battery. Localizing the manufacturing of important battery elements and guaranteeing these supplies are recycled is the one technique to drive down prices, emissions, and geopolitical dangers whereas assembly US battery and electrification demand.
Presently, anode and cathode elements aren’t produced in North America. Battery cell producers must supply them through a 50,000+ mile lengthy international provide chain. Because of this, US battery producers will spend greater than $150B buying these elements from different nations by 2030.
A brand new manufacturing hall from Michigan to Georgia is turning into referred to as America’s “Battery Belt” and is the place lots of of GWh a 12 months of battery cell manufacturing capability can be constructed and begin working between now and 2030. But, except metals like lithium and nickel are produced and refined and stay in nation for home anode and cathode manufacturing at scale, these American battery cell services must frequently supply the vast majority of their elements, predominantly from Asia. This can ship most (50-75%) of the financial worth and job creation abroad, the corporate says.
Its subsequent Battery Supplies Campus can be within the coronary heart of the “Battery Belt” in Camp Corridor simply outdoors of Charleston. Redwood will recycle, refine, and manufacture anode and cathode elements on greater than 600 acres, creating greater than 1,500 jobs, and investing $3.5 billion in the local people. Finally, this campus will produce 100 GWh of cathode and anode elements per 12 months — sufficient to energy a couple of million EVs. Nonetheless, the location additionally will be expanded to doubtlessly produce a number of hundred GWh yearly to satisfy future demand.
“We plan to interrupt floor on our Carolina Campus in Q1 2023 and have our first recycling course of working by the tip of subsequent 12 months. We are going to construct out downstream element manufacturing and scale step-by-step.”
Redwood Supplies Goes 100% Electrical
The South Carolina facility can be 100% electrical and received’t use any fossil gasoline within the recycling processes — not even pure fuel. Redwood Supplies will supply solely zero emission, clear vitality and its progressive plant design and manufacturing course of will permit it to scale back the carbon dioxide emissions related to producing these battery elements by about 80% in comparison with the present Asia-based provide chain that America relies on for these essential supplies.
South Carolina has been dwelling to the automotive trade for almost three many years, with greater than 500 automotive corporations and 72,000 autoworkers. It’s dedicated to making a safe vitality future and a aggressive panorama for electrical car manufacturing supported by a world class workforce, quick and environment friendly logistics, and 0 carbon electrical energy. All these elements plus the provision of an exceptional website made it a good move for Redwood Supplies to spend money on South Carolina. Redwood’s current companions like Toyota, Volvo, Panasonic, and Envision AESC even have a robust presence on this area, along with many different battery producers. The South Carolina manufacturing facility will permit the corporate to satisfy the necessities of its companions whereas scaling up manufacturing in probably the most sustainable and price efficient method.
Charleston has persistently been acknowledged as one of many prime cities on this planet to stay, work, and go to. Redwood is providing an thrilling new trade and can be capable to recruit a gifted workforce from all around the world to this area.
“With growing demand for lithium ion batteries, the flexibility to import uncooked supplies, which we will even be capable to refine on this website, presents a big benefit. The Port of Charleston provides a prime U.S. port and the location chosen can be served by rail entry, including to the quick and environment friendly logistics this state and website provides,” the corporate says. When paired with the advantages of the latest Inflation Discount Act, this strategic location additionally permits us the chance to take a position extra closely at dwelling whereas doubtlessly exporting elements sooner or later, permitting the U.S. to turn out to be a worldwide chief on this manufacturing functionality.”
Recycled Supplies Outperform
Redwood Supplies has a tiger by the tail. It’s planning a serious enlargement of its facility in Nevada the place it recycles batteries for Panasonic. A number of the reclaimed supplies produced there are discovering their method into new batteries for Tesla. The corporate has additionally indicated just lately {that a} recycling facility in Europe could also be on its radar.
Ought to individuals be involved about recycled battery supplies? In spite of everything, most people are a bit squeamish about ingesting the reclaimed water out there now from many wastewater therapy crops. “Generally, individuals’s impression is that recycled materials is not so good as virgin materials,” says Yan Wang, a professor of mechanical engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. “Battery corporations nonetheless hesitate to make use of recycled materials of their batteries.”
However there is no such thing as a motive to be involved. He and a group of researchers have delved into this subject and decided most often, the reclaimed supplies are nearly as good and even higher than new supplies, as arduous as which may be to imagine.
The Takeaway
JB Straubel, the founding father of Redwood Supplies, definitely has that imaginative and prescient factor occurring. Everyone seems to be hung up on discovering battery supplies that meet the necessities of the Inflation Discount Act and he’s speaking about exporting to different nations. This at a time when nobody else is considering the US being a serious provider of battery supplies and elements. That’s spectacular.
Redwood has already struck offers with Volkswagen, Audi, Toyota, Ford, and Volvo to recycle worn out batteries from their vehicles. There are different battery recycling corporations on the market, like Li-Cycle, however Redwood Supplies is the clear chief within the subject and quickly pulling away from the competitors.
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