Princeton NuEnergy (PNE), a global leader in lithium-ion battery direct recycling, broke ground in Chester County this week on the nation’s first commercial-scale, lithium-ion battery direct recycling facility. The facility will recycle lithium-ion batteries from electric vehicles (EVs) and manufacturing scrap to produce advanced blackmass and rejuvenated cathode active material. When complete, the scale of production will be equivalent to producing more than 100,000 batteries for EVs each year.
“We are pleased to welcome Princeton NuEnergy to Chester County and South Carolina,” Gov. Henry McMaster said. “The company’s new operation will have a significant impact in the community by creating 41 new jobs and advancing our state’s alternative energy sector.”
Developed from research started at Princeton University, PNE’s patented, low-temperature, plasma-assisted separation process (LPAS™) recovers more than 95% of lithium-ion materials found in all lithium-ion battery chemistries. PNE’s direct recycling process is significantly cleaner, faster, and less costly than traditional recycling or virgin cathode production.
Research shows direct recycling of batteries to pristine OEM-equivalent cathode can deliver reductions up to 40% in cost and 70% in environmental waste. Direct recycling fundamentally improves battery manufacturing by reducing water consumption, eliminating toxic acid leaching, avoiding refining emissions and reducing CO2 emissions compared to cathode produced from virgin materials.
A circular battery economy means materials stay in-country, from genesis to end-of-life recycling and remanufacturing. Battery feedstock comes from various consumer goods and industrial sources, including mobile phones and computers, batteries from children’s toys, electric vehicles, and industrial energy storage facilities.
“Today is a national milestone for America’s circular battery economy and brings the research incubated at Princeton University to market,” Chao Yan, PNE’s founder and CEO, said. “South Carolina is rapidly becoming a leader in the EV industry, and we are proud to partner with the state and Chester County on this transformative journey. South Carolina is an ideal location to lead the battery recycling revolution.”
