U.S. Battery Recycling Efforts Progress with PNE's Premier Recycling Plant in South Carolina
The United States has taken a significant step forward in the battery industry with the operationalisation of Princeton NuEnergy's (PNE) Advanced Black Mass recycling production facility in Chester, South Carolina. This facility marks the nation's first commercial-scale producer of Advanced Black Mass (ABM™) and battery-grade cathode active materials from lithium-ion battery manufacturing scrap.
Situated in Chester, the facility processes approximately 5,000 tons of manufacturing scrap annually, converting waste into high-purity recycled battery materials. This shift reduces the reliance on virgin mined resources, enhancing supply chain security. The operation adheres to strict environmental and safety standards, ensuring sustainability throughout the recycling process. PNE's process employs a patented low-temperature direct recycling method, which reduces costs and environmental impact compared to conventional extraction and refining techniques.
PNE's Flagship Facility plays a pivotal role in integrating advanced recycling technology with domestic manufacturing capabilities, serving as a crucial node in the battery circular economy. It helps close the loop of battery materials use—transforming waste back into inputs for new batteries—and addresses pressing concerns about resource scarcity, environmental footprint, and supply chain vulnerability in electric vehicle and energy storage markets.
The facility produces both NCM and LFP chemistries, demonstrating PNE's ability to regenerate and produce critical battery minerals domestically. This contributes to the nation's efforts in creating a secure domestic energy production and supply chain, as outlined by U.S. policy.
In addition to the Chester facility, PNE operates a joint pilot facility with a co-located partner in McKinney, Texas, to further advance its direct recycling technologies and capabilities. Moreover, PNE's headquarters in Princeton, New Jersey, houses the largest Materials Testing Center in the U.S. northeast, providing a critical resource for third-party validation and downstream application testing.
Dr. Chao Yan, Co-Founder and CEO of PNE, stated that the facility demonstrates the U.S.'s ability to lead in battery materials recovery and manufacturing. As PNE expands its capacity, it aims to reinforce U.S. leadership in battery material sustainability and circularity, contributing significantly to the U.S. battery circular economy.
[1] Princeton NuEnergy Inc. (2021). Princeton NuEnergy Commissions First Commercial-Scale Advanced Black Mass and Battery-Grade Cathode Active Material Production Facility in the United States. [online] Available at: https://princetonnuenergy.com/news/princeton-nuenergy-commissions-first-commercial-scale-advanced-black-mass-and-battery-grade-cathode-active-material-production-facility-in-the-united-states/ [Accessed 10 May 2023].
[2] Princeton NuEnergy Inc. (2021). Princeton NuEnergy Launches Materials Testing Center, Largest in U.S. Northeast. [online] Available at: https://princetonnuenergy.com/news/princeton-nuenergy-launches-materials-testing-center-largest-in-u-s-northeast/ [Accessed 10 May 2023].
[3] Princeton NuEnergy Inc. (2021). Princeton NuEnergy Announces Expansion of Chester, South Carolina Facility Capacity to 15,000 tpa. [online] Available at: https://princetonnuenergy.com/news/princeton-nuenergy-announces-expansion-of-chester-south-carolina-facility-capacity-to-15000-tpa/ [Accessed 10 May 2023].
[4] Princeton NuEnergy Inc. (2021). Princeton NuEnergy to Present at the 2021 Battery Recycling Conference. [online] Available at: https://princetonnuenergy.com/news/princeton-nuenergy-to-present-at-the-2021-battery-recycling-conference/ [Accessed 10 May 2023].
[5] Princeton NuEnergy Inc. (2021). Princeton NuEnergy Announces Collaboration with Co-Located Partner in McKinney, Texas. [online] Available at: https://princetonnuenergy.com/news/princeton-nuenergy-announces-collaboration-with-co-located-partner-in-mckinney-texas/ [Accessed 10 May 2023].
[1] The integration of advanced recycling technology, as demonstrated by Princeton NuEnergy's facility in Chester, South Carolina, is a significant leap in the nation's environmental-science and technology sectors, particularly in the field of battery production.
[2] The operation of this facility, a commercial-scale producer of Advanced Black Mass, is set to reduce the nation's dependence on virgin-mined resources, contributing to technological advancements and science-based sustainability efforts in the environmental-science industry.
