BATTERIES

American Battery Technology Company Secures $20 Million Award for EV Battery Recycling Advancements

April 25, 2024

American Battery Technology Company (ABTC) secures $20 million through the 48C program, upholding its leadership in battery recycling.
ABTC’s unique recycling process ensures high-yield recovery of battery materials with minimal environmental impact.
Collaborating with local partners, ABTC aims to position Nevada as a key player in North America’s battery metals supply chain.

ABTC, based in Reno, Nevada, is leading the way in developing a sustainable supply chain for battery metals with its methods for recycling lithium-ion batteries. The company’s recent success has led to a $20 million award through the Qualifying Advanced Energy Project Credits program (48C), reinforcing ABTC’s position as a leader in battery recycling technology.

ABTC focuses on both primary battery minerals manufacturing and lithium-ion battery recycling, with a focus on supporting the electric vehicles industry. This award comes after a rigorous review process by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. Department of Treasury Internal Revenue Service. The process evaluated various facilities for their potential to improve America’s critical material recycling infrastructure.

American Battery Technology Company team members at its lithium-ion battery recycling facility in Nevada.

Ryan Melsert, CEO of American Battery Technology Company expressed his enthusiasm about the award, stating, “We are proud to have been selected for this highly competitive award, and humbled to have been chosen within a program where less than one-tenth of the requested funds were ultimately selected for award.” He added that the funds would be instrumental in accelerating the buildout and operations of their commercial-scale hydrometallurgy-based recycled battery minerals processing and refinement systems.

The technology employed by ABTC is a proprietary recycling process that stands out from traditional battery recycling methods. Instead of using high-temperature smelting operations or non-strategic shredding systems, ABTC implements a strategic de-manufacturing process followed by targeted chemical extraction. This method allows the company to recover battery materials with high yields, low costs, and a low environmental footprint.

The $20 million award will be used to reimburse capital expenditures and invest in additional equipment and infrastructure at ABTC’s battery recycling facility in the Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center (TRIC) in Storey County, Nevada. This facility is at the forefront of EV battery recycling, striving to meet the growing demand for sustainable battery materials. The award also contributes to ABTC’s larger goal of building a domestically-sourced battery metals circular supply chain.

In addition to this recent funding, American Battery Technology Company has secured over $70 million in U.S. DOE grants, demonstrating a strong commitment to advancing the battery recycling industry. These efforts are part of a broader push to establish a sustainable and equitable workforce, with a focus on partnerships that drive the energy transition forward.

ABTC collaborates with a variety of strategic partners, including the University of Nevada, Reno, the Nevada Battery Coalition, Nevada’s Governor’s Office of Economic Development, the Nevada Department of Employment Training and Rehabilitation, and the Governor’s Office of Workforce Innovation. Through these partnerships, the goal is to establish Nevada as a significant contributor to the battery metals supply chain in North America. Additionally, ABTC is actively engaged in fostering improved access to jobs for underrepresented individuals and those facing employment barriers, reinforcing its dedication to a more inclusive workforce.