First lithium-ion battery recycling project in Quebec receives $3.8 million in funding
Sustainable Development Technology Canada provides support for patented process to allow up to 95% of batteries' components to be recovered
Seneca, a Montreal-based engineering consulting firm specializing in industrial materials process engineering, is proud to announce that the Lithion Recycling project consortium, of which Seneca is part of, has received a $3.8 million funding from Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC).
"We are delighted that Lithion Recycling Inc. has received support from SDTC. The electric vehicle market is growing, but there is currently no sustainable solution for its lithium-ion battery recycling. The innovative and patented process we have developed for Lithion Recycling Inc. will allow up to 95% of these batteries' components to be recovered in an ecofriendly and cost-effective manner. We are excited about the idea of contributing to the shift to a circular economy", said Benoit Couture, President of Seneca.
Lithion Recycling Inc. will enable the recycling of all types of lithium-ion batteries (LiBs), essential to the sustainable development of transportation electrification. The project consortium is formed of Seneca, Centre d'études des procédés chimiques du Québec (CEPROCQ), Call2Recycle™, and Hydro-Québec's Center of Excellence in Transportation Electrification and Energy Storage (CETEES).
"SDTC is proud to support Lithion Recycling Inc. in its efforts to address the issue of recycling lithium-ion batteries. These batteries are essential to the functioning of our electric vehicles, smartphones and tablets, and finding ways to recycle these batteries will help make Canada a cleaner and healthier place to live", said Leah Lawrence, President and CEO of Sustainable Development Technology Canada.
Lithion Recycling Inc. is aiming for a worldwide commercialization of its technology, which will begin with the construction of a 200-tons-per-year capacity pilot plant in Quebec in 2019.
Its process will enable the recovery of high value lithium-ion battery components such as cobalt, lithium and graphite, which can then be directly reused by battery manufacturers. Most lithium-ion batteries currently recovered and diverted from landfill sites are handled using processes that have an important environmental footprint and a much lower efficiency. The process developed by Lithion Recycling Inc. will provide a profitable and sustainable alternative to this issue.
Seneca is a private engineering consulting firm specializing in industrial process engineering. It offers comprehensive professional services for industrial investment projects in Quebec and abroad. Its team of over 80 experts has helped carry out thousands of industrial projects in some 15 countries. www.seneca.ca
Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) is a foundation created by the Government of Canada to spur clean technology innovation in Canada by providing funding and helping small and medium size companies develop and demonstrate new clean technologies.
