Environmental and Economic Impact
The new plant in , extracts nickel and cobalt from scrap materials, avoiding the environmental harms of traditional mining and reducing landfill waste. This innovation supports the growing U.S. battery recycling industry.
Experts view the refinery as a significant step towards strengthening the domestic supply of critical materials for batteries, potentially benefiting the electric vehicle (EV) and clean energy sectors.
Strategic and Legislative Support
The is promoting the U.S. battery supply chain's expansion, with Nth Cycle receiving $7.2 million under its Advanced Energy Project Tax Credit program. This legislation incentivizes using domestic or qualifying foreign materials in EVs.
By processing materials domestically, the U.S. aims to mitigate risks to its battery ambitions from geopolitical conflicts and reduce carbon emissions associated with transporting materials internationally.