Cirba Solutions to Build $200M Lithium-Ion Recycling Facility, Creating 300 Jobs in Columbia

Cirba Solutions makes lithium-ion battery parts in Columbia. It has received $200 million in federal funding for a new facility in Columbia, South Carolina. The company has announced that it will negotiate with the U.S. Department of Energy to receive this funding. The money comes from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and will help build the new processing plant.

The Columbia facility will produce battery-grade salts to support the growing electric vehicle (EV) market.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy this funding will help expand domestic battery recycling and create a closed-loop supply chain for critical materials.

The new facility will recycle lithium-ion batteries from different sources like electric vehicles, energy storage systems, and manufacturing waste from battery and auto companies. Once it starts working fully, it will process over 60,000 tons of batteries every year. This will produce enough materials to make around 500,000 electric vehicle batteries annually. The project is also expected to create more than 300 full-time jobs and 650 construction jobs in the Columbia area.

David Klanecky the CEO of Cirba Solutions said the project will help strengthen U.S. supply chains and boost the nation’s role in the global battery industry all while supporting energy independence and security.

Jennifer M. Granholm who is the U.S. Secretary of Energy, highlighted that this investment aligns with the Biden Administration’s efforts to create jobs and strengthen U.S. leadership in advanced battery manufacturing while supporting clean energy.