Gigamine is a UK startup developing technology to provide sustainable and efficient lithium-ion battery recycling. 7percent Ventures, an early-stage startup investor, led the seed round for Gigamine. The founder of Extreme E and Formula E, Alejandro Agag, joined the round with other angel investors.
Gigamine, Recycling Lithium-Ion Batteries
Through recycling, Gigamine will discharge and disassemble batteries, and increase efficiency in second-life applications. It will also use renewable energy to build a sustainable circular system for the re-use of battery materials.
Gigamine’s recycling facilities will each be called a ‘node’. The company expects to start construction of its first node this year. In fact, it plans to make a site selection announcement sometime in the second quarter of 2022.
Furthermore, Gigamine hopes to have six of these nodes across the UK in five years, as well as a refinery that converts black mass into materials for re-use in cell manufacture. To show the startup’s commitment to sustainability, the facilities will use renewable sources of energy as power.
The Materials Gigamine Is Able To Recycle
Listed below are some of the materials that Gigamine recovers during the recycling process:
Black Mass: A collection of common elements in batteries – the first stage of battery recycling
Copper/Aluminum: Key materials that can be found inside battery cells
Nickel Sulphate: The key chemical feed in the production of cathode materials for nickel-bearing
Cobalt Sulphate: Cobalt stabilizes the Lithium-Ion battery making it safer lithium-ion batteries
Manganese: Manganese allows the battery to operate at higher temperatures as well as being able to be used in agricultural settings.
How Gigamine Hopes to Make a Positive Impact
Why is Gigamine’s solution necessary? The need for battery minerals is growing at a fast rate. Many products use lithium-ion batteries, such as electronics, appliances, electric vehicles, electrical energy storage systems, and others.
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At the same time, there is a current shortage of lithium for batteries. The mining industry is struggling to increase supply due to fewer mining discoveries, longer production times, and ESG issues.
As buyers struggle to source battery materials, Gigamine’s tech-led solution will bridge the supply gap without negatively impacting the planet.
Incidentally, the UK will require an expected 140GWh of cell production by 2040 in order to meet its electric vehicles goals. It is anticipated that recycling can supply 20-25% of the metals required. This shows how Gigamine can take part in meeting these goals through its recycling solution.
Peter Cowan, Director at Gigamine, said: “Building an automated, scalable and sustainable EV battery recycling solution is a critical requirement for the circular economy and a significant global market opportunity over the coming years.”
Editor’s Note: The opinions expressed here by Impakter.com columnists are their own, not those of Impakter.com
