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Lime Partners with Redwood Materials for Battery Recycling
Micromobility operator Lime has entered into an agreement with Redwood Materials to recycle batteries from its electric scooters and e-bikes. This initiative aims to recover valuable critical minerals, including lithium, cobalt, nickel, and copper, promoting a more sustainable and circular supply chain for electric vehicle components.
Exclusive Battery Recycling Partnership
Under the newly announced accord, Redwood Materials will become the exclusive partner for Lime’s battery recycling efforts across the United States, Germany, and the Netherlands. This partnership encompasses a significant portion of Lime’s global operations, although regions in Europe, Asia, and Australia are currently excluded from this specific arrangement.
Advancing Sustainable Practices
While Lime has previously engaged in recycling initiatives, including collaborations through downstream vendors, this marks the company’s first direct partnership with a North American battery recycler. Redwood Materials will directly process end-of-life batteries to retrieve materials for reintegration back into the battery manufacturing stream.
Closed-Loop System for Mineral Recovery
Redwood Materials, founded by former Tesla executive JB Straubel, employs a closed-loop system at its Nevada facility to reclaim materials from spent batteries. This process facilitates the reuse of recycled materials in new battery production, diminishing the reliance on traditional mining and refining methods for raw materials. This approach is central to Redwood Materials’ mission of fostering a more sustainable battery supply chain.
Lime’s Commitment to Decarbonization
This recycling collaboration is also integral to Lime’s broader sustainability objectives. The company is committed to decarbonizing its operations by 2030 and has already achieved a substantial reduction in emissions across its operational scopes since 2019. Lime is scheduled to release its 2024 carbon emissions report in May.
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Executive Perspective
Andrew Savage, VP for Sustainability at Lime, emphasized the significance of this partnership in a prepared statement. “This collaboration signifies considerable advancement toward building a more circular supply chain,” Savage stated, “ensuring that our batteries are not only responsibly recycled upon reaching their end of life but also that their constituent materials are reintegrated into the battery supply chain.”
Second-Life Battery Applications
In addition to recycling, Lime is exploring second-life applications for viable battery cells through partnerships with companies like Gomi in the U.K. and VoltR in France and other European nations. These initiatives repurpose battery cells for consumer electronics and other uses, extending their lifespan and maximizing resource utilization.
Redwood Materials’ Industry Footprint
Redwood Materials has established itself as a key player in battery recycling, with partnerships extending to other micromobility companies such as Lyft, Rad Power Bikes, and Specialized. The company recently inaugurated a new R&D center in San Francisco, further solidifying its commitment to innovation in battery material recovery and sustainable manufacturing.