NEO Battery Materials Ltd., a low-cost silicon anode materials developer, announced a Collaboration Agreement with Lotus Energy Recycling – an Australian-based solar photovoltaic (PV) recycler. The partnership will aid the company’s sustainable route-to-commercialization and supply chain resiliency for input materials.
NEO and Lotus intend to develop a silicon anode product to co-market directly to battery cell, electronics, and automotive manufacturers. Both companies will explore joint venture opportunities to establish a North American footprint in silicon recycling. Governmental funding for international cooperation will be applied for in advanced manufacturing and clean technology based on availability and criteria-match.
This agreement further bolsters NEO’s strategy to build commercial-level relationships and diversify the silicon upstream value chain. NEO Battery aims to enhance the commercial viability and compatibility of recycled silicon as a reliable raw material source for its silicon anode materials.
Lotus Energy possesses a proprietary recycling know-how to recover solar silicon cells from end-life solar PV cells. The scalable process implements a heat and chemical treatment without the use of hazardous solvents and materials, removing the risk of environmental concern and reducing unnecessary manufacturing costs and overhead. Lotus has consistently achieved high-purity levels of 99.9 percent+ for its recycled PV nano silicon particles.
Headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, Lotus Energy has deployed several magnitudes of megawatt-hour (MWh) solar projects across the country ranging from commercial and industrial to residential applications. Lotus commenced the value-added PV recycling initiative and is expected to complete scale-up to 3,600 kgs per year by the end of this year. Subsequently, the production capacity is expected to increase to 120,000 kgs per year for its Melbourne plant. Lotus Energy intends to construct facilities in Sydney and Germany to supply its high-purity recycled PV nano silicon to various industrial and electronics applications.