Nevada Center for Applied Research, American Battery Technology Co. collaborate

American Battery Technology Co. (ABTC), Reno, Nevada, has partnered with the University of Nevada Reno's Nevada Center for Applied Research (NCAR) to locate its research and development on campus. The partnership is poised to advance battery metal extraction technologies from Nevada-based primary resources and technologies for the recycling of lithium-ion batteries.

ABTC, a lithium-ion battery recycling company, is currently building a 100,000-square-foot plant in Fernley, Nevada. In the meantime, the company has started new development laboratories in the university's Applied Research Facility that NCAR manages. The partnership is exploring different areas of collaboration, including a workforce development pipeline for university students.

"This partnership with American Battery Technology Co. showcases the role of NCAR and the impact of Nevada's Knowledge Fund support, and it allows us to offer new and exciting experiences to our students," says University of Nevada President Brian Sandoval. "This is yet another example of how we are helping our students achieve their dreams."

"At a time when there is such a void of U.S. workforce talent with skills and experience to design and commercialize technologies for the extraction and refining of battery metals, we are very fortunate to be working with a premier university such as UNR that embodies some of the top metallurgical and chemical engineering programs in the nation," says ABTC CEO Ryan Melsert. "The partnership with NCAR enables a seamless relationship with the University."

NCAR's track record of collaborative relationships with companies involves flexible, industry-friendly facility-use or fee-for-service agreements. Twenty-four companies, including ABTC, are currently based on campus through NCAR partnerships. Carlos Cardillo, the university's executive director of corporate partnerships, estimated two companies per month are being incorporated into NCAR.

NCAR is supported by the Knowledge Fund through the Nevada Governor's Office of Economic Development. Since its launch in 2015, NCAR-affiliated companies have created more than 158 jobs and earned more than $20 million in venture capital investment. NCAR has also generated $32.6 million in grants, contracts, investments, gifts and agreements to the university.