Bridge Green Upcycle has launched a 7,200 MTPA lithium-ion battery recycling and critical mineral recovery facility in Chennai
The company says its proprietary upcycling technology can recover high-grade black mass and high-purity precursor materials from used batteries
Claiming material purity levels of around 99%, it says the recovered materials are suitable for battery-grade and industrial-grade applications
Bridge Green Upcycle, a Binghamton, New York-based clean energy startup, has inaugurated its ‘Circularity Center’ in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, to operate as a dedicated critical-mineral recovery facility for lithium-ion batteries.
The facility has an annual processing capacity of 7,200 metric tons per annum (MTPA) and is designed to recover critical mineral-bearing materials from end-of-life lithium-ion batteries and battery manufacturing scrap.
Through ‘urban mining’, the Gummidipoondi plant will be able to recover lithium, cobalt, nickel, manganese, copper, and graphite, which can be returned to India's domestic manufacturing ecosystem.
Bridge Green said its proprietary upcycling technology combines advanced mechanochemical processes with conventional hydrometallurgy to enable end-of-life battery recycling to extract high-grade black mass and high-purity precursor materials from both ternary and lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries.
It claims that the company’s integrated mechanical and hydrometallurgical processes can achieve material purity levels of around 99%, making the recovered materials suitable for battery-grade and industrial-grade applications. Batteries with useful remaining life can be refurbished for applications such as battery energy storage systems (BESS), backup power, and EV charging support.
According to the company, the technology is designed to minimize carbon emissions, eliminate toxic effluents and emissions, reduce energy consumption, and maintain high safety standards.
In addition to material recovery, Bridge Green has developed digital technologies that use artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to monitor battery health, estimate remaining useful life, and support battery sorting for recycling or refurbishment.
The company’s digital platform also includes cloud-based battery management systems, predictive analytics, and battery passport technology that provides QR-based traceability throughout a battery’s lifecycle.
Bridge Green said the new facility represents a long-term commitment to recovering, reusing, and recirculating battery materials to support a cleaner and more resilient energy future.
The company was founded by Balki G.Iyer in 2023 and counts Kevin Walsh of Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners among its board advisors.
Bridge Green is reportedly also planning to invest between INR 500 crore and INR 1,000 crore over the next 5 years as it expands its area of influence to manufacturing refined mineral salts and another plant for industrial and data center applications. The management sees the recently signed India-US critical minerals supply chain framework as an opportunity to cater to both domestic and export markets.