U.S.-based clean-energy company Bridge Green Upcycle has inaugurated a new lithium-ion battery recycling and critical mineral recovery facility at Gummidipoondi near Chennai. The project is being seen as a major step toward strengthening India’s battery recycling ecosystem and supporting the country’s growing electric-vehicle industry.
The facility has an initial processing capacity of 7,200 metric tonnes per year and is designed to recover valuable materials such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, manganese, copper, and graphite from used batteries and battery-manufacturing scrap. These recovered materials can be reused in the domestic battery supply chain, reducing dependence on imported critical minerals.
Industry experts say demand for battery recycling is rising rapidly as India’s electric-vehicle and energy-storage sectors continue to expand. Company estimates suggest lithium-ion battery waste in India could exceed 800,000 tonnes annually by 2030, creating a strong need for large-scale recycling infrastructure.
Bridge Green Upcycle has announced plans to invest between ₹500 crore and ₹1,000 crore over the next five years to expand operations. The company also aims to produce battery-grade materials such as lithium carbonate, nickel sulfate, manganese sulfate, and cobalt sulfate in future phases of the project.
The plant is expected to generate more than 100 direct and indirect jobs during its initial phase while promoting what the company calls “urban mining” — recovering critical minerals from discarded batteries instead of extracting them through conventional mining. The initiative aligns with India’s broader efforts to build a circular economy and secure long-term supplies of materials needed for clean-energy technologies.
Officials from the battery, automotive, and clean-energy sectors attended the inauguration, highlighting growing interest in sustainable battery management as India accelerates its transition toward electric mobility and renewable energy solutions.
News as Reported.
