Charleston, S.C. – Today, Redwood Materials has announced that the company’s next Battery Materials Campus will be located outside Charleston, South Carolina. At Camp Hall in Berkeley County, Redwood will recycle, refine and manufacture anode and cathode components on more than 600 acres, creating more than 1,500 jobs and investing $3.5 billion in the local community. Eventually, this campus will produce 100 GWh of cathode and anode components annually, enough to power more than one million electric vehicles. However, this site also allows expanding Redwood’s operations to potentially several hundred GWh annually to meet future demand.
Redwood plans to break ground on the project in Q1 2023 and have the first recycling process running by the end of next year. The company plans to build out downstream component manufacturing and scale step by step.
Similar to its Nevada operations, Redwood’s South Carolina operations will be 100% electric and won’t use fossil fuels in the processes. Redwood plans to source only zero-emission, clean energy. Its innovative plant design and manufacturing process will reduce the CO2 emissions associated with producing these components by about 80% compared to the current Asia-based supply chain.
South Carolina has been home to the automotive industry for nearly three decades, with more than 500 automotive companies and 72,000 autoworkers. Under Governor McMaster’s leadership, According to Redwood, “South Carolina’s commitment to creating a secure energy future and a competitive landscape for electric vehicle manufacturing, supported by a world-class workforce, fast and efficient logistics, zero-carbon electricity, and a phenomenal site made it a smart decision for Redwood to invest here.” The company’s existing partners, like Toyota, Volvo, Panasonic, and Envision AESC, also have a strong foothold in this region, in addition to many other battery manufacturers. “South Carolina allows meeting our partners’ demands while scaling most sustainably and cost-effectively.”
Additionally, Charleston has consistently been awarded one of the top cities in the world to live, work, and visit. Redwood is offering a new industry and hopes it will be able to recruit a talented workforce from all over the world to this region.
With the increasing demand for lithium-ion batteries, the ability to import raw materials, which we will also be able to refine on this site, presents a significant advantage. The Port of Charleston offers a top U.S. port as it scales production. Additionally, this site will be served by rail access, adding to the fast and efficient logistics this state and site offer. When paired with the benefits of the recent Inflation Reduction Act, this strategic location also allows Redwood to invest more heavily at home while potentially exporting components in the future, allowing the U.S. to become a global leader in this manufacturing capability.
