NAATBatt 2026 Recycling & Lifecycle Management Workshop

Registration for the Workshop is OPEN! Click here for more information and to register. NAATBatt will hold its 9th annual workshop on lithium battery recycling and lifecycle management on July 7-8, 2026, at Michigan State University's MEC Center in Troy, Michigan. The workshop will examine the technologies, business models and economic challenges involved in recycling and reusing lithium batteries in North America. Building a secure supply chain of battery materials in North America may ultimately depend heavily on the "urban mining" of battery materials. Learn about the prospects for lithium battery recycling and reuse in North America and meet the companies and experts that are already doing business in this sector.

Affordable Power Conference & Expo: Innovative Energy Storage for Data Centers and Other Large Loads

NAATBatt and NY-BEST are partnering on a new conference and expo focused on the energy storage and power generation needs of data centers and other large loads. Affordable Power Conference & Expo: Innovative Energy Storage for Grids & Data Centers will be held on November 3-5, 2026 at the On Center in Syracuse, New York. The Expo will be a free-to-attend event offering companies providing energy storage and energy generation products to data centers and other large loads the opportunity to highlight their expertise and meet potential customers. The Expo will be co-located with a conference discussing the policy drivers, economics, and innovative new energy technologies shaping this rapidly growing market. It will also address the very important question of how the explosive need of data centers for electric power can, by the deployment of innovative new energy technologies, be made to benefit all electricity users.

Learn more about the program and sponsorship packages here!

NAATBatt 2027 Annual Meeting & Conference

It is not too early to start planning for NAATBatt 2027. NAATBatt 2027, the 18th annual meeting of NAATBatt International, be held on February 8–11, 2027, at the Westin Rancho Mirage in Rancho Mirage, California, just outside Palm Springs. The NAATBatt annual meeting features presentations by leading consulting firms and market analysts about various sectors of the battery market, in-person meetings of all 18 NAATBatt communities, Member Update Presentations by NAATBatt member firms, and simply the best socializing and networking available anywhere in the North American advanced battery industry. Mark your calendar and watch this newsletter for updates about NAATBatt 2027.

New Market Report on Energy Storage for Data Centers

NAATBatt has published a new comprehensive report on the energy storage market for data centers. Available exclusively to NAATBatt members through the NAATBatt Resources page, the report provides insights into one of the fastest-growing sectors of the battery industry. NAATBatt plans to release 3-4 Market Reports annually covering key battery market segments. Access to these reports is included with NAATBatt membership, offering significant value compared to the cost of purchasing similar research from major consulting firms. Companies interested in gaining access to current and future reports can learn more and apply through the NAATBatt Membership page.

ALERT: UPDATED DATABASE RELEASED!

NAATBatt Lithium-Ion Battery Supply Chain Database

Since 2021, NAATBatt has retained the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) (formerly the National Renewable Energy Laboratory), to produce a comprehensive database of all companies in North America active in the lithium-ion battery supply chain. The database can be accessed by clicking here: NLR/NAATBatt Lithium-Ion Battery Supply Chain.

NAATBatt membership dues pay for the database. As a public service, NAATBatt makes the database available to all users. The database is a public resource intended to make doing business in the North American lithium-ion supply chain easier and more efficient. Thanks to all NAATBatt members for doing their part to make this available to everyone!

Under its contract with NAATBatt, NLR, with the assistance of Avicenne Energy, updates the database every six months. Updates identify new companies active in the lithium-ion market and reflect changes in the industry. NLR released the latest update on April 1, 2026.

The updated database now identifies more than 1,000 companies and more than 1,200 facilities involved in manufacturing, supplying, designing or supporting lithium-ion battery technology in North America. It includes companies involved in mining, material processing, electrode/cell/pack manufacturing, cell component production, recycling/repurposing, and supporting infrastructure such as equipment makers, R&D startups, services, consulting, product distributors, and professional services.

Access the database now to make use of this resource. If your company or facility is not listed but should be, complete the online questionnaire to be include in the next update. Companies are encouraged to review the database and send any corrections to LIB.SupplyChain@nlr.gov.

New NAATBatt Website

Check-out NAATBatt’s new website! Visit us at: www.naatbatt.org. Certain information and resources are available exclusively to members, and an account is required to access this content. Employees of all NAATBatt member firms should register to gain entry to the private member portal. The portal contains links to special resources and tools. For a guide on how to register and take advantage of this new NAATBatt member only resource, go to: https://www.naatbatt.org/blog/welcome-to-the-new-naatbatt-website

NAATBatt Communities

NAATBatt has 18 active subject matter committees/communities, offering NAATBatt members a way to hear about new developments in 18 different sectors of the advanced battery industry. And here's the kicker: It costs nothing to join a NAATBatt committee and participate in the community discussions. Just sign up here. NAATBatt subject matter communities are the new "water cooler" of the North American advanced battery industry: the place to hear the scuttlebutt about what is really going on. It makes no sense not to join.

Click here for a list of upcoming meetings.

New Members

NAATBatt welcomes Silver member Jule, a Canadian energy innovator advancing grid-independent EV and bus charging through energy storage-enabled technology. Founded in 2009, Jule develops modular energy hubs that optimize grid and site conditions to deliver reliable charging anytime, anywhere. The company has installed more than 70 MW of power and operates EV charging deployments across Canada and the U.S., with additional projects in development. For more information, visit: www.julepower.com

Li-Bridge Corner

Li-Bridge Spring Update — Monday, May 11, 1 PM ET

The Li-Bridge Spring Update will take place on May 11, 2026. We invite all interested participants to join representatives from the Federal Consortium for Advanced Batteries (FCAB) for the latest updates on advanced battery supply chain programs and policies across federal agencies.

As always, the session will include dedicated time for Q&A to address industry questions and feedback. If there are specific topics you would like covered, or if you would like to be added to the invitation list, please contact Dave at David.Roberts@libridge.org.

Advanced Battery Industry News

Mineral Resources (MinRes) announced it has executed an agreement worth $765 million with POSCO Holdings for the acquisition of 30% of MinRes' operational lithium business under the ‘LithCo’ joint venture (JV). The JV will hold MinRes' existing 50% ownership of the Wodgina and Mt Marion lithium mines. (Source: Mineral Resources and Yahoo Finance)

WattEV announced an award for 370 Tesla Semi Class 8 electric trucks for deployment in California. Delivery of the first 50 units is scheduled to start in 2026, with the full fleet operational by the end of 2027. (Source: WattEV)

Royal Vopak has reached an agreement with Green Energy Storage (GES) to acquire a majority stake in GES to develop battery energy storage systems (BESS) in the Netherlands. The acquisition included the 200MW/800MWh (megawatt-hour) battery storage project in Oosterhout. (Source: Royal Vopak)

The Ministry of Transport of North Macedonia has awarded Electrobus Europe GmbH (member of the Ikarus Group) a contract for the supply of 150 all-electric urban solo buses and 75 charging stations. (Source: Ikarus)

Georgia Power has broken ground on an energy system at Plant Wansley that will help serve data centers. The company has signed contracts with data centers totaling over 9GW (gigawatts). The site of an old coal plant will house a 500MW BESS alongside about 1,500MW combined cycle natural gas plant. (Source: MSN)

NVIDIA and IREN announced a partnership that includes supporting deployment of up to 5GW of NVIDIA DSX-aligned AI infrastructure across IREN’s global data center pipeline. IREN has issued NVIDIA a 5-year right to purchase up to 30 million shares of ordinary stock at an exercise price of $70 per share, resulting in a right to invest up to $2.1 billion. (Source: NVIDIA)

NVIDIA and Corning announced a multiyear commercial and technology partnership to expand U.S.-based manufacturing of the advanced optical connectivity solutions needed to power next-generation AI infrastructure. (Source: NVIDIA)

Hut 8 announced the commercialization of the first phase of its Beacon Point data center campus in Texas through a 15-year, $9.8 billion lease for 352MW of IT capacity. The transaction brings the company’s total contracted AI data center capacity to 597MW of IT capacity with aggregate base-term contract value of approximately $16.8 billion. (Source: Hut 8) 

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation announced $52 million for 20 projects across 15 states. Selected projects will accelerate the development of energy technologies in trade-exposed industries to reduce reliance on imports. (Source: U.S. DOE)

Longroad Energy announced its Sun Pond 111MWdc solar and 85MWac/340MWh storage project has achieved commercial operations. Ava Community Energy and San José Clean Energy have contracted for the output of Sun Pond via power purchase agreements. (Source: Longroad Energy)

Clearway Energy Group (Clearway) has brought online on the 320MW Honeycomb Energy Center in Utah. The estimated $600 million investment features Tesla equipment and 100% domestic steel, bolstering its Utah portfolio to nearly 900MW. The facilities are contracted under 20-year agreements with PacifiCorp. (Source: Clearway)

Huayou Cobalt plans to invest $210 million to acquire Atlantic Lithium, which owns the Ewoyaa lithium mine in Ghana. The mine has a lithium oxide grade of 1.24 percent, equivalent to 1.13 million tons of lithium carbonate equivalent, consisting of 125,000 tons in proven resources, 799,000 tons in indicated resources, and 199,000 tons in inferred resources. (Source: Yi Cai Global)

FH Capital announced it has entered into a definitive agreement, through its designated affiliate, to acquire a 75.1% stake in JinkoSolar’s U.S. subsidiary Jinko Solar (U.S.) Industries. The transaction is for a 2 GW solar module manufacturing facility. Post closing, FH Capital will deploy capital to at least double the current solar module production capacity and initiate domestic BESS manufacturing. (Source: FH Capital)

Ascend Analytics announced the sale of the 150MW Salzburg BESS project in Michigan by ESA Solar Energy to Ørsted. The project is targeting a commercial operation date in 2029-2030. (Source: Ascend Analystics)

Rivian is increasing its initial production capacity to 300,000 (from 200,000) vehicles annually for its manufacturing facility in Stanton Springs North, Georgia. The company is expected to build up to 50,000 Uber robotaxis at its plant beginning in late 2028. (Source: Rivian)

J-Star Holding (J-Star) announced a partnership with Patriot Green Energy Technology to develop made-in-USA polymer-based solid-state battery solutions. The collaboration includes plans to establish a 100MWh modular, automated solid-state battery production line in Texas to support the unmanned aerial vehicle and drone sector. (Source: J-Star)

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has launched a financing facility to help countries in Asia and the Pacific develop critical mineral supply chains needed for clean energy, batteries, electric vehicles, and digital technology. It has two components: a grant window and a catalytic finance window. (Source: ADB)

Camber Charging has been selected by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro) to deliver, install, and maintain 73 on-route charging systems across 20 locations for its zero-emission bus fleet. The contract is valued at $58M with first deliveries slated for this year. (Source: Camber Charging)

Vianode (Norway-based) has signed a letter of intent (LOI) with JR Energy Solution (South Korea-based) for the supply of synthetic anode graphite. Under the LOI, the companies will explore an offtake agreement for material produced by Vianode, beginning with supply from its Via ONE facility in Norway and transitioning to its Via TWO planned site in Canada. (Source: Vianode)

PowerBank announced the 4.99MW BESS project in Cramahe, Ontario, the BESS SFF 06, has reached commercial operation and commenced revenue producing operations. The contract has a term of 22 years, includes a fixed contract capacity payment of $1,221/MW per business day. (Source: PowerBank)

Stellantis and Leapmotor announced plans to increase production at Stellantis’ Zaragoza, Spain plant where an all-electric Opel C-SUV would be added on a new line alongside Leapmotor’s C-SUV B10 model. (Source: Stellantis)

Ignium announced the launch of subsidiary Electric Fuel America (located in Mesa, Arizona)

dedicated to the domestic design, development, and manufacturing of advanced batteries, chargers, and power accessories for defense customers. (Source: Ignium)

Marwynn Holdings (MWYN) announced plans for its EcoLoopX subsidiary to develop a black mass production facility. The company anticipates recovering and concentrating high-value minerals including lithium, cobalt, nickel, and manganese. (Source: MWYN)

Ecobat has completed the sale of its battery recycling and specialty lead operations in Freiberg and Braubach, Germany and Arnoldstein, Austria to Clarios. (Source: Ecobat)

Compal Electronics (Taiwan-based) and Verda (Helsinki-based) announced a partnership under which Compal will supply GPU server systems to accelerate the build-out of its AI infrastructure across Europe and the APAC region. Under this collaboration, Compal will supply high-density, liquid-cooled AI server platforms. (Source: Compal Electronics)

DG Matrix and Satterfield & Pontikes Construction (S&P) announced a partnership to integrate DG Matrix's Interport™ solid-state transformer platform into S&P's builds as the general contractor expands its multi-GW data center construction business. (Source: DG Matrix)

Nissan has canceled its $500 million electric vehicle (EV) plan in Mississippi and also plans to close one of two production lines at its U.K. plant. (Source: Automotive News)

Proterra announced its Onyx battery platform will be available with a U.S. cell option, with shipments beginning in 1Q27. (Source: Proterra) 

Source: CRU Group

Executive Director's Notes

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