Nano One Materials Corp (TSX:NANO, OTC:NNOMF) has unveiled compelling findings from an independent life cycle assessment (LCA) of its innovative One-Pot Process which show that greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions could be reduced by up to 60% for the production of lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC811) cathode active materials (CAM) and up to 50% for lithium iron phosphate (LFP) CAM, while reducing water consumption.
The LCA, conducted by leading firm Minviro Ltd, focused on cradle-to-end-product emissions, including mining, concentrating, refining, and processing of raw materials into shipment-ready CAM. The report compared Nano One's proprietary process to incumbent methods in the production of nickel-rich NMC811 CAM and LFP CAM for lithium-ion batteries.
Nano One CEO Dan Blondal highlighted the substantial environmental benefits of the One-Pot Process, stating: "The third-party LCA report shows that Nano One's innovative One-Pot Process could cut GHG emissions significantly."
The process achieves this by streamlining operations, reducing energy intensity, minimizing physical footprint, and employing sulfate-free input materials, mitigating unsustainable wastewater and sodium-sulfate by-products.
“Engineering studies have also shown that the One-Pot Process uses up to 60% less water than incumbent processes,” Blondal added.
The LCA revealed a potential GHG reduction of 30-60% for NMC811 and 25-50% for LFP, depending on jurisdiction and energy sources. These reductions stem from cleaner supply chains, lithium carbonate, and sulfate-free metal feedstock, as well as a more efficient use of kilns and the elimination of wastewater and sodium-sulfate by-products. Moreover, the One-Pot Process demonstrated the ability to produce 50% fewer GHGs than conventional coal-powered LFP and 60% fewer than conventional coal-powered NMC811.
Water conservation
The positive environmental impact extends to water conservation, with an internal study indicating an 80% reduction in process water use for LFP and a third-party engineering study showing a potential 60% savings for NMC811. This equates to approximately 2 billion liters of water saved annually per 35 GWh cathode production facility—equivalent to 800 Olympic-sized swimming pools per year.
"Life cycle assessment is more than a compliance requirement; it's an essential instrument for quantifying and helping reduce the environmental footprint of processes, products and technology,” commented Minviro's Dr Robert Pell.
“The LCA results for Nano One's One-Pot Process highlight the opportunity for innovations in cathode production to drive sustainability across the entire battery industry."
Blondal emphasized the broader implications of these findings.
"Collectively, these benefits help solidify the environmental advantages of Nano One's technology and position the company with a leading, cost-effective solution to support a cleaner global transition to net zero,” he said.
The company noted that these advancements align with global sustainability goals, contributing to the collective efforts of companies and nations under the Paris Agreement at the UN Climate Conference (COP21) to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.
Its shares traded 0.8% higher at C$2.46 shortly before midday in Toronto.
Nano One Materials Corp is a clean technology company with patented processes for the production of lithium-ion battery cathode active materials (CAM) that enable secure and resilient supply chains by driving down cost, complexity, energy intensity, and environmental footprint.
~Updated with share price movement~
Contact the author at stephen.gunnion@proactiveinvestors.com