NORAM Electrolysis Systems (NESI) said it has received $5.6 million in funding to build electrochemical infrastructure for domestic lithium refining.
The package includes advisory services and up to $3 million from the federal government through National Research Council of Canada’s Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP) and $2.6 million from B.C.’s Innovative Clean Energy (ICE) Fund.
NESI said the funding will support product development for a next-gen electrochemical platform. According to the company, this system will enable lower-carbon production of battery materials through an electrified technique that reduces reliance on traditional chemical-intensive methods. The company's NORSCAND electrolysis technology is designed to convert raw materials into battery-grade lithium hydroxide.
“Refining remains one of the biggest constraints in the battery supply chain,” said Jeremy Moulson, the president and chief executive officer at NESI. “This funding helps accelerate a technology platform we believe is essential to the future of cleaner industrial processing,” he added.
Tim Hodgson, the minister of energy and natural resources, said that investing in companies like NESI will make Canada less dependent on foreign processing, helping “unlock Canada’s full potential as a trusted supplier of sovereign, secure critical minerals.”
NESI’s platform builds on earlier lithium electrolysis work, including a 2017 demo plant and its Richmond, B.C. facility.
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