How JB Straubel’s Redwood Materials is Revolutionizing Battery Recycling
The Vision Behind Tesla Co-Founder’s Sustainable Startup
JB Straubel, the often-overlooked engineering genius behind Tesla’s most groundbreaking technologies, is now channeling his expertise into solving one of the world’s most pressing sustainability challenges. As co-founder and former CTO of Tesla, Straubel has shifted his focus to Redwood Materials, the battery recycling startup he launched in 2017 with ambitions to transform global material supply chains.
Building a Circular Battery Economy
Redwood Materials operates on a bold vision: to create a closed-loop system for battery materials. The Carson City-based company has developed a sophisticated B2B model that:
- Processes production scrap from battery manufacturers like Panasonic
- Recycles consumer electronics including smartphones, laptops, and power tools
- Extracts valuable materials like cobalt, nickel, and lithium
- Supplies refined materials back to manufacturers
“This is something that can actually make a really material impact on sustainability in the world,” Straubel explained during TechCrunch’s TC Sessions: Mobility. “You need scale to do that.”
Strategic Partnerships Driving Growth
Redwood has attracted significant industry attention, with notable partnerships including:
- Panasonic: Major battery cell manufacturer and partner
- Amazon: Investor and potential customer through its electric vehicle initiatives
Celina Mikolajczak, VP of Battery Technology at Panasonic Energy of North America, emphasized the logic behind this approach: “We’ve already dug these metals out of the ground… it makes total sense to go after recycling aggressively.”
The Future of Battery Recycling
Scaling for Impact
Redwood currently operates two facilities in Nevada but plans for global expansion. Straubel envisions “dozens” of regional facilities, potentially co-located with major manufacturing plants. The company is already operating at “gigawatt scale” and aims to match the production capacity of massive operations like Tesla’s Gigafactory.
Addressing the EV Battery Challenge
As electric vehicles become mainstream, their batteries present both a challenge and opportunity:
- EV batteries have longer lifespans than consumer electronics
- Second-life applications can extend usefulness
- Eventually all batteries require responsible recycling
“It’s great if we can get more useful life,” Straubel noted, “but they eventually need an appropriate disposal and recycling solution.”
Why Industry Leaders Are Investing
Amazon’s Strategic Interest
Amazon’s involvement through its Climate Fund suggests potential applications for:
- Electric delivery vehicle batteries (through Rivian partnership)
- Data center power storage solutions
- Consumer electronics recycling programs
The Long-Term Vision
Straubel remains focused on sustainable growth rather than quick returns:
“This is what I really want to spend my time on. I see this as a very long-term growth mission that is likely to span decades.”
Unlike his Tesla experience, Straubel shows no interest in taking Redwood public in the near future, preferring to maintain focus on building industrial-scale impact.
The Bigger Picture: Transforming Supply Chains
Straubel’s experience with Tesla’s Gigafactory revealed critical supply chain vulnerabilities:
- Traditional mining operations can’t keep pace with battery demand
- Recycled materials offer more sustainable alternatives
- Localized processing reduces transportation emissions
“The Gigafactory is a little bit like an iceberg,” Straubel observed. “There’s so much of it that’s below the surface in the suppliers and mines.”
By addressing these hidden challenges, Redwood Materials aims to become not just a recycling leader, but a fundamental enabler of the clean energy transition.
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