US-based recycling technology company, ACE Green Recycling (ACE) has announced that it plans to build and operate four new lithium-ion battery recycling facilities with a planned total annual capacity of over 30,000 tons. The four locations will tap into previously underserved recycling markets and provide regional markets with an emissions-free, carbon-neutral recycling solution to support the global adoption of lithium-ion batteries. Lithium-ion batteries are currently employed in most of the world's portable electronic devices and electric vehicles, as well as potentially serving as grid energy storage solutions.
ACE is currently planning for facilities in Thailand, India, and the USA, with planned capacities of 10,000 tons between India and Thailand and 20,000 tons in the USA. Operations in India are expected to commence by the third quarter of 2022 with an initial processing capacity of 1800 tons per year, while Thailand and USA would come online in 2023 with full operational capacity planned to be achieved across all facilities by 2025.
ACE recently announced its flagship combined lead-acid and lithium-ion battery recycling park in Texas, USA. With the announcement of plans to simultaneously set up facilities in Asia, ACE is working towards being a global player in Li-ion battery recycling. The company will be deploying its proprietary hydrometallurgical recycling process that combines a completely emissions-free, low-temperature process with market-leading recovery rates of over 98 percent. ACE can also successfully reclaim valuable metals like copper and aluminum, while also being able to handle a wide variety of the world's most utilized lithium-ion battery chemistries. In line with its environmental ethos, the process also produces zero toxic solid waste or effluent.
In addition to copper and aluminum, materials recovered also include a variety of sulphates and carbonates of cobalt, manganese, and nickel, all of which leave ACE's facility "user-ready" for use in the next generation of lithium-ion batteries.
"With the set-up of these four new facilities we would strategically leverage our global supply chain experience to not only cater to the North American markets but also Asia where we have a very strong on the ground experience and existing relationships," said Nishchay Chadha, ACE's Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer. ACE is already in discussions with potential partners for various battery waste supply and product off-take arrangements to guarantee a steady inflow of recyclable batteries and a ready customer for its market-grade battery materials.
When fully operational, ACE expects to provide up to 100 direct and indirect jobs to the local economy.
While the global market for lithium-ion battery recycling currently remains relatively low, key OEMs, EV manufacturers, and strategic investors remain bullish on the need for sustainable and environmentally responsible recycling solutions due to three key reasons.
The exponential growth in the adoption of lithium-ion batteries – from the already ubiquitous portable electronic devices to the widespread and growing popularity of electric vehicles – is heralding an unprecedented uptick in demand. Further, government mandates for "producer responsibility" require battery manufacturers to rapidly identify sustainable recycling solutions which can minimize the overall environmental footprint of battery manufacturing. With the continued fragility of global supply chains causing extreme price shocks, players across the value chain(s) are looking to diversify their sources of battery materials away from regions of heightened political instability.
"By providing a zero-emission lithium-ion battery recycling solution, ACE solves all of these concerns and provides the necessary supply chain localization and reliability of the valuable battery materials. Global scale-up of our technology will provide vital support for sustainable electrification of mobility and manufacturing," said Dr. Vipin Tyagi, Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of ACE.
ACE will deploy its capital and collaborate with several strategic and financial investors to set up the envisioned facilities.
ACE is already a leading pioneer in the hydrometallurgical recycling of lead-acid batteries, having already deployed its technology on a commercial scale with leading recyclers and industry players with many new facilities set to come online across Asia, Europe, and the Middle East by early 2023.