Lohum to build UAE’s first EV battery recycling plant

Marking its foray into the UAE market, India's leading battery recycling firm, Lohum Cleantech Pvt Ltd (Lohum) has signed an agreement with the Ministry of Energy & Infrastructure, UAE, and the Middle East's sustainability and smart solutions provider, BEEAH to build the UAE's first EV battery recycling plant.

As part of the joint development agreement, Lohum will set up an 80,000 sq. ft refurbishing and recycling lithium batteries facility which will annually recycle 3000 tons of lithium-ion batteries and repurpose 15MWh battery capacity into sustainable energy storage systems (ESS) per annum.

"We are thrilled to partner with the MOEI, UAE, and BEEAH to drive low-CO2e battery waste management in the UAE and create a parallel battery materials supply chain globally," said Rajat Verma, Founder & CEO, Lohum.

"Through LOHUM's high-yield NEETM recycling technology, we support the UAE in their commitment to environmental responsibility. This partnership aligns with our goal to help nations and companies reduce their carbon footprint not just in India, but globally, and across all segments of the clean energy transition ecosystem."

The latest move by Lohum ties in well with UAE's Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative, Circular Economy Policy, and its initiatives promoting electric vehicle adoption in the country.

"The Ministry will provide the support needed for the plant to succeed as part of our Global EV Market initiative that aims to increase the share of EVs to 50 percent of all vehicles on our roads by 2050," said Sharif Al Olama, Under-Secretary for Energy and Petroleum Affairs at MoEI.

"This will support our national economy and lower the carbon footprint of the transport sector – a target sector for our decarbonization drive and of the National Energy and Water Demand Side Management Program."

LOHUM's recycling facility is projected to save 30,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually in the UAE.

"As EVs continue to play a role in the decarbonisation of the transport sector and contribute to net-zero emissions targets, it is important that we deploy circular solutions proactively," said Khaled Al Huraimel, Group CEO of BEEAH.

"Our EV Battery Recycling plant will reintroduce valuable minerals and materials back into the circular economy, keep waste out of landfills and support the long-term sustainability of transitions to EVs," he added.

Back home, Lohum was recognized by the Government of India on National Energy Conservation Day 2023 and awarded India's National Energy Efficiency Innovation Award (NEEIA) on December 14. The NEEIA 2023 was awarded to LOHUM for an industry-leading project on 'Battery Materials Production via Recycling of Batteries' in the Transport category.