ACE Green Recycling (ACE) plans to build and operate an emissions-free and sustainable battery recycling park in Texas, U.S. The 400,000 square foot facility will be able to recycle both lead-acid and lithium-ion batteries when fully operational. These batteries are key elements in the automotive, power storage, telecommunications industry, and portable devices like mobile phones and laptops.
The facility is expected to start its first phase of operations in the third quarter of 2023, starting with the recycling of lead-acid batteries using ACE's proprietary emission-free battery recycling technology and followed by a lithium-ion battery recycling facility in proximity. When operating at full capacity, ACE expects the facility to process and recycle up to 100,000 metric tons of used lead-acid batteries and 20,000 metric tons of used lithium-ion batteries annually by 2025.
Traditionally, battery recycling is done via the smelting process which involves operating at extremely high temperatures – often more than 1,000 °C – with the burning of expensive and polluting fossil fuels, producing significant greenhouse gases (GHG) and exposing workers to hazardous working conditions. Compared to smelting, ACE's proprietary technologies for both lead-acid and lithium-ion battery recycling are fully electrified with zero carbon emissions and provide higher battery material yields while providing a safer workplace environment. ACE is also exploring opportunities for operating most of its key plant activities with solar energy to reduce the facility's Scope 2 emissions.
ACE has identified Texas to locate its flagship battery recycling facility in the United States. With a growing population and easy access to an abundance of spent batteries from automobiles and other industrial sources, Texas is an obvious choice for ACE's new plant.
Due to the lack of sufficient recycling capacity, the U.S. is currently exporting a large volume of its scrap batteries to Mexico and Asia while importing battery materials back to make new batteries leading to a major value loss. By establishing a large operation in Texas, ACE intends to reduce America's dependence on imports of battery materials and batteries from foreign suppliers that are often subject to adverse global supply chain issues.
ACE's Texas lead-acid recycling facility will be scaled up in phases. When fully operational, it is projected to recycle more than 5 million lead-acid batteries, prevent more than 50,000 metric ton of GHG emissions, reduce landfill dumping of more than 10 million pounds of hazardous solid waste, and recycle more than 15 million pounds of plastics annually.
The technology solutions start-up will utilize its own funds and collaborate with several strategic and financial investors to set up the Texas battery recycling park.
"We are excited to establish our first North American facility in the state of Texas that will not only generate significant local economic activity but also contribute to a greener environmental footprint," said Dr Vipin Tyagi, Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of ACE. "By contributing to America's battery recycling capabilities, we also aim to strengthen the country's energy independence and build a more resilient future for the nation."
ACE has already deployed its technology on a commercial scale and most recently produced a deal with Pondy Oxides & Chemicals Ltd and plans new facilities in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
