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US consortium funds work on lithium-ion recycling

The US Advanced Battery Consortium (USABC) has announced US$1.08 million in funding to spur development of lithium-ion battery recycling in Massachusetts.

USABC, a collaborative organisation of American car manufacturers, General Motors, Ford, and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, is backing the second phase of the lithium recycling contract by the Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI).

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USABC

lithium recycling

battery recycling

Lithium-ion

Enersys powers into telecoms with Alpha Technologies deal

Lead-acid battery maker Enersys is to acquire the US-based Alpha Technologies in a US$750 million deal to create “the only complete power solution provider for broadband, telecom and energy storage systems”.

Enersys said it had entered into an agreement to acquire all issued and outstanding shares and certain assets of select entities belonging to the Alpha Technologies group of companies.

Mergers & Acquisitions

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Cabot Corp, Saft in US low-cobalt cathode research

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has selected speciality chemicals firm the Cabot Corporation as a technology partner to develop low-cobalt cathodes for next-generation lithium-ion batteries.

Cabot will work with researchers at the DOE’s Argonne National Laboratory and French battery maker Saft for the project. Argonne will assist in the synthesis of low-cobalt cathode compositions, while Saft will assist in the manufacture of batteries to validate performance of novel low-cobalt cathode formulations.

The DOE said it is investing a total of US$80 million “to explore more sustainable, affordable options” than cobalt— and “ultimately improve access to electric vehicle technology”.

Department of Energy (DOE)

cobalt

cathode

R&D

SoCal Edison selects esVolta to shore up grid with storage

Utility-scale energy storage developer esVolta has been chosen to supply four lithium-ion battery storage systems to provide “incremental capacity” in California for utility Southern California Edison Company (SCE).

SCE said the systems, with a combined battery storage capacity of 38.5 megawatt-hours, would provide incremental capacity at specifically targeted locations, in order to improve the reliability of SCE’s electric distribution system”.

The installations in Riverside and Ventura counties— the contracts for which are subject to approval by the California Public Utilities Commission— will also “avoid more costly system upgrades that would otherwise be necessary to meet anticipated load demand”, SCE said.

Work starts on Mercedes’ Alabama EV battery plant

Daimler has broken ground for an electric vehicle battery manufacturing plant in Alabama for its Mercedes-Benz subsidiary.

A ceremony marking the start of construction at Tuscaloosa, just seven miles from Mercedes existing vehicle production site, came just weeks after German auto firms indicated they could pull the plug on new investments in battery manufacturing in the US, if forced to pay increased tariffs under the Trump administration’s “national security” review.

The battery plant is part of a US$1 billion investment in the US that will cover two million square feet— twice the size of Mercedes’ nearby site. The US plant will form part of an eight-strong global battery production network including plants in Germany, China and Thailand.

SK Innovation to build EV batteries in US?

South Korean energy and chemical company SK Innovation (SKI) is reportedly considering building an electric vehicle battery plant in the US, but is staying tight-lipped on details.

The announcement follows President Donald Trump’s order of a ‘Section 232’ investigation that could lead to the US slapping a 25% import tariff on automobile parts brought into the US.

Axion Power files for bankruptcy as China deal hope fails

Lead-carbon battery maker Axion Power International has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in the US.

The chairman and CEO of the Pennsylvania-based firm, Richard Bogan (pictured), said the decision had been taken after pursuing “unsuccessful endeavours”— and failing to clinch a deal with one China's largest lead-acid battery manufacturers, Fengfan Co.

Axion Power International

US backs studies of ‘breakthrough electrolytes’

Energy chiefs in the US are backing the launch of an ‘Energy Frontier Research Center’ (EFRC) as part of research into “breakthrough electrolytes for energy storage”.

The Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded $10.75 million to set up the EFRC at Case Western Reserve University.

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Energy Frontier Research Center

‘Irrational Trump will hurt US’ with battery tariffs plan— China

Lead-acid batteries and lithium raw materials have been dragged into the now highly-charged trade tariffs bust-up between the US and China.

President Donald Trump has ordered that “lead-acid batteries of any kind” be included in a new list of $200 billion worth of Chinese imports subject to tariffs of 10%.

US training boost for next lead-acid generation

A pioneering programme to nurture tomorrow’s generation of professionals for the expanding US lead-acid sector is under way in Missouri backed by lead recycling firm Doe Run.

St Louis-based Doe Run has already stepped up hiring in 2017 and 2018 for its mining and lead battery recycling operations.