The nation’s first recycling plant for end-of-life electric vehicle (EV) batteries is set to take shape, following the signing of a joint collaboration agreement comprising Beeah Recycling (a subsidiary of Beeah), the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure (MOEI) and the American University of Sharjah (AUS).
According to Beeah, the EV battery recycling facility will be added to Beeah Recycling’s integrated waste management complex. The facility is said to already have ten specialised waste processing and material recovery facilities that have contributed to a 76% waste diversion rate in Sharjah, which is claimed to be the highest in the Middle East.
As per the deal, Beeah Recycling will join the ministry and AUS to identify world-class technologies for the EV battery recycling facility, it stated.
Group CEO Khaled Al Huraimel was joined by Beeah Recycling CEO Daker El Rabaya to sign the agreement with Sharif Salim Al Olama, Undersecretary of Energy and Petroleum Affairs, Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, and Prof. Juan Sanchez, the Provost of American University of Sharjah, at the 2023 World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi.
“Combining the material recovery expertise from Beeah Recycling, the national vision and foresight of the ministry and cutting-edge research from AUS, we will be able to formulate the ideal, future-ready strategy,” said Al Huraimel.
The addition of an EV battery recycling facility will help further increase landfill waste diversion in the future as more batteries from EVs approach end-of-life, said Beeah.
The UAE has witnessed a rising number of people switching from traditional vehicles to electric vehicles. In a 2022 study, over 30% of UAE people were considering switching to electric vehicles; projections show the EV market will grow at a CAGR of 30 percent between 2022 and 2028, the statement pointed out.
“Ultimately, our efforts will realise the sustainable, zero-waste and Net Zero growth of the EV market, which aligns with the national, regional and global sustainability agenda,” he noted.
Commenting on the agreement, El Rabaya remarked, “At Beeah Recycling, we embody a zero-waste strategy to support the creation of a circular economy across industries. We want to advance our contributions to circularity and material recovery within the EV industry, which is critical to achieving Net Zero emissions in the UAE and beyond.”
Al Olama added that ensuring future readiness and preparedness for the electric vehicle market ties closely with the ministry’s objective on enhancing energy and infrastructure for the UAE.
He concluded, “Leveraging the intelligence from Beeah Recycling and the latest research from AUS, we look forward to identifying the right solution to support green mobility in our sustainable cities and communities. Our exploration will also be aligned with the national and global sustainability agenda, which prioritises achieving net-zero emissions, diverting waste from landfill and creating a circular economy.”
In late January 2023, Emirates Global Aluminium announced the Aluminium Recycling Coalition.
