Ascend Elements to cut carbon emissions for EV battery material by 2030

Using its patented hydro-to-cathode process and recycled materials, Westborough, Massachusetts-based battery recycler Ascend Elements says it currently can manufacture new electric vehicle (EV) battery material (NMC 622 cathode) at a 49 percent reduction in carbon emissions compared to traditional cathode manufacturing processes relying primarily on materials from mining.

The company plans to reduce emissions further, however.

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By 2030, Ascend says it aims to achieve a 90 percent reduction in carbon footprint for its NMC 622 cathode product, according to a new life cycle assessment (LCA) published this week. The study was conducted by a third party in accordance with the ISO 14067:2018 standard and independently reviewed and verified.

“We have an opportunity to make new EV battery materials and new EVs far cleaner than they are today,” Ascend CEO Mike O’Kronley says. “With our ultra-efficient Hydro-to-Cathode process and use of recycled battery materials instead of primary materials from mining, we can cut the climate impact of new cathode material in half. Beyond that, we’re on a path to achieve a 90 percent reduction in carbon footprint by 2030.”

The company says its decarbonization path includes the use of 100 percent renewable energy in its recycling and manufacturing facilities, use of rail to transport materials and use of responsibly sourced lithium carbonate.

According to the study, the production of 1 kilogram of typical cathode material—NMC 622 with primary material from mining—generates 42.8kg of CO₂ emissions. Using its manufacturing process today with recycled battery material, Ascend says the production of 1kg of NMC 622 cathode generates 21.9kg of CO₂ emissions.

With the company’s decarbonization plans achieved by 2030, it says the production of 1kg of NMC 622 cathode will generate just 4.4kg of CO₂ emissions.

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“To put these numbers in perspective, if we manufacture 10,000 metric tons of Hydro-to-Cathode NMC 622 using our decarbonized future process, the carbon emissions reduction would be like removing 83,500 gas-powered cars from the road for one year,” O’Kronley says.

A summary of the LCA study can be found here. The report says carbon emissions for “typical cathode” are based on the use of nickel sulfate hexahydrate from Indonesian laterites using nickel matte via RKEF as an intermediate; cobalt sulfate from ore mined in the DRC and refined in China; and manganese sulfate mined in South Africa and refined in China.