New Study: Ascend Elements’ Hydro-to-Cathode® pCAM Process Cuts CO2e Emissions Nearly 50% Compared to Traditional Battery Recycling

An independently reviewed Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) published today finds Ascend Elements’ innovative Hydro-to-Cathode^® direct pCAM synthesis process is significantly cleaner than traditional battery recycling methods – producing 49% lower carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e) emissions and 26% lower particulate matter 2.5 (PM 2.5) emissions. By 2030, Ascend Elements aims to achieve 86% lower CO₂e emissions and 94% lower PM 2.5 emissions through additional decarbonization efforts, including 100% renewable energy use in recycling and manufacturing operations, rail transportation of materials, and application of lower-carbon reagents during production processes. The study was conducted in accordance with the ISO 14040:2006 and ISO 14044:2006 standards and critically reviewed by Minviro with a panel of three independent LCA experts.

“Battery recycling is the most efficient way to source critical battery materials, but not all recycling technologies are the same. We’ve been developing our Hydro-to-Cathode^® process since 2011 with a focus on efficiency, economics and emissions,” said Eric Gratz, Ph.D., Co-founder and CTO at Ascend Elements. “This LCA demonstrates that our innovative processes are the cleanest and most efficient ways to return used battery materials to the domestic supply chain.”

In addition to pCAM, the study also analyzed Ascend Elements’ innovative process for recovery of lithium from recycled batteries and manufacturing scrap. Today, Ascend Elements’ production of 1 kg of lithium carbonate (Li₂CO₃) emits just 2.3 kg of CO₂e, which is 86% lower than spodumene mining (16.8 kg of CO₂e per 1 kg of Li₂CO₃) and 37% lower than Chilean brine extraction (3.6 kg of CO₂e per 1 kg of Li₂CO₃). With the company’s decarbonization plans, it aims to reduce emissions to only 0.2 kg CO₂e per kg Li₂CO₃ by 2030, which represents a 99% reduction compared to traditional methods.

PM 2.5 emissions are similarly reduced with Ascend Elements’ innovative lithium recovery process. According to PM 2.5 emissions data in the LCA, Ascend Elements’ Li₂CO₃ product is 97% less polluting than spodumene mining and 81% less polluting than Chilean brine extraction. By 2030, the company aims to reduce PM 2.5 emissions by 99.7% compared to spodumene mining and 98% compared to Chilean brine extraction.

A summary of the new LCA Study is available for download. Emissions data for the "traditional battery recycling method" is based on a published LCA study that used a combination of both pyrolysis and hydrometallurgy processes.