Recycling renewables

All that e-waste is full of metals that could be recycled for clean tech

The copper, aluminum, and minerals in our old electronics could be reused in service of the clean energy transition, according to UN report.

By Maddie Stone . 19 April 2024

A pile of discarded electrical and electronic components. — (Charly Triballeau/Getty Images)

Recycling renewables

A new Energy Department program aims to recycle wind turbine magnets

Wind turbines often contain huge magnets made with valuable elements like neodymium. Scientists are exploring how to get a second life out of them.

By Maddie Stone . 5 March 2024
Batteries

EV battery repair is dangerous — but some mechanics want to do it anyway

Fixing the batteries of e-bikes and electric vehicles saves money and resources — but challenges are holding back the industry.

By Maddie Stone . 12 December 2023
Video

Canary on TV: Confronting the downsides of mining for battery materials

Julian Spector appeared on the Weather Channel to parse the environmental and climate impacts of battery supply chains and how the clean energy industry is working to mitigate them.

By Julian Spector . 6 November 2023
Recycling renewables

Redwood Materials lands $1B to boost its battery recycling efforts

The startup founded by Tesla alum JB Straubel wants to spend $7 billion on recycling to supply a U.S. battery industry now dependent on China.

By Jeff St. John . 30 August 2023
Electric vehicles

E-bike manufacturers are fighting right-to-repair. That's a problem

As e-bikes proliferate, companies are embracing battery recycling — but opposing laws that would let consumers repair the bikes themselves.

By Maddie Stone . 14 August 2023
Recycling renewables

Video: Watch this company recycle EV batteries by crushing them

By Julian Spector . 8 June 2023
Recycling renewables

Should the US mandate EV battery recycling?

Recycling electric-vehicle batteries could cut the need to mine critical minerals. The U.S. now has incentives for recycling, but no national requirements.

By Gabriela Aoun Angueira . 31 May 2023
Recycling renewables

One of the biggest battery recycling plants in the US is up and running

Ascend Elements’ new recycling plant in Covington, Georgia is processing used lithium-ion batteries and manufacturing scrap into useful materials for the clean energy transition.

By Julian Spector . 10 April 2023
Video

Here's video proof that solar panels can be recycled

Solarcycle just raised another $30 million to build more solar recycling factories. See what the recycling process looks like.

By Julian Spector . 20 March 2023
Batteries

More money for US battery recycling: DOE offers $375M loan to Li-Cycle

It's the second big federal loan this month to help build American facilities that process hard-to-recycle materials — and deal with the future flood of used EV batteries.

By Jeff St. John . 27 February 2023