Latest news with #batteryrecycling
CTV News
2 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
Electra completes study for Ontario battery recycling hub
Electra Battery Materials has completed a feasibility-level engineering study for a modular battery recycling facility to be built near its cobalt sulphate refinery in northern Ontario. Aerial view of Electra Ontario Refinery An undated image of an aerial view of Electra Battery Materials' Ontario refinery in Cobalt, Ont. (Supplied/Electra Battery Materials) The facility will use Electra's proprietary hydrometallurgical process to recover lithium, nickel, cobalt, manganese, and graphite from lithium-ion battery scrap and end-of-life batteries. The process was validated during a year-long pilot program treating black mass supplied by an industry partner. Funded in part by Natural Resources Canada, the next phase will test continuous and semi-continuous operations to simulate commercial-scale output. Recovered cobalt will feed directly into Electra's nearby cobalt sulfate refinery, currently under construction, while other materials will re-enter the battery supply chain. Interior view of Electra Ontario Refinery An undated image of an interior view of Electra Battery Materials' Ontario refinery in Cobalt, Ont. (Supplied/Electra Battery Materials) 'We are advancing a clear pathway to a closed-loop, domestically sourced battery materials supply chain,' said Trent Mell, Electra's CEO, in a news release last week. 'This integration strengthens North America's energy security and positions Electra as a first mover in the continent's emerging battery ecosystem.' rent Mell An undated promotional photo of Trent Mell, CEO of Electra Battery Materials. (Electra Battery Materials) The project aligns with Electra's partnership with Aki Battery Recycling, a majority Indigenous-owned joint venture with the Three Fires Group, which will supply shredded battery scrap. 'Through Aki, we are building a robust pipeline to process battery manufacturing scrap and end-of-life batteries that can be converted into value-added materials right here in Ontario,' Mell added. Electra plans to share study results with battery manufacturers and automakers to gauge interest in offtake agreements and scale adjustments. The study was conducted with Green Li-ion, whose modular technology forms the basis of the recycling process. Electra black Mass project An updated photo of an Electra employee working on the company's black mass project. (Supplied/Electra Battery Materials) The initiative supports efforts to reduce reliance on foreign critical mineral processing, particularly amid China's dominance. Electra's refinery has received funding from the Canadian and U.S. governments, reflecting its strategic role in military and energy storage applications. Electra 1 Electra Battery Materials south of Temiskaming Shores is North America's first cobalt sulphate refinery capable of producing battery-grade materials for lithium-ion batteries. (File photo/Eric Taschner/CTV News Northern Ontario) Aki Battery Recycling is developing a shredding facility to supply black mass, combining Indigenous economic participation with secure feedstock for Electra's operations.
CTV News
3 days ago
- Sport
- CTV News
Soccer legend Christine Sinclair spreads the word about disposing batteries through recycling
Canadian soccer legend Christine Sinclair visited West Hills United Soccer Club Friday to spread the word about disposing of batteries through recycling Retired Canadian soccer legend Christine Sinclair is still charging up crowds. Friday, she met with young soccer players at West Hills United Soccer Club to promote the safe collection and disposal of batteries through recycling. Sinclair has teamed up with Call 2 Recycle, whose goal is to divert as many batteries from landfills, but also to instill habits in youth that could help protect the environment. 'I care passionately about our environment obviously playing our sport outdoors since I was four. We only have 1 earth and it's important to give back, to leave this place better than we found it.' For a list of battery recycling locations in Calgary, go here.
CNN
4 days ago
- Automotive
- CNN
A council proposed a Tesla factory. It got a torrent of anti-Musk abuse
When friends Neon and Zane started a campaign to stop Tesla from building a battery recycling factory on a small block in their local area, they suspected that strong views about the company's billionaire boss might help sway local opinion. But they had no idea how much, or how far, anti-Elon Musk sentiment had spread beyond the epicenter of his influence in the United States, where until recently he caused chaos in federal workplaces as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency. Neon and Zane, who asked to use aliases to avoid doxxing by Musk supporters, say the main aim of their campaign, 'Trees Not Teslas,' was to preserve about 60 trees on the site, in Tonsley, an area south of Adelaide, Australia's driest state capital. 'We're struggling for designated green spaces … and it's just an insult to try and take away the one bit that's left within the Tonsley area,' said Neon, who used to live near the site and still works in the vicinity. When the local council published the results of its community consultation on the proposal, which allows the land to be sold for redevelopment, it contained hundreds of inflammatory anti-Musk comments or outright slurs. A search showed 229 references to 'Nazi,' 'Nazism' or other, similar phrases, to give an indication of the tone. With his high profile, confrontational statements and postings on social media, Musk has become a lightning rod for people across America and around the world opposed to the policies of US President Donald Trump's administration. The Tesla CEO is now engaged in a very public bust-up with Trump, that's unfolding in real-time on rival social media platforms, watched by a global audience. Musk's former close partnership with Trump took a toll on Tesla sales. Global deliveries plunged 13% in the first three months of this year, the largest drop in its history, as backlash against Musk and growing competition took a bite out of demand for its vehicles. Of the proposed factory in Tonsley, a suburb managed by the Marion Council, one comment from the public consultation said: 'You and I both know it's getting torched every few months because of the Nazi implications. You really want that bought (sic) up every single meeting?' Some respondents referred directly to the arm gesture Musk gave in January at Trump's post-inauguration rally that commentators likened to a fascist salute. At the time, Musk wrote on his social media platform X: 'The 'everyone is Hitler' attack is sooo tired.' But the memory appeared to stick with Tonsley residents and a staggering 95% of over 900 replies to the council survey rejected its plans to prepare the land for sale. However, Marion Council passed it anyway and sent it to the state government for approval. CNN has reached out to Tesla for comment. It may seem unusual that residents in a small Australian city might have issues with Musk, given their distance from his policies and decisions. And it's especially unusual given South Australia's past positive experience with the billionaire entrepreneur. In 2017, Musk offered to build the world's most powerful battery to solve some of the state's power woes within 100 days, or it would be free. And he did. South Australia is now leading the country in terms of renewable energy and is on track to hit its target of 100% net renewables by 2027. Backed by the state government, Tesla and a local power company have created a virtual power plant fitting Powerwall battery systems on homes across the state. The idea is that all the batteries would band together to support the grid in times of high demand. However, the proposed Tesla plant in Marion would not generate any power – it would be used to recycle Tesla batteries and provide a showroom for Tesla's electric vehicles (EV), sales of which have fallen in Australia. Figures from the Electric Vehicle Council show Tesla sales nationwide nearly halved in the year to May 2025. Felipe Munoz, senior analyst at auto market research firm JATO Dynamics, says that's partly due to the wait for the Model Y. It finally arrived in Australia in May, sending Tesla sales soaring 122% last month compared with the same period a year ago. Marion Council Mayor Kris Hanna says anti-Musk sentiment had intruded on a standard council consultation, which was simply about finding a use for contaminated land 'that will probably never be a recreational space again.' The site is contaminated by trichloroethylene, known as TCE, a solvent that can cause cancer and non-Hodgkin lymphoma and is banned in the United States. 'The problem with that is, not only, for example, children playing in the dirt, but also the fumes which can rise up from underneath the earth. Sealing it with a bitumen car park or a building is a solution,' said Hanna. The site has been fenced off from the public since 2016. The locals say that, even if they can't use it, the mature trees offer a refuge for birdlife in an area almost devoid of tree canopy. More importantly, according to the Conservation Council of South Australia, the mature trees are helping to contain the contamination. 'The removal of trees puts that site at greater risk of the leakage of those contaminants into the groundwater and obviously then impacting on human health more broadly,' said Kirsty Bevan, the group's CEO, who added Tesla's promises to plant 59 saplings on the site weren't good enough. 'We are proposing that further research needs to be undertaken at that site, and remedial measures need to be put in place,' she said. 'I think that the site improvements we're looking for would come with a forest of trees.' Of the anti-Musk campaign, Bevan said: 'I don't let my personal opinions of people I've never met before interfere with being a voice for nature.' Hanna, the mayor, said councilors heard the opposition but voted 8-3 to pass the proposal because it would create 100 jobs, a 'huge number' for the area. A new business would also pay local taxes, easing the burden on residents during a cost-of-living crisis, Hanna said. 'To have a substantial new factory come into the area is very significant, and it's adjacent to a high-tech manufacturing area, which we developed in the place of an old car plant. So, it actually fits in very well to have a factory that recycles electric batteries,' Hanna said. One of the dissenting councilors, Sarah Luscombe, said she voted against the proposal because the community had sent clear and consistent feedback that they wanted more trees, and the council's own strategic vision is for a 'livable, sustainable community.' 'The people that I've spoken to in the community are just sick and tired of seeing their interests overshadowed by those of large corporations,' Luscombe said. 'More and more, we're seeing communities just saying, 'Well, hang on, I do want to have a say here, and I do want my views to be counted.'' In recent months, Tesla cars and showrooms have been vandalized in multiple countries by critics venting their anger over Musk's support of far-right parties in Europe, and other policies. Hanna said the council had received 'vitriolic correspondence' since approving the proposal, but he wasn't concerned about a violent backlash against the Tesla factory or council members and wouldn't be drawn on his own views on Musk. 'I'm speaking as a mayor, and I don't actually take any political or ideological stance,' he said. 'I just try and make life beautiful for the people in my area.' South Australian Local Government Minister Joe Szakacs told CNN in a statement that he will follow the 'usual process' to determine if the land should be approved for sale. 'Our Government welcomes investment and job creation in South Australia and is proud of its commitment to deliver 100 per cent net renewables by 2027,' he said. Any sale would require the land's owner to submit a development application and decontaminate the site to the standards set by state authorities. South Australia's Environment Protection Authority said it's held preliminary talks with the council and the developer. Addressing legacy contamination is often complex, costly and time-consuming, it added. Neon and Zane organized a snap rally outside the Marion Council building on Wednesday calling for the state government to reject the re-zoning application. More than a dozen protesters held signs, including one that said, 'Elon Musk can get [redacted].' They're determined to keep Tesla out of their area and are unmoved by the promise of more jobs. 'They're going to be jobs on contaminated land in a company that's contaminated by Elon Musk,' said Neon. 'Ninety-nine out of the 117 pages in their report were negative comments about Elon and the proposal. How can you ignore that? And if you do, you're not representing the people, you're just being bought by business.'
CNN
4 days ago
- Automotive
- CNN
A council proposed a Tesla factory. It got a torrent of anti-Musk abuse
When friends Neon and Zane started a campaign to stop Tesla from building a battery recycling factory on a small block in their local area, they suspected that strong views about the company's billionaire boss might help sway local opinion. But they had no idea how much, or how far, anti-Elon Musk sentiment had spread beyond the epicenter of his influence in the United States, where until recently he caused chaos in federal workplaces as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency. Neon and Zane, who asked to use aliases to avoid doxxing by Musk supporters, say the main aim of their campaign, 'Trees Not Teslas,' was to preserve about 60 trees on the site, in Tonsley, an area south of Adelaide, Australia's driest state capital. 'We're struggling for designated green spaces … and it's just an insult to try and take away the one bit that's left within the Tonsley area,' said Neon, who used to live near the site and still works in the vicinity. When the local council published the results of its community consultation on the proposal, which allows the land to be sold for redevelopment, it contained hundreds of inflammatory anti-Musk comments or outright slurs. A search showed 229 references to 'Nazi,' 'Nazism' or other, similar phrases, to give an indication of the tone. With his high profile, confrontational statements and postings on social media, Musk has become a lightning rod for people across America and around the world opposed to the policies of US President Donald Trump's administration. The Tesla CEO is now engaged in a very public bust-up with Trump, that's unfolding in real-time on rival social media platforms, watched by a global audience. Musk's former close partnership with Trump took a toll on Tesla sales. Global deliveries plunged 13% in the first three months of this year, the largest drop in its history, as backlash against Musk and growing competition took a bite out of demand for its vehicles. Of the proposed factory in Tonsley, a suburb managed by the Marion Council, one comment from the public consultation said: 'You and I both know it's getting torched every few months because of the Nazi implications. You really want that bought (sic) up every single meeting?' Some respondents referred directly to the arm gesture Musk gave in January at Trump's post-inauguration rally that commentators likened to a fascist salute. At the time, Musk wrote on his social media platform X: 'The 'everyone is Hitler' attack is sooo tired.' But the memory appeared to stick with Tonsley residents and a staggering 95% of over 900 replies to the council survey rejected its plans to prepare the land for sale. However, Marion Council passed it anyway and sent it to the state government for approval. CNN has reached out to Tesla for comment. It may seem unusual that residents in a small Australian city might have issues with Musk, given their distance from his policies and decisions. And it's especially unusual given South Australia's past positive experience with the billionaire entrepreneur. In 2017, Musk offered to build the world's most powerful battery to solve some of the state's power woes within 100 days, or it would be free. And he did. South Australia is now leading the country in terms of renewable energy and is on track to hit its target of 100% net renewables by 2027. Backed by the state government, Tesla and a local power company have created a virtual power plant fitting Powerwall battery systems on homes across the state. The idea is that all the batteries would band together to support the grid in times of high demand. However, the proposed Tesla plant in Marion would not generate any power – it would be used to recycle Tesla batteries and provide a showroom for Tesla's electric vehicles (EV), sales of which have fallen in Australia. Figures from the Electric Vehicle Council show Tesla sales nationwide nearly halved in the year to May 2025. Felipe Munoz, senior analyst at auto market research firm JATO Dynamics, says that's partly due to the wait for the Model Y. It finally arrived in Australia in May, sending Tesla sales soaring 122% last month compared with the same period a year ago. Marion Council Mayor Kris Hanna says anti-Musk sentiment had intruded on a standard council consultation, which was simply about finding a use for contaminated land 'that will probably never be a recreational space again.' The site is contaminated by trichloroethylene, known as TCE, a solvent that can cause cancer and non-Hodgkin lymphoma and is banned in the United States. 'The problem with that is, not only, for example, children playing in the dirt, but also the fumes which can rise up from underneath the earth. Sealing it with a bitumen car park or a building is a solution,' said Hanna. The site has been fenced off from the public since 2016. The locals say that, even if they can't use it, the mature trees offer a refuge for birdlife in an area almost devoid of tree canopy. More importantly, according to the Conservation Council of South Australia, the mature trees are helping to contain the contamination. 'The removal of trees puts that site at greater risk of the leakage of those contaminants into the groundwater and obviously then impacting on human health more broadly,' said Kirsty Bevan, the group's CEO, who added Tesla's promises to plant 59 saplings on the site weren't good enough. 'We are proposing that further research needs to be undertaken at that site, and remedial measures need to be put in place,' she said. 'I think that the site improvements we're looking for would come with a forest of trees.' Of the anti-Musk campaign, Bevan said: 'I don't let my personal opinions of people I've never met before interfere with being a voice for nature.' Hanna, the mayor, said councilors heard the opposition but voted 8-3 to pass the proposal because it would create 100 jobs, a 'huge number' for the area. A new business would also pay local taxes, easing the burden on residents during a cost-of-living crisis, Hanna said. 'To have a substantial new factory come into the area is very significant, and it's adjacent to a high-tech manufacturing area, which we developed in the place of an old car plant. So, it actually fits in very well to have a factory that recycles electric batteries,' Hanna said. One of the dissenting councilors, Sarah Luscombe, said she voted against the proposal because the community had sent clear and consistent feedback that they wanted more trees, and the council's own strategic vision is for a 'livable, sustainable community.' 'The people that I've spoken to in the community are just sick and tired of seeing their interests overshadowed by those of large corporations,' Luscombe said. 'More and more, we're seeing communities just saying, 'Well, hang on, I do want to have a say here, and I do want my views to be counted.'' In recent months, Tesla cars and showrooms have been vandalized in multiple countries by critics venting their anger over Musk's support of far-right parties in Europe, and other policies. Hanna said the council had received 'vitriolic correspondence' since approving the proposal, but he wasn't concerned about a violent backlash against the Tesla factory or council members and wouldn't be drawn on his own views on Musk. 'I'm speaking as a mayor, and I don't actually take any political or ideological stance,' he said. 'I just try and make life beautiful for the people in my area.' South Australian Local Government Minister Joe Szakacs told CNN in a statement that he will follow the 'usual process' to determine if the land should be approved for sale. 'Our Government welcomes investment and job creation in South Australia and is proud of its commitment to deliver 100 per cent net renewables by 2027,' he said. Any sale would require the land's owner to submit a development application and decontaminate the site to the standards set by state authorities. South Australia's Environment Protection Authority said it's held preliminary talks with the council and the developer. Addressing legacy contamination is often complex, costly and time-consuming, it added. Neon and Zane organized a snap rally outside the Marion Council building on Wednesday calling for the state government to reject the re-zoning application. More than a dozen protesters held signs, including one that said, 'Elon Musk can get [redacted].' They're determined to keep Tesla out of their area and are unmoved by the promise of more jobs. 'They're going to be jobs on contaminated land in a company that's contaminated by Elon Musk,' said Neon. 'Ninety-nine out of the 117 pages in their report were negative comments about Elon and the proposal. How can you ignore that? And if you do, you're not representing the people, you're just being bought by business.'
The Independent
5 days ago
- Automotive
- The Independent
Retired Nissan Leaf batteries are ending up somewhere weird
Ever wondered where Nissan Leaf batteries go when nobody wants them any more? We didn't think so, but it turns out an Italian airport has the answer. Nissan is partnering with Aeroporti di Roma's Fiumicino Airport, Italy's largest transport hub, to give retired Nissan Leaf batteries a new purpose in life. The batteries will form part of the airport's new battery energy storage system in an ambitious net zero project to provide clean, reliable power to terminals by 2030. Nissan's reconditioned Leaf batteries will provide 2.1MWh of capacity to the 10MWh battery system. Coupled with 55,000 solar panels, the setup is due to generate 31GWh of electricity to the airport every year. As well as helping to keep the departure boards lit, Nissan says the initiative demonstrates the potential for 'end of life' EV technology to be recycled in innovative new ways. Recycling electric vehicle batteries is notoriously difficult, and driven mostly by the demand for the rare metals – like lithium, nickel and cobalt – that go into their construction. Nissan supplied a total of 84 used 30kWh and 40kWh batteries to the airport's battery energy storage system, sourced from high-mileage Leaf EVs and warranty returns. Each battery has been refurbished and requalified to ensure their safety and performance, and Nissan predicts they'll be operational for 6-7 years with daily use. Soufiane El Khomri, energy director at Nissan, says, 'This project not only demonstrates the long-term viability of repurposed EV batteries in demanding environments, but underscores Nissan's commitment to sustainable end-of-life battery management. 'Our team is involved in the technical integration of second-life batteries into the [energy storage system], the simulation of battery lifespan, and providing warranties for their performance in the new system. Just as importantly, once the batteries reach the end of their useful life on this project, we take full responsibility for their recycling.' This isn't the first collaboration between Nissan and European energy providers. A similar battery storage project is already in operation in Melilla, Spain, where electric vehicle batteries are used as a critical backup for a power plant. 'We are turning potential waste into valuable energy assets,' El Khomri added. 'Our re-use strategy not only supports large-scale industrial projects such as Aeorporti di Roma's Fiumicino Airport, but also shows potential for use in the home such as backup during power cuts.' 'As we continue to scale battery reuse and recycling, we are advancing our broader mission toward a cleaner, more energy-efficient future.'
