Beeah to launch UAE’s first Electric Vehicles' battery recycling facility in Sharjah

Beeah Recycling has signed an agreement with the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure (MOEI) and the American University of Sharjah (AUS) to collaborate on establishing the nation's first recycling plant for end-of-life batteries from electric vehicles.

The agreement was signed during the 2023 World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi at the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure stand.

Khaled Al Huraimel, Group CEO of Beeah Group, was joined by Daker El-Rabaya, CEO of Beeah Recycling, to sign the agreement with Sharif Salim Al Olama, Undersecretary of Energy and Petroleum Affairs, Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, and Prof. Juan Sanchez, Provost of American University of Sharjah.

The EV battery recycling facility will be added to Beeah Recycling's integrated waste management complex, which currently has ten specialised waste processing and material recovery facilities that have contributed to a 76% waste diversion rate in the emirate of Sharjah, the highest in the Middle East.

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. Beeah Recycling, the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, and the American University of Sharjah have agreed to collaborate and identify world-class technologies for the EV battery recycling facility.

Commenting on the agreement, Al Huraimel said, "Combining the material recovery expertise from Beeah Recycling, the national vision and foresight of the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, and cutting-edge research from the American University of Sharjah, we will be able to formulate the ideal, future-ready strategy. 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."

The UAE has witnessed a rising number of people switching from traditional vehicles to electric vehicles. In a 2022 study, over 30 percent of UAE people were considering switching to electric vehicles. Projections show the EV market will grow at a CAGR of 30 per cent between 2022 and 2028.

Elaborating on the agreement, Rabaya stated, "As 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, in turn, said, said, "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. 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."

Prof. Sanchez said that this is a monumental project, which will help make EVs more affordable and sustainable in the long run, protect the environment from toxicities and supply raw materials for battery manufacturing.

WAM