UAE readiness for EV incorporates battery material recycling
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is one of the top countries heralded for its EV readiness, meaning it’s capable of rapidly developing its e-mobility network in the foreseeable future.
While it remains an early-stage adopter, there is huge scope to expand as passenger cars soak up 95% share of the EV market. This is primarily due to the availability of rental car services according to a Global Electric Mobility Readiness Index (GEMRIX) by Arthur D Little.
So passenger EVs are already roaming the streams, but what is going to happen to their batteries at the end of life? BEEAH Group—a recycling firm operating in the Middle East—says it has the answer to futureproof its EV industry.
In collaboration with the American University of Sharjah (AUS) and the UAE Ministry of Energy & Infrastructure, the company signed a strategy agreement that will see the country’s first state-of-the-art recycling facility for EV batteries.
“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 with the EV industry, which is critical to achieving net-zero emissions in the UAE and beyond,” says Daker El-Rabaya, CEO of BEEAH Recycling.
“We are thrilled to collaborate with the Ministry of Energy & Infrastructure and the American University of Sharjah to explore a new EV battery recycling facility, which will not only support the sustainable growth of the EV industry, but also help build emissions-free transport networks.”
An EV recycling planned formalised at the World Future Energy Summit
The agreement was made between all parties involved at the 2023 World Future Energy Summit—hosted in Abu Dhabi—whereby El-Rabaya and Khaled Al Huraimel, Group CEO of BEEAH Group, signed the agreement with His Excellency Sharif Salim Al Olama, Undersecretary of Energy and Petroleum Affairs, Minister of Energy & Infrastructure, and Professor Juan Sanchez, Provost of American University of Sharjah.
“Through BEEAH Recycling, we are proud to collaborate with the Ministry of Energy & Infrastructure and American University of Sharjah to explore a new EV Battery Recycling facility,” says Al Huraimel.
“Combining the material recovery expertise from BEEAH Recycling, the national vision and foresight from the Ministry of Energy & Infrastructure, and cutting-edge research from 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 battery recycling facility will become part of BEEAH Reycling’s integrated waste management complex—currently operating other facilities that contribute to 76% of the waste diversion rate in the emirate of Sharjah.
The new battery recycling facility will play a critical role in diverting more materials from landfill as the company manages EV battery end-of-life processes, leveraging world-class technologies to do so.
“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,” says His Excellency.
“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.”
