Ascend Elements Commits to Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) Net-Zero Standard for GHG Emissions Reductions
The Science Based Target Initiative (SBTi) has recognized Ascend Elements’ commitment to set near-term and net-zero company-wide emissions reductions in line with climate science. This is the first step in the company’s decarbonization journey with SBTi.
Battery Recycling ≠ Circularity
The terms “circularity” and “closed loop” are often used to describe battery recycling processes like pyrometallurgy and hydrometallurgy, but these traditional recycling processes are just the first steps in any round-trip journey of battery materials. Ascend Elements CEO Mike O’Kronley discusses EV battery circularity
Ascend Elements EV Battery Recycling Facility Certified to ISO 9001: 2015 Quality Management Standard by DQS Inc.
DQS Inc., an independent certification body, recently certified Ascend Elements’ electric vehicle (EV) battery recycling facility in Covington, Ga. to the ISO 9001:2015 standard for Quality Management Systems.
2024 Recycler of the Year: Ascend Elements Receives Top Honor at Fastmarkets Voltas Awards
Ascend Elements won the “Recycler of the Year” award at the inaugural Fastmarkets Voltas Awards on June 25 in Las Vegas. The Voltas Awards recognize and celebrate pioneering companies, leaders and innovators who have demonstrated excellence
In-depth Interview with Ascend Elements CEO Mike O’Kronley
Recycling Today Editorial Director DeAnne Toto interviews Ascend Elements CEO Mike O’Kronley on June 18, 2024 during the Battery and Critical Metals Conference in Atlanta.
Ascend Elements Pioneers U.S. Battery Materials Industry with Sustainable Cathode Materials for a Commercial Li-ion Battery Application
In a milestone for the U.S. battery materials industry, Ascend Elements recently shipped decarbonized cathode materials to Freudenberg e-Power Systems, one of the world’s leading suppliers of emissions-neutral energy solutions for heavy-duty applications.
The Boston Globe Names Ascend Elements Co-Founders to Tech Power Players 50
Ascend Elements co-founders Eric Gratz, Ph.D. and Yan Wang, Ph.D. have been named to the third annual Tech Power Players 50, a list of the most influential – and interesting – people in the New England technology scene, as ranked by The Boston Globe’s business journalists and an
external advisory.
Call2Recycle and Ascend Elements Formalize Agreement to Offer Customized EV Battery Management, Logistics and Recycling Services
A new agreement between Ascend Elements and Call2Recycle will bring customized electric vehicle (EV) battery management, logistics and recycling services to automotive dealerships, recyclers, and repair facilities.
Ascend Elements Launches Logistics Simulation at America’s First EV Battery Materials (pCAM) Manufacturing Facility
Ascend Elements recently selected EY US to develop a complex logistics simulation model for its 1 million-square-foot Apex 1 EV battery materials (pCAM) manufacturing facility currently under construction in Hopkinsville, Kentucky.
Gov. Maura Healey Visits Ascend Elements R&D Center to Tout New Climate Tech Initiative in Massachusetts
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey and Secretary of Economic Development Yvonne Hao visited the Ascend Elements R&D Center in Westborough, Mass. on April 16.
Ascend Elements and Elemental Strategic Metals Establish AE Elemental, an Electric Vehicle Battery Recycling JV in Poland
New joint venture will own and operate an advanced Li-ion EV battery recycling facility in Zawiercie, Poland, with another planned in central Germany.
Ascend Elements Named to Fast Company’s Annual List of the World’s Most Innovative Companies of 2024
For the second year in a row, Ascend Elements has been named to Fast Company’s prestigious list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies.
TIME Magazine Ranks Ascend Elements in Top 10 of America’s Top Green Tech Companies of 2024
Ascend Elements has been named to TIME Magazine’s Top Green Tech Companies of 2024 list.
Ascend Elements Raises Additional $162 Million to Build Sustainable Lithium-Ion Battery Materials in United States
Ascend Elements today announced it has raised $162 million in new equity investments. Latest funding adds to the company’s recent $542 million equity round for a 12-month funding total of $704 million
Ascend Elements “Decarbonization Path” Targets 90% Reduction in EV Battery Material Carbon Footprint By 2030
Ascend Elements can today manufacture new EV battery material at a 49% reduction in carbon emissions compared to traditional cathode manufacturing processes that rely on primary materials from mining. By 2030, the company aims to achieve a 90% reduction in carbon footprint.
Ascend Elements Celebrates Construction Milestone at America’s First EV Battery Cathode Precursor (pCAM) Manufacturing Facility
Ascend Elements team members and partners in Hopkinsville, Ky. celebrated a major milestone in the construction of North America’s first electric vehicle battery cathode precursor (pCAM) manufacturing facility this week.
2023 Rewind: Looking Back on a Transformational Year
2023 has been a transformational year at Ascend Elements — from the grand opening of North America’s largest EV battery recycling facility to a $1B contracted sale of sustainable pCAM for use in American-made electric vehicles.
New Survey: Americans are Increasingly Concerned about Electric Vehicle Battery Disposal, Despite Growth of EV Battery Recycling Industry
As the electric vehicle (EV) market continues to grow in the United States, Americans are increasingly concerned about what will happen to all those lithium-ion EV batteries when they reach end of life – even though the EV battery recycling industry is booming.
Advanced Graphite Recycling Technology Provides an Alternative to Virgin Graphite from China
China is a graphite powerhouse, but a new graphite recycling technology promises to give the West an alternate source of battery-grade anode material – one that performs just as well as virgin graphite.
Orbia’s Koura and Ascend Elements to Explore Joint Commercialization of Advanced Graphite Recycling Technology in the United States
Patented Hydro-to-Anode® Graphite Recycling Technology Produces 99.9% Pure Graphite from Used Lithium-ion Batteries WESTBOROUGH, Mass., (October 17, 2023) — Ascend Elements, a U.S.-based manufacturer of sustainable battery materials, and Orbia’s Fluorinated Solutions business, Koura, one of the world’s largest producers of fluoroproducts and technologies, today agreed to explore joint commercialization of the patented Hydro-to-Anode® graphite […]
SK ecoplant and Ascend Elements to Build New Lithium-ion Battery Recycling Facility in Southwest Kentucky
U.S.-based Ascend Elements is partnering with South Korea-based SK ecoplant and its e-waste recycling subsidiary, TES, to build a $65 million lithium-ion battery recycling facility in Hopkinsville, Ky.
Ascend Elements to Relocate and Expand Corporate Headquarters and R&D Tech Center to Devens, Massachusetts
Ascend Elements today announced plans to move its corporate headquarters and research & development center from its current location to a 101,000 square foot facility at 39 Jackson Road in the Pathway Devens campus in Devens, Mass.
Ascend Elements to Engineer Sustainable Cathode Active Material (CAM) for Freudenberg e-Power Systems
Heavy-duty electric trucks, buses, and maritime vessels in North America and Europe may soon be powered by recycled battery materials. Ascend Elements, a U.S.-based manufacturer of sustainable, engineered battery materials, today announced a contract to engineer sustainable cathode active material (CAM) for Freudenberg e-Power Systems.
Ascend Elements Raises $542 Million to Accelerate Production of U.S.-engineered Lithium-Ion Battery Materials
Latest funding round is one of the largest U.S. cleantech equity private placements of 2023 to date.
Ascend Elements to Supply Sustainable Cathode Precursor (pCAM) Made from Recycled Battery Materials to Major U.S. Customer
Up to $5 billion deal signals a shift in worldwide battery material supply chains as Ascend Elements builds one of North America’s first commercial-scale NMC pCAM manufacturing facilities in southwest Kentucky.
Ascend Elements’ Innovative Battery Recycling Technology Recognized in Fast Company’s 2023 World Changing Ideas Awards
Ascend Elements’ Hydro-to-Cathode® direct precursor synthesis technology was recognized by Fast Company as one of North America’s top 20 World Changing Ideas for 2023.
Ascend Elements Opens One of North America’s Largest Electric Vehicle Battery Recycling Facilities in Georgia
Ascend Elements celebrated the grand opening of its first commercial-scale lithium-ion battery recycling facility this week.
Ascend Elements to Supply Up to 5,000 Metric Tons of Recycled Lithium Carbonate Annually to Koura, Orbia’s Fluorinated Solutions Business
Ascend Elements to supply Koura Global with up to 5,000 metric tons of recycled lithium carbonate per year for new electric vehicle batteries.
Ascend Elements Named to Fast Company’s Annual List of the World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2023
Ascend Elements has been named to Fast Company’s prestigious annual list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2023. The company is ranked No. 3 in the Energy and Sustainability category.
Ascend Elements and Honda Reach Basic Agreement to Collaborate on Procurement of Recycled Lithium-ion Battery Materials in North America
Ascend Elements today announced a basic agreement with Honda Motor Co., Ltd. to collaborate on stable procurement of recycled lithium-ion battery materials for Honda electric vehicles in North America.
Ascend Elements Wins Silver for Pioneer in New Technology- Battery Category for the 2023 Cleanie Awards
Ascend Elements has been selected as The Cleanie Awards® Silver place winner for Pioneer in New Technology- Battery Category for its innovative Hydro-to-Cathode™ direct precursor synthesis technology. The Cleanie Awards is the leading awards program focused on recognizing innovators and those making an impact in driving the clean energy economy. The program recognizes leading brands […]
Ascend Elements Recognized on the 2023 Global Cleantech 100 List for Second Year in Row
Ascend Elements, a U.S.-based battery recycling and engineered materials company, was today named to the Global Cleantech 100 list for the second year in a row. The Cleantech Group considers the 100 companies on the list to be the top innovators in the climate tech space,
Ascend Elements Wins Gold in 2023 Automotive & Transportation Merit Awards
Ascend Elements wins Gold for Battery Logistics and Silver for Electric Vehicle category of the 2023 Automotive & Transportation Merit Awards.
2022: A Year of Growth and Innovation
The people of Ascend Elements accomplished great things in 2022. We started the year as Battery Resourcers with about 60 employees and we are ending the year as Ascend Elements with more than 170 team members! Take a look back at the past 12 months.
New Research: Americans Warming Up to Electric Vehicles, but Many Misconceptions Remain
Electric vehicle battery recycling is a booming industry – and the key to lowering the carbon footprint of EVs – but nearly half of Americans mistakenly believe lithium-ion EV batteries are destined for landfills.
Business Insider Exclusive: Battery-recycling startup Ascend Elements just pulled in $800 million in funding. Here’s why investors are betting on it.
Business Insider: The burgeoning battery-recycling startup Ascend Elements is sitting on a fresh $800 million. Founded in 2015, Ascend Elements says its tech can get car companies and their battery-makers the materials they need at a lower cost
Ascend Elements Secures $300 Million in Funding
Ascend Elements, a U.S.-based engineered materials and lithium-ion battery recycling company, today announced it has secured $300 million in equity and debt financing, including $200 million in Series C equity investments from an international group of strategic and financial investors.
Ascend Elements Begins Construction of Apex 1 in Southwestern Kentucky
Ascend Elements began construction of its largest electric vehicle battery recycling and engineered materials manufacturing facility with a ceremonial groundbreaking today. Leaders of the fast-growing startup were joined by Gov. Andy Beshear, local business and community leaders, and EV battery industry executives during the midday
Ascend Elements Awarded $480M in Grants from U.S. Department of Energy to Manufacture Sustainable Battery Cathode Active Materials
Ascend Elements announced today that it has been awarded grants from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) Battery Materials Processing and Battery Manufacturing Initiative. The awards, totaling $480M in matching funds
Ascend Elements and EcoPro Group Collaborate to Supply Recycled Battery Materials to North American EV Industry
Ascend Elements and EcoPro Group today announced a memorandum of understanding (MOU) agreement to cooperate in the development, qualification, and integration of recycled battery materials into EcoPro’s cathode products. The agreement paves way for a sustainable, closed-loop supply of domestic lithium-ion battery materials in the United States.
Introducing Base 1: Ascend Elements’ First Commercial-scale EV Battery Recycling Facility
Take a look inside Base 1, Ascend Elements’ first commercial-scale EV battery recycling facility in Covington, Georgia. When fully operational in Q4 2022, the facility will recycle 30,000 metric tons of lithium-ion batteries and manufacturing scrap a year. That’s about 70,000 electric vehicle batteries per year
SK ecoplant Invests $50 Million in Ascend Elements
SK ecoplant’s $50 million investment will help accelerate the commercialization of Ascend Elements’ innovative Hydro-to-Cathode™ direct precursor synthesis technology, which quickly and efficiently transforms recycled lithium-ion batteries and manufacturing scrap into high-performance, customized EV battery cathode precursor and cathode active materials.
Ascend Elements to Invest up to $1 billion in Southwest Kentucky EV Battery Materials Manufacturing Facility
Ascend Elements today announced plans to invest up to $1 billion to build a sustainable lithium-ion battery materials facility in Hopkinsville, Ky.,
Made (and recycled) in America; How the lithium-ion battery manufacturing and recycling industry advances U.S. national interests
Building a domestic EV battery manufacturing and recycling infrastructure in the United States is essential to America’s long-term energy independence.
Business Insider Names CTO Eric Gratz, Ph.D. an EV Industry Power Player
Ascend Elements CTO Eric Gratz, Ph.D. was recently recognized by Business Insider as an EV industry “Power Player.” The annual list recognizes the 30 most influential leaders in the electric vehicle and Li-ion battery industries.
Popular Science Features Ascend Elements as Leading Innovator in EV Battery Recycling
“After handing me a pair of safety goggles, Ascend Elements’ co-founder and chief technology officer, Eric Gratz, shows me the works. Shouting over the constant whine of a generator, he ushers me into a high-ceilinged space dominated by a dozen interconnected tanks and machines.”
Q&A with CEO Mike O’Kronley
Ascend Elements CEO Mike O’Kronley answers questions on a wide variety of EV battery recycling topics
New Details of Hydro-to-Cathode™ EV Battery Recycling and Engineered Materials Technology
Beyond recovering 98% of critical elements in used lithium-ion batteries, Ascend Elements uses microstructure engineering techniques to adjust the elemental crystal structure of new cathode material to precise customer specifications
CEO Mike O’Kronley and Ascend Elements Featured on CNBC’s “Clean Start” Series
Massachusetts-based Ascend Elements, has developed a process to capture battery metals and formulate them into new battery materials, rather than just recycle whole components as competitors do. Ascend can then sell those materials directly to manufacturers.
Ascend Elements to Recycle Lithium-ion Battery Manufacturing Scrap for SK Battery America
Ascend Elements’ Covington, Georgia facility will recover 98% of battery materials and return critical elements to the battery supply chain.
Ascend Elements Co-Founders and Worcester Polytechnic Institute Win AUTM Better World Award
Congratulations to Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s Todd Keiller and Ascend Elements co-founders Prof. Yan Wang and Eric Gratz for winning AUTM’s Better World Project award for 2022! This award program highlights the global impact of research commercialization and the vital role that technology transfer plays in that process. With a record-breaking 1,000 votes, Drs. Wang and Gratz won for their lithium-ion battery recycling process […]
Ascend Elements and Koura Unveil Innovative Technology Yielding 99.9% Pure Graphite from Used Lithium-ion Batteries
Ascend Elements, a vertically integrated lithium-ion battery recycling and engineered materials company and Koura, an Orbia business and one of the world’s largest producers of fluoroproducts and technologies
Haixia Deng, Ph.D. Joins Ascend Elements as VP of Cathode
We are pleased to welcome Haixia Deng, Ph.D., to the Ascend Elements team. Dr. Deng will serve as Vice President of Cathode with responsibility for company’s development of customized cathode products.
Scientific American: Recycled Lithium-Ion Batteries Can Perform Better Than New Ones
Ascend Elements’ co-founder Yan Wang and his innovative Hydro-to-Cathode battery recycling process featured in Scientific American
Ascend Elements to Produce Premium Cathode Active Materials for Navitas Systems
WESTBOROUGH, Mass. (January 31, 2022) — Ascend Elements, the vertically integrated lithium-ion battery recycling and engineered-materials company previously known as Battery Resourcers, today announced it has entered into a contract with Navitas Systems, a U.S. leader in comprehensive energy storage solutions and a U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) contractor. According to the contract, U.S.-based Ascend […]
Ascend Elements Featured on Automotive News TV
An Automotive News TV segment featured Ascend Elements on January 25, 2022. First Shift host, Tom Worobec, explained automakers plan to spend $515 billion over the next 5 to10 years to build battery powered vehicles. This leads to the question of what will happen to used batteries and waste from the battery production process. In […]
NPR Member Station WBUR Boston Visits Ascend Elements
WBUR Boston’s Bruce Gellerman visited Ascend Elements in Westborough, Mass. recently for an in-depth segment on lithium-ion battery recycling. The segment begins by identifying the important elements needed in electric vehicles, as well as the supply chain challenges that go along with them. Ascend Elements co-founders Yan Wang and Eric Gratz were featured in the […]
The Spirit and Meaning of Ascend Elements
It’s not easy changing a company name. Between branding, signage, trademarks, banking, legal and IT system updates, there’s a lot of time and effort involved in it. So, you can bet we had some very good reasons to change our name to Ascend Elements. While the name Battery Resourcers served us well for several years, […]
Battery Resourcers Changes Company Name to Ascend Elements with Comprehensive Rebrand
WESTBOROUGH, Mass. (January 19, 2022) —Battery Resourcers, a vertically integrated lithium-ion battery recycling and engineered materials company, today changed its name to Ascend Elements as part of a comprehensive brand refresh and website redesign. The new name is inspired by the company’s innovative technology, which reclaims critical battery elements in discarded batteries and scrap and […]
Battery Resourcers Earns a Place on the ‘2022 Global Cleantech 100 List’
Battery Resourcers, a vertically integrated lithium-ion battery recycling and engineered-materials company, was recently named to the annual Global Cleantech 100 list. The Cleantech Group considers the 100 companies on the list to be the top innovators in the climate tech space, “with the technologies and determination to take us from commitments to actions in the […]
Battery Resourcers to Open North America’s Largest Lithium-ion Battery Recycling Facility by August
COVINGTON, Ga. (January 5, 2022) — Battery Resourcers, a vertically integrated lithium-ion battery recycling and engineeredmaterials company, today announced plans to open a commercial-scale, lithium-ion battery recycling facility in Covington, Ga. When the 154,000-square-foot facility is fully operational in August 2022, it will be North America’s largest battery recycling facility with capacity to process 30,000 […]
Battery Resourcers Named ‘2021 Rocket Ship Climate Tech Company of the Year’
Battery Resourcers, a startup developing a closed-loop process for recycling and manufacturing lithium-ion battery materials, was named the 2021 Rocket Ship Climate Tech Company of the Year by the New England Venture Capital Association on Thursday, Dec. 2. [Note: On January 19, 2022, Battery Resourcers changed its name to Ascend Elements.] Presented at the 9th […]
Battery Resourcers raises $70M to grow closed-loop battery supply chain
Battery Resourcers, a startup that’s developing a closed-loop approach to lithium-ion battery materials, has raised $70 million in mid-round funding to scale its commercial operations across two continents. [Note: On January 19, 2022, Battery Resourcers changed its name to Ascend Elements.] The company, which is based in Worcester, Massachusetts, doesn’t just recycle batteries. It has […]
Battery Resourcers announces new site expansions
With a strategic facility conversion, paired with multiple expansions, the battery material and manufacturing company has increased its processing capacity for battery production. [Note: On January 19, 2022, Battery Resourcers changed its name to Ascend Elements.] WORCESTER, Mass., Aug. 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Battery Resourcers, a vertically integrated lithium-ion battery recycling and manufacturing company, today […]
Kelly Kay Joins Board of Directors
Worcester, Mass. (July 22, 2021) Battery Resourcers, a vertically integrated lithium-ion battery recycling and manufacturing company, today announced the appointment of Kelly Kay to its board of directors. Ms. Kay currently serves as executive vice president, chief financial officer and chief diversity & inclusion officer at the Toyota Research Institute (TRI) in Los Altos, Calif. […]
Prologue, Honda’s first electric SUV, is coming to market in 2024
Aria Alamalhodaei June 28, 2021 Honda said Monday it will sell its first electric SUV in North America in early 2024, part of the automaker’s push to shift away from gas-powered vehicles before the middle of the decade. The new car’s name, Prologue, is meant to signify the beginning of what the company called its […]
WPI Professor and Battery Resourcers Co-Founder and Chief Scientist, Prof. Yan Wang awarded a USABC
Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) will expand its work on lithium-ion battery recycling and lead a team of academic and industry collaborators in a $2 million project to lower the cost and improve the performance of recycled battery materials so they are comparable to new materials. [Note: On January 19, 2022, Battery Resourcers changed its name […]
Battery Resourcers Raises $20 Million From Global Industry Leaders
Battery Resourcers, a vertically integrated lithium-ion battery recycling and manufacturing company, recently completed a $20 million Series B equity round with financing led by Orbia Ventures, the venture capital arm of the multinational Orbia, and participation from other investors including At One Ventures, TDK Ventures, TRUMPF Venture, Doral Energy-Tech Ventures and Jaguar Land Rover’s InMotion […]