Trump’s Clean Energy Rollback: Battery Recycling Impact
- A Georgia recycling plant is turning dead batteries into a valuable resource.
- While companies rush to mine more lithium, Ascend Elements is finalizing upgrades to its Covington, Georgia, facility.
- Despite President Trump's efforts to roll back clean energy initiatives, his administration aims to boost domestic production of critical minerals like lithium for economic and national security reasons.
Amidst potential clean energy rollbacks, the battery recycling industry surprisingly thrives. Demand for lithium and other critical minerals is the primary engine driving growth, even with shifting political landscapes. while the Trump administration eyes domestic production of critical minerals, it creates a complex surroundings for U.S. recyclers. Challenges include potential tariff changes and uncertainties around clean energy tax credits. Ascend elements is expanding,aiming to produce lithium carbonate. Explore how the industry is adapting to policy shifts, with support from existing DOE grants. Stay informed with News Directory 3. Discover what’s next for battery recycling amidst these evolving dynamics.
Battery Recycling Industry Thrives Amidst Trump Policy Shifts
Updated June 10,2025
A Georgia recycling plant is turning dead batteries into a valuable resource. Ascend elements, a Massachusetts-based company, grinds batteries into “black mass” and processes it into lithium carbonate, a key component for new batteries used in electric vehicles and grid energy storage. This makes them the first new lithium carbonate producer in the U.S. in years and North America’s onyl source of recycled lithium carbonate.
While companies rush to mine more lithium, Ascend Elements is finalizing upgrades to its Covington, Georgia, facility. Production is slated to begin later this month,with a capacity of up to 3,000 metric tons of lithium carbonate annually. Currently, the only other domestic source is a small mine in Nevada.
Despite President Trump’s efforts to roll back clean energy initiatives, his administration aims to boost domestic production of critical minerals like lithium for economic and national security reasons. This aligns with the goals of the emerging lithium-ion battery recycling industry, fostering optimism among some insiders.
However,U.S. battery recyclers face challenges. These include evolving tariff policies, the potential repeal of Biden-era tax credits, and signs of a slowing clean energy manufacturing boom.
Beatrice Browning, a recycling expert at Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, notes that battery recyclers are in “a limbo moment,” awaiting clarity on future steps.
Recycling end-of-life batteries can help meet the surging demand for battery metals while reducing the need for destructive mining. China already recycles on a large scale, supported by government policies and manufacturing scrap.
Under the Biden administration, the U.S.Department of Energy (DOE) launched initiatives and provided funding to support battery recycling.The DOE also offered loans to recycling companies.
The 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) established the 45X advanced manufacturing production credit, incentivizing domestic production of critical minerals from recycled materials.Roger Lin,VP of government affairs at Ascend Elements,saeid the incentive “has a direct bottom-line impact” for battery recyclers.
Ascend Elements received a $316 million DOE grant in 2022 to build a recycling plant in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Lin said the grant remains active with minimal impact from the change in administration. The plant is expected to be operational in late 2026.
American Battery technology Company CEO Ryan Melsert reported that their $144 million DOE contract to build a recycling facility remains active with “no changes” since Trump’s inauguration. Cirba Solutions also confirmed that their $200 million DOE grant for a new plant in South Carolina is moving forward.
Danielle Spalding, VP at cirba Solutions, said, ”I