LastCharge Ventures
Powering a sustainable tomorrow, today
Introduction
Lithium ion battery waste is a major issue in the US, with only 5% recycled and less than 0.2% tested for reuse. Improper disposal can lead to toxic chemical contamination of soil and water, posing risks to the environment and public health. Our solution to lithium ion waste is testing and intelligent assembly for reuse. We've found that over 60% are still usable, reducing e-waste and conserving resources. This also lowers greenhouse gas emissions, benefiting the environment.
Problem
In the US, a majority of Li-Ion batteries are disposed of without undergoing comprehensive remaining useful life testing. Disposing of batteries is costly due to their corrosive and inflammable nature. Many companies and individuals opt not to pay for expensive battery disposal services and end up discarding batteries into the environment, leading to significant environmental costs. It is important to note that when a battery pack stops functioning, it does not necessarily mean that every individual battery in the pack has been fully consumed, and many individual batteries may still be in perfect condition.
Opportunity
Our solution is to test all batteries that were going to be disposed of, disassemble them, and test each lithium cell to determine its remaining capacity. This allows us to create a supply of bulk individual batteries that can be re-injected into the market. Our research indicates that 65% of individual batteries disposed of in a battery pack still have 50% or more of their useful life remaining, and 27% have 100% of their useful life left. On average, we are able to recover 54% of the total sample capacity.
We build power walls using the batteries we find to be in good condition, offering an environmentally-friendly and cost-effective solution for our customers. Our approach not only helps to reduce the cost of battery disposal, but also supports the growing demand for energy storage solutions. Our slogan is "Powering a sustainable tomorrow, today"