Kezad Group and Witthal Gulf Industries have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to set up the UAE’s first lithium battery recycling plant. The agreement was made during the Automechanika Dubai 2024 trade show.
The plant will focus on recycling used lithium batteries and is planned to start full operations by the second quarter of 2027. It will have the capacity to recycle 5,000 tons of battery waste per year. This process is expected to help reduce 20,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually.
The recycling facility aims to support the UAE’s environmental goals, including the Net Zero by 2050 initiative and the Circular Economy Policy 2021-2031. The plant will help reduce dependence on mining and provide opportunities for local jobs. Recycled materials from the plant will be used to support renewable energy storage and electric vehicle (EV) battery production. The project will also focus on sustainable practices, including material recovery and carbon capture technologies.
Witthal Gulf Industries Advisor Sugumaran Devaraja highlighted the project as part of Witthal’s role in supporting the EV and battery trade sectors. He mentioned the aim to integrate the recycling facility with other technologies like carbon capture and value-added manufacturing within Kezad’s automotive hub. Automechanika Dubai, where the agreement was announced, is a large automotive trade event in the Middle East. This year, it hosted 2,228 exhibitors from 62 countries. The event brought together global professionals to discuss advancements in mobility and sustainability.
This project adds to the UAE’s growing focus on sustainable innovation in the energy sector. Dubai has already launched other projects in the field of lithium-ion technology. For instance, the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park includes energy storage systems using lithium-ion batteries. The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has also tested battery storage systems to improve renewable energy storage capacity.
