Ace Green Recycling Inc. will build one of India's largest battery recycling facilities and plans to develop a flagship battery recycling plant in Texas. Photo courtesy Ace Green Recycling Inc.

Ace Green Recycling Inc., a Houston-operated sustainable battery recycling and technology solutions provider, announced it has finalized a lease agreement for a location to build one of India's largest battery recycling facilities in Mundra, Gujarat.

The facility will expand Ace's existing Indian commercial operations, which have been recycling lithium-ion batteries since 2023, including lithium iron phosphate ("LFP") chemistries.

The deployment of Ace’s LithiumFirst LFP battery recycling technology in India will coincide with the deployment of the company's technology in Texas. Last year, the company announced it planned to develop a flagship battery recycling plant in Texas for lead and lithium-ion batteries.

Ace also plans to establish 10,000 metric tons of LFP battery recycling capacity per year in India by 2026. The Mundra LFP battery recycling facility is expected to create up to 50 jobs.

The new facility plans to use Ace's LithiumFirst technology to recycle LFP batteries at room temperature in a fully electrified hydrometallurgical process that produces no direct (or Scope 1) carbon emissions and with zero liquid and solid waste.

"Ace's innovative technology enables profitable recycling of LFP batteries, even with the current low lithium price, by recovering significant amounts of these critical minerals,” Vipin Tyagi, Chief Technology Officer of Ace, said in a news release. “We believe that our successful operational demonstration positions us for future partnerships and collaborations that will unlock the full potential of our LithiumFirst technology in this market.”

Ace will also utilize its GreenLead recovery technology to recycle lead batteries at the new recycling park. The technology is considered a more environmentally friendly alternative to conventional smelting operations.

The company also reported visiting China for possible future expansion. According to a release, it launched a facility in Taiwan last year and is developing projects in Europe and Israel, as well.

Today, the company also announced that it was tapped by Spiro, one of Africa’s largest EV battery producers, as its global preferred recycling partner. According to a release, Ace will recycle end-of-life lithium-ion batteries, including LFP batteries, and waste from Spiro's battery manufacturing facilities.

Ace Green Recycling Inc. is headquartered in Houston and Singapore.

The Rice team's process is up to 10 times more effective than existing lithium-ion battery recycling. Photo by Gustavo Raskosky/Rice University

Houston scientists discover breakthrough process for lithium-ion battery recycling

researching for the future

With the rise of electric vehicles, every ounce of lithium in lithium-ion batteries is precious. A team of scientists from Rice University has figured out a way to retrieve as much as 50 percent of the material in used battery cathodes in as little as 30 seconds.

Researchers at Rice University’s Nanomaterials Laboratory led by Department of Materials Science and NanoEngineering Chair Pulickel Ajayan released the findings a new study published in Advanced Functional Materials. Their work shows that the process overcomes a “bottleneck” in lithium-ion battery recycling technology. The researchers described a “rapid, efficient and environmentally friendly method for selective lithium recovery using microwave radiation and a readily biodegradable solvent,” according to a news release.

Past recycling methods have involved harsh acids, and alternative eco-friendly solvents like deep eutectic solvents (DESs) at times have not been as efficient and economically viable. Current recycling methods recover less than 5 percent of lithium, which is due to contamination and loss during the process.

In order to leach other metals like cobalt or nickel, both the choline chloride and the ethylene glycol have to be involved in the process, according to the researchers at Rice. The researchers submerged the battery waste material in the solvent and blasted it with microwave radiation since they knew that of the two substances only choline chloride is good at absorbing microwaves.

Microwave-assisted heating can achieve similar efficiencies like traditional oil bath heating almost 100 times faster. Using the microwave-based process, Rice found that it took 15 minutes to leach 87 percent of the lithium, which differs from the 12 hours needed to obtain the same recovery rate via oil bath heating.

“This method not only enhances the recovery rate but also minimizes environmental impact, which makes it a promising step toward deploying DES-based recycling systems at scale for selective metal recovery,” Ajayan says in the release.

Due to rise in EV production, the lithium-ion battery global market is expected to grow by over 23 percent in the next eight years, and was previously valued at over $65 billion in 2023.

“We’ve seen a colossal growth in LIB use in recent years, which inevitably raises concerns as to the availability of critical metals like lithium, cobalt and nickel that are used in the cathodes,” the study's co-author, Sohini Bhattacharyya, adds. “It’s therefore really important to recycle spent LIBs to recover these metals.”

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Houston expert: The role of U.S. LNG in global energy markets

guest column

The debate over U.S. Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) exports is too often framed in misleading, oversimplified terms. The reality is clear: LNG is not just a temporary fix or a bridge fuel, it is a fundamental pillar of global energy security and economic stability. U.S. LNG is already reducing coal use in Asia, strengthening Europe’s energy balance, and driving economic growth at home. Turning away from LNG exports now would be a shortsighted mistake, undermining both U.S. economic interests and global energy security.

Ken Medlock, Senior Director of the Baker Institute’s Center for Energy Studies, provides a fact-based assessment of the U.S. LNG exports that cuts through the noise. His analysis, consistent with McKinsey work, confirms that U.S. LNG is essential to balancing global energy markets for the decades ahead. While infrastructure challenges and environmental concerns exist, the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks. If the U.S. fails to embrace its leadership in LNG, we risk giving up our position to competitors, weakening our energy resilience, and damaging national security.

LNG Export Licenses: Options, Not Guarantees

A common but deeply flawed argument against expanding LNG exports is the assumption that granting licenses guarantees unlimited exports. This is simply incorrect. As Medlock puts it, “Licenses are options, not guarantees. Projects do not move forward if they are unable to find commercial footing.”

This is critical: government approvals do not dictate market outcomes. LNG projects must navigate economic viability, infrastructure feasibility, and global demand before becoming operational. This reality should dispel fears that expanded licensing will automatically lead to an uncontrolled surge in exports or domestic price spikes. The market, not government restrictions, should determine which projects succeed.

Canada’s Role in U.S. Gas Markets

The U.S. LNG debate often overlooks an important factor: pipeline imports from Canada. The U.S. and Canadian markets are deeply intertwined, yet critics often ignore this reality. Medlock highlights that “the importance to domestic supply-demand balance of our neighbors to the north and south cannot be overstated.”

Infrastructure Constraints and Price Volatility

One of the most counterproductive policies the U.S. could adopt is restricting LNG infrastructure development. Ironically, such restrictions would not only hinder exports but also drive up domestic energy prices. Medlock’s report explains this paradox: “Constraints that either raise development costs or limit the ability to develop infrastructure tend to make domestic supply less elastic. Ironically, this has the impact of limiting exports and raising domestic prices.”

The takeaway is straightforward: blocking infrastructure development is a self-inflicted wound. It stifles market efficiency, raises costs for American consumers, and weakens U.S. competitiveness in global energy markets. McKinsey research confirms that well-planned infrastructure investments lead to greater price stability and a more resilient energy sector. The U.S. should be accelerating, not hindering, these investments.

Short-Run vs. Long-Run Impacts on Domestic Prices

Critics of LNG exports often confuse short-term price fluctuations with long-term market trends. This is a mistake. Medlock underscores that “analysis that claims overly negative domestic price impacts due to exports tend to miss the distinction between short-run and long-run elasticity.”

Short-term price shifts are inevitable, driven by seasonal demand and supply disruptions. But long-term trends tell a different story: as infrastructure improves and production expands, markets adjust, and price impacts moderate. McKinsey analysis suggests supply elasticity increases as producers respond to price signals. Policy decisions should be grounded in this broader economic reality, not reactionary fears about temporary price movements.

Assessing the Emissions Debate

The argument that restricting U.S. LNG exports will lower global emissions is fundamentally flawed. In fact, the opposite is true. Medlock warns against “engineering scenarios that violate basic economic principles to induce particular impacts.” He emphasizes that evaluating emissions must be done holistically. “Constraining U.S. LNG exports will likely mean Asian countries will continue to turn to coal for power system balance,” a move that would significantly increase global emissions.

McKinsey’s research reinforces that, on a lifecycle basis, U.S. LNG produces fewer emissions than coal. That said, there is room for improvement, and efforts should focus on minimizing methane leakage and optimizing gas production efficiency.

However, the broader point remains: restricting LNG on environmental grounds ignores the global energy trade-offs at play. A rational approach would address emissions concerns while still recognizing the role of LNG in the global energy system.

The DOE’s Commonwealth LNG Authorization

The Department of Energy’s recent conditional approval of the Commonwealth LNG project is a step in the right direction. It signals that economic growth, energy security, and market demand remain key considerations in regulatory decisions. Medlock’s analysis makes it clear that LNG exports will be driven by market forces, and McKinsey’s projections show that global demand for flexible, reliable LNG is only increasing.

The U.S. should not limit itself with restrictive policies when the rest of the world is demanding more LNG. This is an opportunity to strengthen our position as a global energy leader, create jobs, and ensure long-term energy security.

Conclusion

The U.S. LNG debate must move beyond fear-driven narratives and focus on reality. The facts are clear: LNG exports strengthen energy security, drive economic growth, and reduce global emissions by displacing coal.

Instead of restrictive policies that limit LNG’s potential, the U.S. should focus on expanding infrastructure, maintaining market flexibility, and supporting innovation to further reduce emissions. The energy transition will be shaped by market realities, not unrealistic expectations.

The U.S. has an opportunity to lead. But leadership requires embracing economic logic, investing in infrastructure, and ensuring our policies are guided by facts, not political expediency. LNG is a critical part of the global energy landscape, and it’s time to recognize its long-term strategic value.

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Scott Nyquist is a senior advisor at McKinsey & Company and vice chairman, Houston Energy Transition Initiative of the Greater Houston Partnership. The views expressed herein are Nyquist's own and not those of McKinsey & Company or of the Greater Houston Partnership. This article originally appeared on LinkedIn.

Woodlands company licenses free patents to ERCOT to boost grid reliability

grid deal

Lancium, a company based in The Woodlands that specializes in infrastructure for connecting large-scale data centers to power grids, is licensing a portfolio of patents to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) at no cost.

In a news release, Lancium says the intellectual property agreement “ensures ERCOT can sublicense these patents freely, thereby expanding market participation opportunities without risk of patent infringement disputes.”

“This agreement exemplifies Lancium’s dedication to supporting grid stability and innovation across the ERCOT region,” Michael McNamara, CEO of Lancium, said in a news release. “While these patents represent significant technological advancements, we believe that enabling ERCOT and its market participants to operate freely is more valuable for the long-term reliability and resilience of the Texas grid.”

The licensed patents encompass Lancium technologies that support load resources in ERCOT’s market, which covers about 90 percent of Texas. Specifically, the patents deal with controllable load resources. A controlled load resource allows ERCOT and other grids to increase or decrease power consumption during peak periods or emergencies.

ERCOT predicts power demand in Texas will nearly double by 2030, “in part due to more requests to plug into the grid from large users like data centers, crypto mining facilities, hydrogen production plants, and oil and gas companies,” The Texas Tribune reported.

Harris County looks to future with new Climate Justice Plan

progress plan

Harris County commissioners approved a five-point Climate Justice Plan last month with a 3-1 vote by Harris County commissioners. The plan was created by the Office of County Administration’s Office of Sustainability and the nonprofit Coalition for Environment, Equity and Resilience.

“Climate action planning that centers on justice has the potential to spark innovative thinking and transformative actions that will lead to meaningful and just transitions in communities, policies, funding mechanisms, and implementation strategies,” the 59-page report reads.

The plan seeks to address issues relating to ecology, infrastructure, economy, community and culture. Here’s a breakdown:

Ecology

The plan will work towards clean air, water, and soil efforts that support the health of the environment, renewable energy that reduces greenhouse gases and pollution, and conservation and protection of our natural resources. Some action items include:

  • Increasing resources for local government agencies
  • Developing a free native seed bank at all libraries
  • Identifying partners and funding streams to reduce the costs of solar power for area households
  • Producing renewable energy on large tracts of land
  • Expanding tree planting by 20 percent
  • Providing tree maintenance and restoration efforts
  • Incentivizing gray water systems and filtration to conserve fresh water

Economy

In terms of the economy, the Climate Justice Plan wants the basic needs of the community met and wants to also incentivize resilience, sustainability, and climate solutions, and recycling and reuse methods. Specific actions include:

  • Quantifying the rising costs associated with climate change
  • Expanding resources and partnering with organizations to support programs that provide food, utility, housing, and direct cash assistance
  • Supporting a coalition of area non-profit organizations and county offices to strengthen social service support infrastructure
  • Supporting home repair, solar installation, and weatherization programs
  • Identify methods to expand free and efficient recycling and composting services
  • Creating a climate tax levied on greenhouse gas emissions to develop a climate fund to offset the impacts of pollution

Infrastructure

As Houston has been prone to hurricanes and flooding damage, the infrastructure portion of the plan aims to protect the region from risks through preventative floodplain and watershed management. Highlights include:

  • Investing in generators and solar power, plus battery backup and bidirectional EV charging for all county libraries
  • Providing more heating and cooling centers with charging stations
  • Coordinating and deploying community microgrids, especially in neighborhoods prone to losing power
  • Seeking partnerships and funding for low- or no-cost water purifiers for areas with the highest needs
  • Protecting the electric grid through regular maintenance and upgrading, and advocating for greater accountability and responsiveness among appointed officials
  • Developing regulations to require resilient power line infrastructure to prevent outages and failures in new developments

Community and Culture

Housing, a strong economy and access to affordable and healthy food will be achieved under the community aspect of the plan. Under culture, the plan seeks to share knowledge and build trust. Key goals include:

  • Developing a campaign to promote the use of the Harris County 311 system to identify critical community concerns
  • Supporting the development of a Community Housing Plan that ensures stable and safe housing
  • Advocating for revisions to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster funding to account for renters’ losses and unmet housing needs
  • Developing and funding a whole-home program for repairs, weatherization, and solar energy
  • Developing culturally relevant public relations campaigns to increase knowledge of health, environment and biodiversity across generations
Read the full plan here.