Solving the Wastewater Problem in Battery Manufacturing
Battery factories have been rapidly popping up worldwide, but they face a significant setback due to the issue of wastewater. Wastewater from these plants is filled with sodium sulfate, a byproduct of sulfuric acid and caustic soda used in battery manufacturing, copper refining, and other industries. This wastewater poses a challenge for these factories as they need to find an effective way to dispose of it. However, one startup called Aepnus Technology believes that the solution lies in recycling rather than disposal.
The founders of Aepnus, Bilen Akuzum and Lukas Hackl, stumbled upon the idea of recycling wastewater when they were touring lithium mining operations in California and Nevada. Initially, they were researching potential startup ideas related to lithium extraction. However, during their conversations with industry experts, they discovered that the real problem lay in finding a solution for the waste product generated from these operations.
Realizing the potential of this waste, Akuzum and Hackl decided to refine an existing technology to convert it into raw materials that could be reused in the facilities’ operations. They founded Aepnus with the aim of modernizing the century-old chloralkali process, which splits salts like sodium sulfate back into the acids and bases that created them.
The key differentiating factor for Aepnus is that they don’t use expensive catalysts in their electrolyzers, which are used to split the salts. This cost-effective approach makes their solution more viable for widespread adoption. The company is currently shipping half-scale models of its equipment to customers, allowing them to test the devices on their own wastewater streams. Each site’s wastewater may contain different contaminants that need to be filtered before the electrolyzers can remove the sodium sulfate.
Customers stand to benefit greatly from Aepnus’ technology. By fully recycling sodium sulfate waste, they can reduce disposal and material costs. This is particularly advantageous for remote sites like mining operations, as it eliminates the need to purchase chemicals and transport them over long distances. Instead, Aepnus enables the regeneration of these chemicals onsite from the waste itself.
The startup has already attracted over 15 customers at various stages, ranging from feasibility studies to testing pilot-scale equipment. To further develop their technology, Aepnus recently secured an $8 million seed round led by Clean Energy Ventures. This funding will enable them to ship more pilot-scale electrolyzers and eventually develop a commercial-scale version.
If Aepnus succeeds in commercially producing their electrolyzers, it would be a significant milestone for the U.S. Currently, there are only a handful of companies worldwide with the expertise to build such electrolyzers, and none of them are based in the United States. By addressing the wastewater challenge in battery manufacturing, Aepnus is not only contributing to environmental sustainability but also revolutionizing the industry by creating a circular economy around reagent chemicals.