Li-ion Energy business owners Justin and Sarai accepting their Switched on Business Award presented by Gosnells Mayor Terresa Lynes (left) and Armadale Mayor Ruth Butterfield (right) (Photo courtesy of the City of Gosnells).
Gosnells-based small business Li-ion Energy is Switch Your Thinking’s most recent Switched on Business award recipient. Li-ion Energy started a year ago as a family run business with a mission to repair and refurbish lithium batteries from devices such as electric bikes and scooters. Seeing a gap in the market for this kind of business, Li-ion Energy quickly grew and found demand for their services. When business owner Justin Manton applied for the Switched on Business Award in November 2024, the team at Switch Your Thinking had done further research into the industry for lithium battery refurbishment and repair and found that the work being done at Li-ion Energy was truly transformative.
City of Gosnells Mayor Terresa Lynes was delighted to celebrate Li-ion Energy and its work in the circular economy space.
“Li-ion Energy are proving that it is possible to introduce sustainable initiatives in the way they do business – in fact, it forms the very heart of their business model. Adopting a recycle-first approach reduces waste and helps to create a cleaner and more sustainable future for our community,” Mayor Lynes said.
Similarly, Chair of the South East Regional Energy Group (SEREG) and City of Armadale Mayor Ruth Butterfield highlighted the importance of sustainability for businesses:
“Switched On Business Award recipients are leading the way among local businesses, and providing a lasting legacy for the wider community. Introducing sustainable initiatives into business operations is usually financially beneficial, in addition to conserving resources for the future and preventing pollution.”
Background
With growing interest in electric personal transportation such as electric bikes and scooters, the number of these products in use has grown significantly. Market analysis shows that in Australia there were 145,000 recorded sales of electric bikes alone in 2024, with sales projected to continually rise as consumer confidence grows (Statista Market Insights, 2024). While it is positive that more people are using electric bikes and other e-rideables, the batteries used to power them don’t last forever. An e-bike battery can last anywhere between three and 10 years, depending on use and how they are looked after (Bicycle Network, 2023).
Business sustainability
Having embraced a sustainability ethos, Li-ion Energy has developed their business model around re-use and reconditioning batteries to avoid waste. The business diverts an estimated 95% of all material that they receive from landfill. They also reuse enclosures, rubber and plastics in their re-builds wherever possible, and recently invested in equipment that enables them to dramatically upscale their operational capacity. Switch Your Thinking had an inside look into the operations at Li-ion Energy as Justin demonstrated how they can refurbish batteries by switching out the ‘dead cells’ for ones that have more energy. Justin and his team developed their business with the goal of reducing the volume of e-waste generated from e-rideables and extending the life of such valuable products.
Non-reusable e-waste and plastics go to Total Green Recycling, unusable lithium goes to EcoBatt, and nickel and copper are recycled at local facilities for profit. The waste produced by the business is segregated into categories and recycled following the proper procedures. In addition to managing their own e-waste, Li-ion Energy is also a free battery recycling drop off point as part of the B-cycle battery stewardship scheme. This provides the Gosnells community and people from neighbouring suburbs with a nearby recycling spot for lithium ion batteries.
Plans for the future
Li-ion Energy is currently developing efficient transport scheduling to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and hopes to convert a light truck to (recycled) electric, to carry out their transport needs by the end of 2025. When asked about other future developments for the business, Justin said:
“We are also constructing a 50kWh battery for the business premises, plus we provide a free battery recycling drop off point for the community. We have big plans for the future in this space.”
Li-ion Energy regularly shares education on safe handling and disposal methods via their social media, to promote safety.
If you own a business and have been making changes to become more sustainable, we’d love to hear about it. Head to the Switched on Business Award page on the Switch Your Thinking website and submit your application for the next round.