First America is participating in The Battery Show in Detroit Oct. 12 – 15, 2026 (Booth 1125). The company, a national leader in the recycling of batteries and other electronic components, will be showcasing its capacity for recycling battery storage systems and other components used in the AI data center boom.
According to the Fusion Report, data centers are expected to account for 6.7 percent to 12 percent of U.S. electricity consumption by 2028. In some areas, such as Virginia, data centers are currently consuming nearly one-quarter of the state’s electricity. From smaller, local edge- and colocation-type centers to enterprise and hyperscale centers run by large companies and tech giants, data centers require 24/7 uptime and power quality.
This is driving demand for the primary stationary storage systems associated with data centers, including UPS (uninterruptible power supplies) that provide critical, immediate, short-term backup and battery energy storage systems and BESS (battery energy storage systems) that offer scalable, long-term energy storage to help with peak shaving, frequency regulation, microgrids, and backup power.
“We’ve all heard about the ever-growing stresses on our electrical grids due to the rapid buildup of data centers, with AI as a primary driver,” said Les Bury, president of First America. “Less commonly in the news is how fast these centers are using and obsolescing batteries and other components. At First America, we are already seeing an increase in the demand for remarketing and recycling of data center battery systems and the scarce and valuable materials they contain.”
Retired data center batteries require specialized handling, packaging and transportation based on their chemistry and condition. “First America helps customers coordinate these steps with attention to safety and applicable requirements, alongside evaluating opportunities for reuse and material recovery,” Bury said.
Battery Council International cites lead-based batteries, with their proven performance, cost-effectiveness, high temperature tolerance and 99-percent recyclability as being widely used for UPS for data centers and telecom, and lithium-ion with its high energy density, fast response and compact footprint being commonly used for commercial and residential BESS. The Fusion Report notes that the data center demand for 24/7 stability in electricity supply is generating greater interest in “organic flow batteries,” as well as new technologies that rely less on traditional non-peak-hour recharging and don’t have the flammability challenges associated with LI batteries. Flow batteries, with their long-duration storage capacity, scalability and low degradation, are increasingly used for BESS in enterprise and hyperscale data centers.
Bury said First America is prepared to support its customers in remarketing and recycling these types of batteries and other data center components, recovering and maximizing the value left inside.