[outofsalt]

"I wonder if it’s feasible to refurbish large batteries, or at least use the materials in the depleted ones to make new ones?"

Lithium ion batteries can be recycled, so I imagine the ones in the desert will be stolen and sold on the Mexican side of the border.

[gibsonguy]

Well they have managed to kill millions of birds. I have to believe there will be some unforeseen consequence to that.