Europe is investing billions in battery recycling to power the electric vehicle revolution

Automakers big and small are investing heavily in developing a wide range of electric vehicle (EV) models as consumer interest in cleaner cars grows. Europe is expected to lead the world in the adoption of electric vehicles as several countries introduce laws banning the sale of new internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles starting in the next decade. However, with more electric vehicles, many more lithium-ion batteries are produced and disposed of as they reach the end of their life. This means that governments and battery manufacturers around the world are looking for ways to recycle these batteries, to access and reuse the essential minerals stored in them. This led to the development of a large battery recycling plant project across the region.

Until recently, there was little talk about battery recycling because the EV industry was still in its infancy. However, as the uptake of electric vehicles increases, governments and car manufacturers are investing heavily in developing new battery recycling plants. Throwing away EV batteries would not only mean creating more waste, at a time when governments are looking to reduce waste, it would also mean throwing away essential minerals that are vital to the ecological transition.

EV batteries are produced using a number of critical minerals such as lithium nickel, cobalt, manganese and graphite, which are accessed through mining activities. These minerals are vital for driving an ecological transition, used in a wide range of green energy and clean technology projects. However, there is a limited supply of these critical minerals. Furthermore, there are currently not believed to be enough mineral mining operations worldwide to meet the growing demand. This means that accessing and reusing critical minerals through recycling practices could be the key to change away from ICE vehicles to electric vehicles. This realization has led several countries in Europe to invest heavily in the development of their battery recycling facilities.

In Switzerland, battery recycling company Librec is building the country’s first major battery recycling plant for electric vehicles in the municipality of Biberist. Built on the site of a former paper factory, Librec plans to open it 12,000 ton per year battery recycling facility at the end of October. Librec installed the discharge technology to remove the remaining energy from the EV’s batteries to aid the charging operation, which is estimated to contribute to about one-third of the unit’s energy needs.

In the Netherlands, the battery manufacturer SK recently opened a 10,000 square meter battery recycling plant in Rotterdam. The company hopes to eventually expand the facility to 40,000 square feet. It is equipped to process up to 10,000 tonnes of batteries per year, which could double upon expansion. Uses a vacuum crushing and drying process to safely recycle lithium and EV batteries. This means critical minerals are mined to feed back into the battery supply chain. SK has also opened a recycling facility in Yancheng, China and plans to open a factory in Newcastle, Australia by the end of the year.

Meanwhile, in Germany, Cylib, a Porsche-backed startup, is developing a giant $200 million battery recycling plant in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The plant will cover nearly 22,000 square meters and is expected to be the largest end-to-end lithium-ion battery recycling unit in Europeaccording to Cylib. It will be able to recycle around 30,000 tonnes of batteries each year, making it larger than existing large factories. The company uses a water-based lithium and graphite recovery technique to reuse materials from end-of-life batteries.

The startup has raised €55 million this year from a range of investors, including venture capital firm World Fund, Porsche Ventures, Bosch and DeepTech & Climate Fonds. If successful, Cylib hopes to develop more battery recycling plants in Germany and other European locations over the next few years. The company’s CEO, Lilian Schwich he stated“Cylib achieving industrial-scale production will be a key factor in building a robust European battery infrastructure.” Schwich added: “Battery recycling is pioneering the circular economy, proving that economic success is compatible with low environmental impact,” she added.

Earlier this year, Poland also announced a new battery recycling plant. Elemental Strategic Metals and Ascend Elements AE Elemental’s facility in Zawiercie, Poland will be equipped for processing 12,000 tons of batteries per yearfrom approximately 28,000 electric vehicles. The two companies plan to launch a the second joint venture in Germany in 2026, capable of recycling up to 25,000 tons of batteries per year or approximately 58,000 EV batteries.

Several European countries are rapidly developing their capacity to recycle electric vehicle batteries, and the use of clean vehicles is set to increase in the coming years. Battery recycling is expected to be a vital activity in the green transition as companies seek to recover and use finished minerals to support the production of more electric vehicles. Although the industry is relatively small at present, it is expected to continue to grow as the EV industry expands, both in Europe and elsewhere.

By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com

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