Horizon Europe

EU invests €10,7 million for breakthrough research on Li-batteries recycling

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Three R&I projects in the area of sustainable, safe and efficient recycling processes. The projects were funded under the new Horizon Europe programme by the European Commission. This topic implements the co-programmed European Partnership on ‘Towards a competitive European industrial battery value chain for stationary applications and e-mobility’.

The three projects aim at the outmost recovery rates and recovered material purity from Li-batteries, meeting industrial requirements for their integration in the loop of cell manufacturing.

The projects will develop new unit processes, or innovative combinations of optimised unit processes, including, but not limited to mechanical pre-processing, leaching, precipitation, solvent extraction, ion exchange, centrifuging, crystallisation, electrowinning, roasting, smelting, pyrolysis, shock wave disruption and direct reuse of materials and components.

The projects are also expected to identify and address health risks, environmental impacts, safety hazards and new safety practices related to developed processes.

The three selected projects are:

The FREE4LIB project will develop technologies to achieve six new sustainable and efficient processes to recycle end-of-life LIBs. The project will also deliver three processes aimed at reuse of metals and polymers and electrode synthesis for remanufacturing new LIB battery packs based on the design for recycling. The use of Battery Passports will overcome the current lack of access to open data in the LIB value chain. 22 partners from 7 European countries will receive a joint grant of €9,2 million.

The RESPECT project will develop a global process encompassing a process-chain flexible enough to treat all kinds of batteries in closed loop. Specifically, it will address two recycling routes: full hydrometallurgy and direct recycling and an improved life cycle assessment of each recycling segment. RESPECT will also ensure knowledge sharing on Li-ion battery green recycling processes through engagement with international stakeholders and experts. A consortium of 15 European organisations from 9 countries will receive a joint grant of €8,9 million. 

The ORACLE project will seek economical and environmentally friendly routes for reusing, repurposing, reconditioning and recycling end-of-life batteries. Researchers plan to develop a smart system enabling the automated classification of battery materials and the reassembly of working modules in new repurposed batteries. Furthermore, they will investigate ways to cheaply produce high-performance materials for the anode and cathode from the recycled materials. A consortium of 15 European organisations will receive a joint grant of €8,9 million.