The battery panel at EUSEW focused on a question the sector already knows well: how to strengthen Europe’s battery value chain. The discussion brought together perspectives from research, industry and policy, including including contributions from DG GROW, BEPA, ACC, BMW, VUB and IAV. The debate pointed at a conclusion already heard in other EU-level discussions: technology is in place, but production at scale is still a barrier.

Demand is rising quickly, not only from electric vehicles. Stationary storage is expanding, driven by grid requirements and policy incentives. New applications in defence, aviation, robotics and data centres are also entering the market. Each use case requires different battery types, which adds pressure on manufacturers.

This growth comes at a time when Europe is still exposed in three areas: access to raw materials, dependence on third countries and cost.

Policy: shifting from research to production. New Battery Booster Facility is established

Recent policy measures suggest a shift in focus. The €1.5 billion Battery Booster Facility is designed to support projects moving from pilot phase to industrial production, where risks and costs are highest.

At the same time, the discussion is moving towards demand-side measures. Proposals linked to “Made in Europe” aim to create a more predictable market. Without stable demand, investments in materials and components remain difficult to justify.

Three pressure points framed the debate:

• limited access to raw materials
• long development cycles for new technologies
• uncertain demand in end-use markets

Profitability varies across the value chain. Raw and advanced materials can reach margins of 20 to 40 percent, while cell manufacturing remains closer to 5 to 10 percent. This gap shapes investment decisions and influences where support is most needed.

Industry faces high costs and a steep learning curve

From an industry perspective, production is already underway, but at a high cost. Building and operating battery plants requires investments in the order of billions of euros, alongside complex operations that European companies are still learning to manage at scale.

Cost competitiveness remains the core issue. Around 70-75% of battery costs come from raw materials. Manufacturing adds another significant share, with labour, energy and operating costs generally higher in Europe.

During the ramp-up phase, companies operate at a loss while building experience and stabilising processes. The Battery Booster Facility targets this stage, but it does not address all cost differences. Additional support may be needed in the first years after ramp-up, when European products struggle to match global prices.

There is also a clear limit to localisation. A large share of value creation in the automotive sector still takes place outside Europe. Full regional independence is not realistic in the short term. The focus is instead on strengthening European capacity while maintaining global supply links.

Across the panel, there was agreement on one point: customers will not pay a premium simply because a battery is produced in Europe. Cost parity remains a condition for wider adoption.

Research-industrial scale: an uneven link

Europe’s research and innovation base remains solid, with established collaboration between research centres, companies and EU-funded projects. VUB pointed to the need to match battery chemistries to specific applications instead of relying on a single dominant approach. This reflects the variety of use cases, from mobility to stationary storage. At the same time, IAV drew attention to areas that receive less visibility but are becoming central.

Battery management systems, electronics and data handling are increasingly part of the battery architecture. Work on monitoring and predictive maintenance shows how digital functions are being built into battery systems.

The issue is not the absence of knowledge, but the transition from laboratory results to production lines. This step remains inconsistent across projects.

Short summary of all discussion points:
Several conclusions came up repeatedly across the panel:

• Production needs to scale faster to build industrial experience
• The cost gap must be addressed in the early years of operation
• The full value chain, from raw materials to recycling, needs to remain active in Europe
• Demand for European-made products needs to be secured

The Battery Booster Facility responds to part of the challenge by supporting production at a sensitive stage. The next test is whether this is followed by consistent demand and coordination across the value chain. Without these elements, the pattern is likely to repeat itself: strong research capacity in Europe, with industrial production developing elsewhere.

Article drafted by PNO Innovation

The closing conference RESPECT and FREE4LIB – both part of the Cluster Hub “Materials for Batteries” – did not revolve around scientific results alone. It elaborated on battery circularity now being a part of EU’s industrial policy, supply security and its attempt to secure manufacturing capacity in a more uncertain global market.

While project partners presented their work separately, the panel discussions pointed to a shared concern: policy and industrial reality are not moving at the same pace. If Europe wants materials to circulate within its borders and to secure long-term investment, regulation needs to reflect how the sector actually operates.

1. Circularity has moved beyond engineering, recycling is no longer framed only as an environmental obligation. The EU Batteries Regulation, the Critical Raw Materials Act and the Net-Zero Industry Act have turned circularity into a question of competitiveness, traceability and supply security.

• These policies set the direction for the entire battery life cycle: carbon footprint, recycled content, due diligence, labelling, as well as end-of-life [EoL] obligations.
• The Battery Passport is now integrated part of the same framework, with a general agreement across the panels speakers, on its purpose: recyclers and second-life operators need data on chemistry, state of health and battery architecture to operate safely and efficiently. Its usability remains limited by its capacity to stay ‘workable’.
• The concern lies in how this data is managed. Companies raised questions about ownership, confidentiality, intellectual property and cost of collecting and maintaining the data.

A practical approach emerged during the discussions. Data should be shared on a need-to-know basis. Not every actor requires full access, but the right information must reach the right user in a format they can apply. The passport is also not limited to recycling. It has a role in repair, diagnostics, repurposing and safety management throughout the battery’s life.

2. Clear political intent, but practical hurdles when projects move towards deployment. The investment case is not always there. 

The EU framework is starting to influence demand. Europe wants more low-carbon production, more strategic manufacturing capacity and more value retained within its industrial base. The direction may become even more explicit with discussions around a possible Industrial Accelerator Act and “Made in Europe” requirements.

Demand for secondary materials is growing, but not always fast enough to justify the investments required. Speakers kept pointing at the importance of finding ways to reintegrate recycled materials back into manufacturing at scale.

Without enabling elements, capacity risks sitting idle:

• viable business cases
• stable regulation
• system where batteries can move safely across borders

These are also some of the conclusions of the upcoming whitepaper, which will bring together findings from EU-funded projects from the “Materials for Batteries Hub” and reflect on the conditions needed for scale-up, industrial uptake and more resilient European value chains.

Projects such as RESPECT, FREE4LIB, BATRAW, RHINOCEROS and LiCORNE show that technical routes exist, from pre-treatment and direct recycling to lithium recovery and material reintegration. The gap appears when those routes meet permitting delays, financing constraints, uneven market demand, uncertainty over feedstock.

3. Design choices are (still) making recycling difficult.

Discussions around dismantling brought a more practical tension into focus. Batteries are still designed primarily for performance, cost and weight reduction. This leads to welded structures, compact architectures and adhesives that are difficult to disassemble. Under these conditions, end-of-life treatment becomes slower, more complex and more expensive.

At a broader level, we understand that circularity cannot be addressed only at the recycling stage. It needs to be considered earlier, when design choices are still flexible.

4. Standardisation has its own limitations.

Standardisation can support automation in high-volume segments such as electric vehicles, where predictable formats make processing easier.
Outside these segments, especially in industrial applications, one standard does not fit all. Representatives of SAFT pointed to the need to keep design flexibility to match specific uses and operating conditions.
The discussion pointed towards selective standardisation. Common approaches to data, interfaces and safety information can help where they bring value, while leaving room for variation in design where needed. This position was echoed by speakers from BEPA, BMW, EURECAT and ACCUREC.

5. All conclusions lead to “upscaling” and reshaping R&I priorities in the next funding programmes.

Research projects can demonstrate processes such as direct recycling or lithium recovery. The difficulty begins when these processes have to run at industrial level. Several constraints were repeatedly mentioned:

• limited access to consistent feedstock
• long permitting timelines
• high upfront costs
• weak demand for secondary materials
• shortages of skilled labour

Production scrap was identified as a short-term opportunity. Unlike end-of-life batteries, which will arrive in larger volumes later, scrap is already available. It offers a way to build experience and material flows in the near term.

Project timelines also came under scrutiny. Recovered materials often become available late, which leaves little time to test them in new cells and validate performance. This is a concrete lesson for future programme design.

Low-value chemistries such as LFP add another layer of complexity. With fewer high-value metals, recycling becomes less attractive economically, even though safe and compliant treatment remains necessary.

The RESPECT and FREE4LIB conference reflected a sector that is more realistic about its constraints. At the same time, several questions remain open: how to connect recycling with manufacturing, how to make recovered materials viable for industry, how to share data without exposing sensitive information, and how to support deployment without adding further complexity.

In the coming months, the Materials for Batteries Hub will continue to translate project experience into reports and policy input on circularity and battery materials. The aim is to move beyond description and focus on what the sector needs to move forward.

article drafted by PNO Innovation
© photo CLERENS

After four years of research, the RESPECT and FREE4LIB projects are coming together for a joint final event on 2 June 2026 in Brussels — and registrations are now open.

Taking place at the Renaissance Brussels Hotel and accessible online, the full-day event will bring together researchers, industry professionals and policymakers to reflect on four years of advances in sustainable battery recycling and critical raw material recovery.

The programme will feature presentations of key project results, expert panel discussions, and dedicated networking opportunities — offering attendees a unique chance to engage with the latest developments in the battery value chain and connect with the wider European research community.

Whether you are working in academia, industry or policy, this event is your opportunity to discover what RESPECT and FREE4LIB have achieved — and to help shape the conversations that will define what comes next.

You can secure your spot here.

Agenda here.

On the 5th of May 2026, the RENOVATE project held its Clustering Workshop:  “Circular batteries: Pathways for an integrated value chain in Europe” in Milan. Organised by LOMARTOV, D&C leaders, together with INSTM, the project coordinator, and hosted by AFIL at Innovhub SSI facilities. The workshop welcomed 58 participants onsite and 26 online: experts, policymakers, researchers, and industry stakeholders to learn and discuss the European battery value chain, with a strong focus on circularity, sustainability, and EU regulation.

EU policy perspectives and regulatory developments on batteries

The first session was moderated by Eliana Quartarone, our project coordinator, which featured three keynote speeches from: Martina Orefice, Scientific Policy Support for Critical Raw Materials, Joint Research Centre (JRC); Joan Gonzalez Fabra, R&I Policy Officer from Batteries European Partnership Association (BEPA), and Margherita Moreno, Permanent Researcher ENEA, SET Plan IWG Batteries co-chair. The speakers provided valuable insights into the EU Batteries regulation, current state of play, and how regulatory frameworks are shaping the future of battery research, innovation, sustainability, and circularity across Europe.

Showcasing innovation across EU battery projects

The spotlight then moved to EU large-scale battery clustering initiatives in which RENOVATE is actively involved, including Battery 2030+ and the Cluster Hub. Further details on these initiatives are available in our Clustering section. During this session, 8 projects showcased their innovations and objectives towards battery circularity: AUTOMAT, CICERO, CIRCUBATT, GR4FITE3, RESPECT, RENOVATE, RHINOCEROS, and BATMASS, the latter also addressing broader aspects of the battery value chain.

Additionally, we encouraged you to contribute to four ongoing Cluster Hub surveys, designed to support policy development and skills in the battery sector:

1. Battery policy priorities: here 
2. Skills for the battery sector:  here 
3. Strategic learning outcomes: here
4. Battery waste management: here

Full recordings of the event are available on the RENOVATE YouTube channel.

© photo: Guiseppe Macor

The webinar will explore key topics in hydrometallurgy through two high-level expert presentations:

• The Lindy Effect in Hydrometallurgy – Prof. Koen Binnemans (KUL) (11:00-12:00 CET)
  The presentation discusses why established hydrometallurgical technologies remain dominant and why the adoption of new approaches can be challenging. This concept explains industrial hesitation to adopt, as capital-intensive projects favor low-risk, established methods over novel, often less-durable alternatives.
• Reagent Recovery and Recycling by Bipolar Membrane Electrodialysis (BPED) – Emma-Liisa Lappalainen – Research Scientist VTT (12:00-13:00 CET)
  The presentation discusses the use of bipolar membrane electrodialysis for sulphate treatment and the regeneration of acid and base products. It explores its potential to support more sustainable and resource-efficient hydrometallurgical processes.

The webinar is open to undergraduate and postgraduate students, researchers, and all those interested in expanding their knowledge on current developments in hydrometallurgy.

Register here

Registered participants will receive the Zoom link prior to the webinar.

Horizon Europe projects LITHOS, EXCEED, and XTRACT are co-organising a capacity-building webinar on April 29 at 13:00 CET focusing on sustainability assessment, (Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA) and Techno Economical Assessment (TEA) in mining and processing activities for critical raw materials (CRMs) production.

The agenda includes the following topics:

• Introduction to LCA of CRMs: the case of battery-grade lithium production, presented by Dr. Georgios Bartzas, Senior Researcher
• Sustainable and Cost-Effective Lithium Extraction from Li-bearing hard rock ores: Process Simulation and Techno-Economic Analysis using SUPERPRO Designer presented by  Associate Professor Dimitrios Ipsakis
• From Environmental Thinking to Social Insight: Introducing Social-LCA, presented by Mrs. Antonia Papadaki, Researcher

The webinar is open to undergraduate and graduate students, early-stage researchers, and professionals interested in enhancing their knowledge in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA) and Techno Economical Assessment (TEA), with a focus on their application in mining and processing activities for critical raw materials (CRMs).

This joint initiative aims to communicate the scientific achievements of each project, while strengthening collaboration and knowledge exchange among projects working towards sustainable and responsible mining of critical raw materials.

If you are interested, please register here  by 26 April 2026!

Registered participants will receive an email with the Capacity Building Seminar’s Zoom link.

The RENOVATE project is organising its clustering workshop on 5 May 2026 at the Innovhub Stazioni Sperimentali per l’Industria  (SSI).

Organised by LOMARTOV, D&C leaders, together with INSTM, the project coordinator, the event will bring together research, industry, innovators, sustainability experts and European and regional circular battery clusters. The goal is to explore the latest EU opportunities and policies that support a resilient, climate-neutral, and competitive European battery value chain.

The event will feature keynote sessions, roundtable discussions, and interactive sessions designed to foster collaboration across the battery ecosystem. By connecting diverse perspectives and identifying cross-sector synergies, the event aims to accelerate the deployment of innovative circular battery solutions.

The registration is free but mandatory. Places are limited.

Register here

More info about the event, including the agenda, available at the following link.

Co-authors: Anish Patil (TechConcepts BV), Joana Rosa Gouveia (INEGI), America Quinteros Condoretty (LUT University) & Laura Kainiemi (LUT University)

After three and a half years of research, the EU research project RELiEF has successfully concluded. Beyond presenting its technical outcomes and solutions for lithium and battery recycling, the project published a policy brief. The paper concluded that securing a circular supply of critical raw materials requires coordinated and strategic action and outlined four clear recommendations to help transform secondary resources into strategic assets:

1. Standardise the definition of secondary CRMs
2. Level the playing field through verifiable sustainability
3. Incentivise circulation and cost competitiveness
4. Institutionalise adaptive governance and social license

Download RELief’s policy brief

[In-person & Livestreamed event]

Electric vehicle batteries are a key technology for the EU’s decarbonisation and transition to clean mobility. As demand for lithium-ion batteries is expected to significantly increase in the coming years, building an EU industrial ecosystem for battery circularity can deliver both environmental benefits and economic value for the EU. While the new EU policy landscape is being reshaped with new frameworks such as the Batteries Regulation, the Critical Raw Materials Act and the Industrial Accelerator Act, questions remain about how to translate policy ambition into effective industrial ecosystems for batteries circularity.

This policy-focused event draws on lessons learned from the implementation of the BATRAW project to discuss current challenges and the necessary conditions for scaling up circularity applications for EV battery packs in the EU. Topics to be addressed include regulatory constraints, information and data gaps and market-related challenges affecting recycling and reuse operations across the battery value chain. The discussion will also highlight key enablers and policy instruments for creating the conditions for investment and innovation in battery circularity applications.

Organised in the context of the BATRAW EU-funded project the event will bring together stakeholders from the region (policy makers at different governance levels, industry stakeholders and civil society representatives) to exchange views on how EU and national policies can accelerate the deployment of circular battery solutions and support the EU’s decarbonisation goals.

Agenda and registration 

Europe’s path to climate neutrality depends on critical minerals (lithium, rare earths, nickel, cobalt), which are all increasingly being weaponised in today’s World of Fortresses (dixit Mark Carney). This situation is further exacerbated as a result of (another) war in the Middle East. While recycling and circularity are essential, they cannot fully meet the scale of the cleantech transition. This is now even more true as AI/digitalisation and defense applications are further boosting the demand for critical minerals.

Primary mining and refining of critical minerals will remain necessary. But history shows that mining can bring profound environmental, social and cultural disruption, especially for local and indigenous communities. So the real challenge is not only whether we mine – but under which conditions, and with whom at the table.

The organisers of the present event advocate a shift from “top-down-pushing-it-down-your throat-kind-of-acceptance-approach” to genuine co-creation. We promote community-centric, benefit-sharing approaches where local communities are recognised as active stakeholders in resource governance.

Because the energy transition must also be a just transition. Industry, trade unions, NGOs, indigenous representatives and community voices, policymakers and researchers will engage in an open, respectful dialogue where parties should not only speak but also genuinely LISTEN. We do not seek to secure approval, but to build authentic social contracts for responsible mineral/metal production. The programme combines a global perspective (with inspirational non-EU speakers), a European perspective and a Nordic perspective. In the final session we will wrap it all up and see if we have developed more common ground.

“The energy transition cannot succeed without critical minerals. But it cannot succeed without social legitimacy either.“

Download the event’s programme