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
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:
- Battery policy priorities: here
- Skills for the battery sector: here
- Strategic learning outcomes: here
- Battery waste management: here
Full recordings of the event are available on the RENOVATE YouTube channel.
© photo: Guiseppe Macor
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:
- Standardise the definition of secondary CRMs
- Level the playing field through verifiable sustainability
- Incentivise circulation and cost competitiveness
- Institutionalise adaptive governance and social license
Download RELief’s policy brief
The Cluster Hub “Materials for Batteries” took the stage at Battery Innovation Days 2025, contributing to the discussion about the strategic role of recycling in the EU Battery Regulation and the broader circular economy.
Presentations explained, one after the other, Europe’s alternatives to build a circular battery ecosystem. With electric mobility accelerating and battery demand soaring, recycling is no longer optional. It has become a strategic necessity for Europe’s competitiveness and climate goals. And the EU wasted no time to announce on 3 December its recent ReSourceEU Action Plan, under the headline “Accelerating our critical raw materials strategy to adapt to a new reality”. ReSourceEU places circularity at the core of EU’s approach to set the basis for competitive CRMs industry in Europe.
Eleonora Cali (RINA), representing the Materials for Batteries Cluster Hub in the parallel session “End of life, start of supply: Advancing battery recycling in Europe” on 2 December, joined leading experts to address two pressing realities in the battery industry:
- Europe’s dependency on imported raw materials. Lithium, cobalt, nickel, manganese and graphite are critical for the energy transition, yet supply chains remain dominated by non-European players. Recycling offers a way to keep these resources in Europe, reduce environmental impact, and comply with EU regulations on secondary raw material content. The European Commission’s new Battery Regulation aims to change that by mandating minimum recycled content for key materials from 2031. This is more than an environmental measure: it is an industrial policy designed to keep resources within Europe and reduce strategic dependency.
- the expected surge of end-of-life batteries. With EU speeding up its transition to electric mobility, the question of what happens to millions of batteries at the end of their lifetime is shifting from technical to strategic priority.
Surprisingly, speakers underlined EU’s anticipated timeline to develop recycling plants, with a scarce input of end of life applications. According to Andreas Opelt (Saubermacher) and Verena Fuchs (Cylib), for electric vehicle batteries, the timeline for returns is uncertain; early fleets are lasting longer than expected, delaying the recycling ramp-up. Opelt concluded his presentation with a pragmatic message: “The storm of batteries is coming, but if you build capacity too early, plants will sit empty”, arguing timing is critical.
Across the EU, roughly 300,000 tonnes of batteries enter the market annually. Collection rates for household batteries account for approximately 50%. Many still end up in mixed waste streams or embedded in consumer products. Lithium-ion batteries, now almost omnipresent in common electronics, pose fire hazards during transport and processing.
Industry response
Saubermacher announced the opening of what Andreas Opel called “Europe’s most modern recycling plant” early next year. The facility will process 50,000 tonnes of batteries annually, using AI-driven sorting to achieve 99% accuracy and advanced fire protection systems.
Cylib, represented by Verena Fuchs, is scaling up its proprietary water-based recycling process, which recovers lithium and graphite with 90% efficiency and an 80% lower carbon footprint compared to conventional methods. After validating its technology through more than 35 industrial projects, the company is preparing its first large-scale plant in Germany, capable of processing feedstock equivalent to 140,000 EV batteries per year. Cylib’s approach reduces chemical use, recirculates water and produces high-purity raw materials, aiming to meet EU targets on recycled content.
“If you don’t get 99% quality in sorting, you will never get raw material purity for reuse,” Opel said, underlining the technical complexity of the task – a challenge numerous members of the Cluster Hub are currently addressing.
EU-funded R&I , collaboration and strategy
Eleonora Cali (Rina Consulting), speaking for the Materials for Batteries Hub underlined that circularity cannot be achieved in isolation – a central idea that generated the hub in the first place. Twenty minutes proved to be a challenge to deliver a presentation of each of the 24 members of the hub. The platform connects projects working on different cross-sectorial aspects of the battery value chain, from battery passports, automated dismantling, to reverse logistics and material recovery. Eleonora brought concrete examples how EU-funded projects like BATRAW, FREE4LIB, CICERO, RENOVATE, RESPECT and GR4FITE3 address these aspects hands-on.
The other cluster, titled Circular Battery, presented by Jefferson Palas (EURECAT), introduced other EU-funded initiatives: BatteReverse, RECIRCULATE, REBELION and REINFORCE, each addressing Europe’s end-of-life battery challenge. Similar to the Materials for batteries Hub, Circular Battery focuses on similar topics: standardising dismantling processes, improving safety during handling and transport, and creating digital tools like battery passports for traceability. Key innovations include automated dismantling, second-life models and protocols to reduce fire risks.
Speakers called for:
- accelerated permitting for recycling infrastructures. In China, you can build a recycling plant in six months. In Europe, six months is not even enough to submit a permit,” Opel warned.
- enforcement of design-for-recycling standards in new battery regulations.
- support for industrial scale-up through funding but also simplified regulation.
- call to impose all possible measures to prevent black mass from exiting Europe, already reinforced by its recent classification as hazardous waste.
Probably one of the messages we take with us and integrate it to our initiatives’ objectives is that policies like the EU’s Critical Raw Materials Act, Battery Regulation and now recently adopted ReSourceEU provide the framework. What is needed now is execution at speed.
Production of raw materials for batteries from European resources
After Wednesday’s sessions on the EU political agenda at EU Raw Materials Week, which outlined strategic measures to meet industry needs, attention shifted to the annual workshop of the Materials for batteries hub. Now in its 4th edition, the event was co-organised by Horizon Europe projects RELiEF, FREE4LIB, RESPECT and LITHOS. The focus of the workshop, true to its eponymous theme, was tackling one of Europe’s most urgent challenges: securing sustainable raw materials for batteries.
Under the inauguration of Oliver Schenk, Member of the European Parliament, this edition unfolded under the auspices of urgency, regulatory clarity and cross-border collaboration. The MEP called for swift implementation of the Critical Raw Materials Act and the Net Zero Industry Act, stressing the need for rapid permitting and the mobilisation of both public and private investment. “We cannot afford delays,” he warned. “This is about sovereignty.” His remarks were followed by strong appeals for cooperation among mining regions, manufacturing clusters, research centres and recycling hubs to build a resilient European value chain. He urged participants to contribute to upcoming legislative files, including the European Chips Act 2, the Circular Economy Act and the new EU budget, ensuring that the priorities of the battery materials community are embedded in future policies.
Nader Akil, founder of the Cluster Hub and moderator of the first technical session, emphasised on enhancing the dialogue between academia, industry and policy makers in order to ensure that these goals would be reached.
Following up with a presentation of his most recent scientific publication – “Lindy Effect in Hydrometallurgy” [co-authored with Dr. Ir. Peter Tom Jones] – Professor Koen Binnemans provided a frank look at the shortcomings in industrialising battery material innovations. Transferring hydrometallurgical advancements from lab to plant is slow, constrained by economics, regulation and what the authors call “the Lindy effect” – the tendency for established technologies to stand the test of time. Industry tends to favour incremental improvements to existing processes, such as reducing reagent consumption or increasing automation, rather than adopting entirely new chemistries, due to the high risks and costs associated with large-scale change. Launching a debating topic, audience questions shifted to technical and permitting challenges, concluding with the need for incremental innovation and pragmatic timelines.
Download the presentation
Various EU-funded R&I initiatives, members of the Cluster Hub, presented results and findings with the promise to reduce dependency on imports:
Technical session “Mining and recovery”
- Sabrina Hedrich from TU Bergakademie Freiberg detailed the XRACT project’s pilot sites and the integration of digital tools, remote sensing, and bioleaching for selective recovery of metals, with follow-up technical discussion on downstream processing and environmental permitting.
Download XTRACT presentation - LiCORNE, led by Dr. Lourdes Yurramendi (TECNALIA), focuses on lithium recovery and battery-grade material production from European resources. After intensive techno-economic assessments, LiCORNE has established the flowsheets for lithium extraction and processing technologies for diverse streams, such as ores, brines and off-specification cathode material.
Download LiCORNE presentation - CRM-Geothermal, presented by Konstantinos Loupos (INLECOM), has developed an AI-based tool for lithium estimation in geothermal fluids, with features and validation at a UK demonstration site.
Download CRM-geothermal presentation - METALLICO and ENICON, represented by Sonia Matencio (CETAQUA) and Brecht Dewulf (KU Leuven), aim to demonstrate sustainable recovery of battery metals from primary and secondary sources, focusing on process integration, digital tools and circular hydrometallurgy. METALLICO demonstrates five processes for recovering metals such as lithium, copper, cobalt, and manganese from various sources, with a digital tool for simulating process outcomes and pilot-scale validation of key steps like sulphide precipitation, ion exchange, and diffusion dialysis.
Download METALLICO presentation
ENICON targets responsible mining and refining of cobalt and nickel in Europe, developing improved flow sheets for laterites, sulfides, and intermediates, and validating circular hydrometallurgy concepts with high recovery rates and valorisation of mineral residues.
Download ENICON presentation - Thomas Abo Atia (KU Leuven) introduced the LITHOS project which focuses on domestic processing and refining of lithium from European hard rock deposits, integrating advanced mineral processing, digital twins and LCA to reduce environmental impact and support EU supply chain targets. Like many EU-funded initiatives at KU Leuven exploring primary resources, LITHOS introduced the “Lithium paradox” – the latest episode of the documentary co-produced by SIM² KU Leuven (Institute for Sustainable Metals and Minerals) and the Belgian film-maker company Storyrunner.
Download LITHOS presentation - Diego Morillo Martín (LEITAT) presented one of the most mature projects of the hub – RAWMINA, an EU-funded initiative aiming to transform mine waste into resources through scalable bioleaching, alkaline leaching and selective recovery of critical and valuable metals, with pilot-scale demonstrations developed at Cobre las Cruces. The project reported achieving high recovery rates for cobalt, antimony, germanium, tungsten, iron, gold and silver, and validating nanomaterial-based selective recovery and water reuse.
Download RAWMINA presentation
Technical session “Recycling and circularity”
- Thomas Opsomer (ABEE) presented the final results of RELiEF, a project that achieved a reduction in hazardous elements, developed a microwave leaching process with over 95% yield, and produced high-purity lithium carbonate (98.28%); while not yet battery grade materials, recovered lithium carbonate showed promising results in relithiation tests. The lithium carbonate produced was successfully tested in coin and pouch cell formats, demonstrating high reproducibility and performance close to commercial LFP materials. Opsomer emphasised the growing importance of LFP batteries in Europe and the lack of recycling capacity, noting that extended producer responsibility (EPR) regulations now require battery integrators to address recycling, registration, and reporting. This creates both administrative burdens and incentives for recyclers, with recycling fees sometimes reaching 30% of battery unit costs.
Moreover, RELiEF’s “balance sheet” listed its unsolved challenges which include insufficient black mass refining capacity and the upscaling of innovative technologies. On the other hand, opportunities include standardising black mass quality, implementing direct recycling methods and the development of regional ecosystems that connect recyclers, OEMs and policymakers to promote sustainable business models.
Download RELiEF presentation - Alvaro Manjon (TECNALIA) detailed the RHINOCEROS project’s progress in automating battery disassembly, optimising recycling routes and upscaling processes for high recovery rates of battery materials, with a focus on sustainability and safety. The project is transitioning from R&D to construction and commissioning of pilot plants, with detailed engineering completed. Upscaling activities focus on refining, pre-treatment, and qualification of recovered materials for use in new batteries, aiming for TRL 6 and production of tens of kilograms of electrode materials per day. RHINOCEROS integrates circularity and zero-waste strategies, with ongoing validation of recovered materials in prototype batteries.
Download RHINOCEROS presentation - FREE4LIB, presented by Juan Castro Bustamante (CARTIF), combines robotic dismantling, material recovery with a digital battery passport for traceability. The project achieved pilot-scale robotic dismantling, developed advanced state-of-health estimation tools for second-life batteries and implemented multiple pre-treatment and recycling technologies, including pyrolysis, ultrasonic delamination and hydrothermal routes for cathode material recovery. Recovered metals and polymers were reused in new battery packs, including e-bike prototypes, with successful demonstration of material quality and performance. The project also established a pilot line for metal powder atomization and 3D printing of recovered plastics.
Project partners developed a digital passport featuring role-based access, blockchain integration, and QR labelling to enhance traceability and regulatory compliance. The platform will be made available for public access by the end of the project.
Download FREE4LIB presentation - RESPECT, represented by Andrea Locati (Chalmers University), presented the project’s developed flowsheet for solvent extraction and recovery of manganese, cobalt and nickel from black mass, achieving high purity and minimal cross-contamination. The recovered salts were used by CEA to produce cathode active materials, with up to 20% recycled content in electrodes, showing how the targets proposed by the Critical Raw Materials Act and the Battery Regulation are achievable. The approach allows for flexibility in product output, enabling adaptation to different NMC chemistries or other applications. Challenges include the complexity of operations, need for recirculation to minimise losses and adjusting process parameters to variable feed compositions.
The conclusions of the RESPECT presentation emphasised the need to propose clear definitions of battery-grade materials and the importance of aligning process outputs with regulatory requirements.
Download RESPECT presentation
Debating industrial integration, collaboration and European competitiveness
Two panels framed the bigger picture. The first one, chaired by Nader Akil (PNO Innovation Belgium), addressed scaling up technologies and reducing mining’s environmental footprint, with strong emphasis on AI and data-driven processes.
- Panellists -Sabrina Hedrich, Kostas Loupos and Diego Morillo Martin – listed the integration of digital tools, remote sensing and bioleaching as core to reducing mining’s environmental footprint, with validation across multiple pilot sites.
- The value of AI in resource estimation depends on the availability and integration of diverse data sources, with more data enabling better predictions and process optimisation.
- Scalability was discussed in terms of achieving higher TRL levels, with bioleaching and selective recovery identified as critical steps, and the need for further work on final product purity and process integration for marketable outputs.
- Audience questions addressed the impact of strict regulations on competitiveness, the need for closer industry-research collaboration, and the lack of dedicated funding mechanisms for critical raw material projects, with suggestions for policy recommendations and strategic investment.
The second panel discussion, moderated by Olga Henkele (Kellen) and inviting Joana Gouveia (INEGI), Sam Hoefman (EURICE) and Dr. Florian Anderhuber (Euromines) as guests, reflected on how Europe can progress from promising battery recycling innovations toward a more operational and industrial circular economy. Speakers agreed that while European research projects are generating strong technical evidence, several barriers still remain before a fully closed loop can be achieved. It addressed policy and market dynamics:
- Barriers to circularity: panelists emphasised the need for economically viable recycling in Europe and reducing regulatory burdens on recyclers. Other recommendations placed the time gap between research and industrial implementation, as well as cross-collaboration communication channels between academia, industry and policy makers as drivers of European industrial competitiveness.
- Florian Anderhuber highlighted lengthy permitting processes for new technologies and the lack of demand-side measures such as recycled content requirements. He stressed the need for financial support and market incentives to stimulate recycling and primary sourcing within Europe.
- Panellists discussed the importance of feeding clear evidence from EU-funded projects into policy making, setting clear project objectives, and considering the life cycle of projects from inception to exploitation. Joanna Gouveia, while emphasising on the LCA approaches in project, provided a direct example from the RELiEF project, where policy definitions limited the classification of secondary lithium, suggesting the need for broader definitions.
Attendance reflected growing interest across Europe’s battery materials value chain. Out of 151 registered participants, 70 joined the workshop online, while approximately 50 attended the workshop in person. The audience was diverse: academia and research institutes accounted for the largest share, followed by industry players, consultancies, and policy representatives. This mix underlined the workshop’s role as a bridge between research and innovation on one hand and industry and policymaking on the other. By bringing together stakeholders from these different sectors, the workshop enhanced dialogue, knowledge exchange, and potential collaboration opportunities across the European battery materials ecosystem.
The RELiEF project (Horizon Europe GA 101069789), one of the most mature EU-funded projects in the Cluster Hub “Production of raw materials for batteries from European resources”, has published an open-access study evaluating the coherence of recent EU policies shaping the battery value chain.
The study focuses on the EU’s Green Deal Industrial Plan and related legislative pillars, such as:
- the Net-Zero Industry Act: aims for 40% of clean tech needs to be met by EU production by 2030.
- the Critical Raw Materials Act: seeks to secure EU’s supply of critical raw materials (lithium, cobalt).
- the EU Battery Regulation 2023: introduces strict lifecycle rules to promote circularity and sustainability.
Partners from RELiEF project engaged in discussions with various stakeholders across the battery value chain in Europe to understand the sentiment and the level of perception of these regulations. Their methodology circled around two main questions:
- Do these initiatives complement or contradict each other?
- How do stakeholders perceive these regulations and their feasibility?
Perception of the EU regulatory climate. ©Research article “Stakeholder Perspectives on EU Regulatory Frameworks: Navigating Critical Raw Materials, Battery Innovation and Recycling Challenges” [web: https://open-research-europe.ec.europa.eu/articles/5-104]
These interactions allowed stakeholders to express additional concerns about skills shortages and social acceptance. Cutting red tape and streamlined permitting remain road blockers for projects both in mining and recycling. Targets such as the NZIA’s 40 % clean tech production and CRMA’s 10 % domestic sourcing were seen as ambitious, while others, like the 15 % recycling goal, were considered feasible and relaxed. The call for more balanced policy objectives and realistic targets was a recurring topic.
The Cluster Hub’s annual workshops and bilateral meetings between projects created opportunities for the ReLIEF partners to engage with a variety of stakeholders in the battery sector. It facilitated collaboration and discussions between EU-funded projects, revealing a shared sentiment about the EU regulatory ecosystem and common barriers that risk slowing EU’s industrial competitiveness.
On 12 December 2024, the third edition of the annual workshop of the Cluster Hub “Production of Raw Materials for Batteries from European Resources” took place in Brussels, being co-organised by EU-funded projects RHINOCEROS, CRM-geothermal and CICERO. This third edition, along with an increasing number membership, confirm the hub’s role as a dynamic ecosystem that continues to generate innovations in the European battery materials sector.
The hub’s annual workshop, held as a satellite event of the Raw Materials Week 2024, provided once again a platform for presenting the most promising results from participating projects. Two technical sessions covered the entire battery value chain, from raw materials mining to recycling, while the opening conveniently portrayed the policy, the regulatory and strategic frameworks that support and drive the EU R&I initiatives in the battery sector.
Policy perspectives and supporting mechanisms for the battery sector
Susana Xara, Project adviser on raw materials at European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA), established the discussions tone, navigating through the insights of the Critical Raw Materials Act [CRMA] and the Net Zero Industry Act [NZIA] and focusing on their contribution to securing a sustainable supply of critical raw materials for the European battery industry.
Wouter IJzermans, BEPA Executive Director, presented the long-term vision and potential revisions of their roadmap, emphasising the importance of policy frameworks and incentives in promoting battery innovation and deployment across Europe.
The presentation of Vasileios Rizos from the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS) identified various barriers and challenges emerging from the EU policy framework on batteries, based on inputs from 20 companies across the entire battery value chain, including partners from the BATRAW project, member of the Cluster Hub since 2022. The representative of CEPS concluded with a set of policy messages referring to early dialogue channels established between policy-makers and various stakeholders. Before the legal requirements entry into force, this information exchange on availability of secondary data sets could enable stakeholders to assess the data quality, select suitable sets of information and identify potential data gaps.
Publicly available resources submitted by CEPS:
- Barriers and policy challenges in developing circularity approaches in the EU battery sector: an assessment – CEPS
- Implementing the EU digital battery passport – CEPS
- Compliance with the EU’s carbon footprint requirements for electric vehicle batteries – CEPS
Orchestrating the launch and on-going work of the Cluster Hub, PNO Innovation Belgium [part of PNO Group – leader in innovation and funding consultancy], represented by Dr. Nader Akil, concluded the first session with an overview of all EU funding programmes supporting research, innovation and investment in raw materials production for batteries. Additional to the upcoming funding opportunities and guidance on selecting the appropriate funding opportunities based on the status of technology, Dr. Nader Akil introduced another initiative launched by PNO Group – DIAMONDS4IF. This project supports the preparation of Innovation Fund applications, enabling the transfer of H2020 research results into successful ventures and securing investment funding.
Download Funding Schemes presentation
Sustainable sourcing practices for battery materials from primary sources
The session of technical presentations debuted with RAWMINA project, represented by Carmen Estepa, R&D Manager at AGQ Mining & Bioenergy, providing an overview of its final results on the demonstration activities of an integrated innovative pilot system for CRMs recovery from mine wastes. Up-to-date results indicate encouraging extraction rates of ~90 % Fe, ~95 % Co and ~60 % antimony (Sb) yielded by the bioleaching process. Additionally, the alkaline leaching applied after bioleaching extracted more than 90 % tungsten (W), while the following processing step – Fe precipitation, confirmed that Fe and Sb can be removed almost completely from the solution (>90 %). Finally, the processes engaged in the selective CRM recovery yielded promising recovery rates in the range of 99 % for Co, 65 % for W, 77 % for Sb.
Dr. Albert Genter, Deputy General Manager of ES Géothermie, presented the geochemical characterisation of geothermal reservoir rocks in the Upper Rhine Graben – results of their activities conducted within the LiCORNE EU-funded project. After a short incursion into the geological formation of the Upper Rhine Graben (URG) area, Dr. Albert Genter highlighted the feasibility of lithium (Li) extraction from the geothermal brines. The high Li concentrations in the geothermal brine at Soultz-sous-Forêts and Rittershoffen [in the range of 150-200 mg/L], combined with significant water flows exploited by the geothermal power plants, indicate a great potential for Li production in the URG. After establishing the fluid circulation within the fractures of the geological formation, the research team at ES-G will continue investigating the chemical composition of sedimentary rocks, which are also part of the reservoir Soultz-sous-Forêts, and conducting Li and strontium (Sr) isotope analyses to provide more detailed information about the origin of lithium in the brine.
Dr. Nivea Magalhães [Univ. of Exeter, UK] presented the conclusions of the forensic geometallurgy protocol established within the ENICON project. Often, information not directly related to processing leads to limited insights into ore processing behaviour. ENICON investigates the impact of mineral textures and grain size on liberation, sometimes interfering with automated mineralogy results. Additionally, the project presented the findings of the ore characterisation of the Kevitsa mine, containing nickel (Ni)- and cobalt (Co)-bearing minerals.
The CRM-geothermal presentation, delivered by Saskia Bindschedler, Professor at Univ. de Neuchatel, Faculty of science, Institute of biology, Laboratory of microbiology, focused on the use of microbial activity for Li recovery from geothermal brines. Geothermal brines are characterised by high temperatures, increased pressure and salinity, conditions favourable for bioextraction processes using microbes. Key findings confirmed the feasibility of microbial-driven processes for Li recovery, enabling effective filtering of elements using oxalate compounds, followed by precipitation via oxalothropic bacteria, such as Pandoraea sp.. While the researchers will continue working on oxalotrophy and initial pH optimisation, focusing on improving the scalability, they will additionally investigate Li concentration in fluid samples.
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An insight into the results of the METALLICO project, with focus on their COOL+ technology, was delivered by Sandra Pavon from Fraunhofer IKTS. COOL+ is one of the five technologies investigated within the framework of METALLICO, that involves a leaching step using supercritical CO2, that enables the extraction of Li in a more efficient and environmentally friendly manner. After explaining the five phases of the process and comparing the results at the main conclusions reported high selectivity and efficiency in Li recovery, achieving Li2CO3 which meets battery-grade specifications with a purity of 99.7 %. The solid silicate residue that remains after the CO2 leaching step is not wasted. Instead, it is repurposed to produce geopolymers which are further used in the construction sector, aligning with the principles of circular economy and zero-waste.
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Advanced recycling solutions for battery recovery and reuse
The third session of presentations commenced with an outline of the main findings of the LIFE DRONE project, which concluded in June 2024. Presented by Lorenzo Toro, process engineer at Eco Recycling, the project demonstrated the feasibility of producing high-quality NMC oxide and graphite from recycled batteries. The innovative process confirmed significant environmental benefits, with a reduction of 59 % in terms of kg CO2 eq. Additionally, one plant is estimated to treat 500 tonnes of batteries/year. The technical-economic evaluation of this industrial plant, with a potential capacity of 500 tons/year, showed a return on investment (ROI) of 31.64 % and a payback time (PBT) of 3.16 years. The analysis indicated that attractive payback times could be obtained even with varying prices for NMC and graphite.
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The electrochemical Li recovery from Li-ion battery black mass, investigated in the RHINOCEROS project and presented by Prof. Pier Giorgio Schiavi from Univ. of Sapienza reported Li extraction yields from end-of-life (EoL) LIBs in the range of 82 %, and faradaic efficiency compared to commercial cathode materials (close to 100 %). Researchers have investigated potential causes that could explain the relatively low selectivity ranges of Li and other metals available in black mass. The simultaneous oxidation of impurities found in the black mass can be a justified explanation for the preliminary results obtained. Experimental results show that the extraction percentages for Co, Ni, and Mn remain in very low ranges. When contemplating upscaling scenarios, Prof. Schiavi mentioned the researchers are evaluating an alternative approach that enables the treatment of larger quantities of powder without replicating the manufacturing process of LIB electrodes.
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Benjamin P. Wilson, Senior Scientist, Hydrometallurgy and Corrosion at Aalto University, presented the hydrometallurgical recycling process explored in the RESPECT project aiming to achieve efficient, sustainable, innovative, and safe battery recycling processes. The preliminary results on the black mass leaching revealed that increasing temperatures of the leaching process results in higher yields for all the target metals available in the black mass [Li, Mn, Co, Ni]. Looking at process optimisation towards lower CO2 emissions, researchers explored a range of reductants already inherited in the black mass – Cu, Fe, Al, into an attempt to reduce the processing temperatures. Preliminary results have already shown that the presence of Fe and Cu have a catalysing role for the metals dissolution. Further exploration of results via the statistical tool “Design of experiments” [DoE] focused on the interaction effects between various parameters, such as temperature, Fe concentration and additions of Cu, Al and hydrogen peroxide [H2O2]. Finally, the conclusions of the experimental work shows that temperature remains one of the most impactful factors. However, increasing Fe and Cu concentration yields better Li recovery than conventional leaching processes using H2O2 as reductant.
The BATRAW project, represented by Miguel Aguilar, researcher at LEITAT Technological Centre, presented a promising technology they have been honing recently as an alternative separation technique to conventional solvent extraction: Polymer Inclusion Membranes [PIMs]. Since the launch of the project, over 150 PIMs with various compositions have already been developed, with the continuous quest to optimise the membranes composition and thus to improve the extraction efficiency, while reducing the precipitation of metal-extractant complexes. Experimental work using various compositions of PIMs, with acetate as buffer reported an increased recovery of Co from 74 % to 82 %. Replicating these experiments using real streams rich in Li, Na, Mn and Ni yielded 24 % Co recovery after 24h. The recovery rates on real streams have considerably reduced, mainly due milder acidifying conditions selected to enable eventual upscaling of the process. In a nutshell, a membrane with a surface barely reaching 24 cm2 can recover 1,74 g Co and 2,8 g of Ni in only 24 h.
The final presentation featured an interactive presentation of the ReLiEF project, delivered by Joana Gouveia [Researcher at the Institute of Mechanical Engineering and Industrial Management (INEGI) and America Quinteros [Researcher at LUT Univ.]. The presentation debuted with a survey scrutinising the important elements that are validating the sustainable aspects of a business model.
The ReLiEF presentation continued with an overview of all the leaching technologies developed within the project’s framework, including: water leaching, deep eutectic solvents (DES), pressurised leaching, microwave and acid-based leachings. The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of these technologies focused on various environmental impact categories, portraying the environmental, costs and social impacts for each process. The results of the LCA analysis incentivised the researchers from ReLiEF to propose the multi-industry business model as a sustainable approach, balancing socio, economic and environmental aspects of the battery value chain. In practice, the multi-industry model works by integrating the efforts of various industries to create a cohesive and sustainable approach to lithium recovery. Looking at the results of the leaching processes applied to mining waste/tailings and alloy dusts, the conclusions show that energy consumption remains the major element having an impact on the final results.
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Back in 2022, the clustering workshop “Production of Raw Material for Batteries from European Sources” led to what we hope will be long-lasting synergies and collaborations between research and industry – the Cluster Hub.
There is no better day than today, the International Day of Friendship, to show the world our collaborative community with the same mission – to foster the knowledge necessary to drive a more sustainable and circular production of raw materials for the European battery industry.
The projects’ association aims not only to provide general information on technological progress, but also to address new challenges, such as:
- The high cost of resources exploration activities.
- The geological uncertainty.
- The optimisation of the processing and refining technologies for the upgrading of minerals and metals from side streams and industrial waste streams.
On the occasion of the International Day of Friendship, Nader Akil, EU Business Operations Manager at PNO Innovation N.V., and the initiator of the Cluster HUB concept, said: “In the spirit of International Day of Friendship, I am proud to celebrate the commitment to collaboration fostered by the Cluster HUB. Our collective efforts within the EU context exemplify the power of partnership in driving innovation and sustainability in the battery sector. And we strongly believe that this dynamic research and industry exchange can provide support to the current policy context. Together, we are not only addressing critical challenges but also paving the way for a sustainable and economically vibrant future for Europe through reinforced partnership and mutual growth.”
The Cluster HUB currently encompasses approximately 100 organisations driving the production and recycling of raw materials for battery applications from primary and secondary resources and covering the entire value chain of the battery production.
The LIFE DRONE project aims to develop an innovative process for recycling lithium-ion batteries, thus contributing to a more sustainable management of the waste generated by these energy storage solutions that reach the end of their life.
The project coordinator recently launched an online survey to assess the potential interest audiences might have in recycling processes. Additionally, the interest spans also towards understanding the impact brought by the adoption and implementation of battery recycling processes at individual and community scales.
Every contribution is anonymous and can become helpful in guiding future activities such as the ones initiated by the LIFE DRONE project. The project’s coordination team is very grateful for all inputs. Filling in this survey takes 3 minutes.
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