Swedish lithium-ion battery manufacturer Northvolt and world-leading metal recycler EMR have built a battery recycling facility in Hamburg (Germany). The brand-new site will recycle the vast number of EV batteries that will reach their end of life. The site was officially inaugurated on August 24 by the First Mayor of Hamburg, Peter Tschentscher.
The 12 000 square meters Hamburg facility, operated by EMR, receives battery packs and modules from the European electric vehicle market, secured by Northvolt. Alongside end-of-life battery packs of varying designs, the facility is equipped to receive and process battery packs recalled from the market.
Dismantling
The facility features equipment enabling the discharge and dismantling of approximately 10 000 tons of electric vehicle battery packs per year. This will provide crucial recycling capacity as millions of drivers switch to electric vehicles.
The discharge and dismantling of the battery packs is the first step in the battery recycling process. EMR will use its expertise to safeguard the high-quality copper and aluminum used to build modern EV battery frames.
Preferable to mining
The process will ensure this material can again be used to manufacture sustainable technologies, such as the next generation of electric vehicles. The remaining battery modules recovered from packs at the plant will be delivered to Northvolt’s facilities for further recycling.
At every stage, the material that EMR and Northvolt recycle creates an entirely new pathway to sourcing minerals required for battery manufacturing – one that is economically and environmentally preferable to mining, both partners say.
Protecting the environment
“The plant of Northvolt and EMR is a crucial project for the future of e-mobility in Germany. Recycling saves raw materials, protects the environment, and benefits the German automotive industry by reducing the need for importing raw materials,” Tschentscher said at the inauguration.
On August 22nd, the Swedish battery manufacturer announced it has raised $1,2 billion from investors, including BlackRock BLK.N and several Canadian pension plans, to build new factories in Europe and North America, its chief financial officer told Reuters.
Other projects
Northvolt is already building two gigafactories, one in Norway and one in Salzgitter, Germany. As mentioned above, two others will probably follow, one in Heide (northern Germany) and one in North America.
In May, Northvolt CEO Peter Carlsson announced in a joint press release with the German government that the company intended to proceed with the next steps concerning its expansion in Heide (northern Germany).
However, the plans to build a similar factory in North America haven’t been buried. A definitive decision about that project will be made “in the months to come”, a spokesman of Northvolt confirmed.
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