We can’t honestly speak of a green economy, if we don’t recycle spent electric vehicle and grid storage batteries. In fact, this should a global priority while lithium-ion holds center stage, because of huge volumes the world is producing. But today we have news of a lithium battery recycling venture in Norway that appears to hold promise.
A Joint Canadian-Norwegian Lithium Recycling Project
Canadian company Li-Cycle established in 2016 to provide an ‘end-to-end lithium-ion battery recycling solution’. Moreover, we understand it has a $2,700,000 grant from Sustainable Development Technology Canada to exploit its own proprietary technology.
Li-Cycle has formed a joint venture with Norwegian manufacturer Morrow Batteries, and Norwegian battery repurposer ECO STOR. The partners intend to construct a new commercial lithium-ion battery recycling facility in southern Norway. This will have annual processing capacity of 10,000 tons of spent lithium-ion batteries and associated manufacturing scrap.
More About the Lithium Battery Recycling Venture in Norway
The choice of Norway seems logical, given the nation’s early lead in adopting electric vehicles and green electricity generation. Moreover, it has a ready-made supply chain for the new plant, according to website Business Wire. Hence the new lithium battery recycling venture in Norway should be able to enter market quite easily.
Morrow batteries will supply battery manufacturing scrap from their new factory under development in southern Norway. There the company intends to accelerate the green energy transition through smart cell chemistries, and energy saving cell production. While Li-Cycle will provide the necessary equipment, technology, technical services, and operational support for the recycling facility.
ECO-STOR manufactures high-performance, low-cost energy storage systems for residential, industrial and grid-connected applications. They repurpose existing complete, second-life electric vehicle batteries for their next life. These too should eventually enter the recycling plant. Hence this exciting new project in Norway could become a benchmark for a future fully-circular lithium battery economy.
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