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On 10 December 2024, RESPECT hosted a key project event to address the challenges and opportunities in realising a secure, sustainable, and circular European Li-ion battery manufacturing industry. The event brought together speakers from the European Commission, Batteries European Partnership Association (BEPA), BMW Group, industry leaders, and Consortium partners from the EU-funded RESPECT project. The event aimed to discuss how they could collectively address the needs of the battery ecosystem and tackle the challenges on the path toward a green transition.
Welcome Speech:
Justo Garcia, project coordinator, from Orano, made introduction to the event's topics and goals, emphasising the role of the RESPECT project in addressing challenges related to critical raw materials.
The Critical Raw Materials Act:
Mrs. Maria Nyberg from the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG-GROW) gave a keynote speech with a focus on the implementation of the European Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA), outlining strategies to strengthen the EU's CRM supply chain and reduce dependencies on third countries.
Eduard Antics from CINEA (European Climate, Infrastructure, and Environment Executive Agency) underscored the role of Horizon Europe in fostering innovation and research to ensure competitive and sustainable access to critical raw materials. He highlighted the Horizon Europe programme’s pivotal role in providing funding and driving progress in securing the EU’s raw material needs.
Innovations in Recycling
A major highlight of the event was the presentation by the technical coordinator, Antoine Driancourt, from CEA-Liten on the early technological breakthroughs of the RESPECT project. He revealed that the project’s innovative pre-treatment and hydrometallurgical processes are showing significant promise. These advancements are enabling highly efficient recovery of critical raw materials, aligning with the EU battery regulation’s ambitious targets.
Antoine highlighted the importance of recycling technologies in achieving the CRMA’s objective of sourcing at least 25% of the EU’s annual consumption of strategic raw materials from recycled content.
Socio-Environmental and Economic Impacts
Enrique Moliner Santisteve from LOMARTOV SL provided a comprehensive analysis of the social, environmental, and economic impacts of recycling. He pointed out that NMC (Nickel-Manganese-Cobalt) battery recycling offers greater sustainability benefits compared to LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) battery recycling. By recovering critical metals such as cobalt and nickel from end-of-life (EoL) batteries, the EU can reduce its dependency on virgin raw material extraction from regions like the Democratic Republic of Congo, Indonesia, and Gabon, thereby enhancing social and environmental sustainability.
Logistical Challenges and Solutions
Guillaume Barbe from CEVA Logistics discussed the logistical hurdles in achieving the CRMA’s objectives and how the RESPECT project is working to address these challenges. Guillaume highlighted streamlined administrative processes, clear guidelines, and close collaboration with stakeholders as critical factors for success.
Industry Perspectives and Circular Supply Chains
Dr. Franz Geyer from BMW Group provided an original equipment manufacturer’s (OEM) perspective, emphasising the need for a robust circular supply chain strategy. Franz highlighted the challenges faced by OEMs in the lithium-ion battery business, focusing on sustainability, recycling targets, and the need for enhanced sorting and recycling infrastructure.
Fabrice Stassin, Secretary General of BEPA, highlighted how the Batt4EU partnership drives the CRMA’s ambitions by fostering research and innovation across the entire battery value chain, from raw materials to recycling. He emphasised the importance of the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA), which outlines a comprehensive RD&I roadmap to strengthen and support the EU’s battery ecosystem.
Panel Discussion
The event concluded with a dynamic panel discussion that explored the ambitions of the CRMA and the EU Battery Regulation. Stakeholders debated the challenges and opportunities for their implementation and the potential of these regulations to build a resilient, future-proof battery recycling industry in Europe.
The RESPECT project event highlighted both the opportunities and challenges in bridging the gap between the aspirations of the CRMA and the practical realities of achieving a circular and sustainable battery ecosystem in Europe. By fostering collaboration, innovation, and targeted policy support, the EU is taking critical steps to secure its raw material supply, reduce dependency on imports, and ensure a greener future. The insights shared during the event underscore the importance of continued investment, research, and stakeholder engagement to achieve these ambitious goals.
Panelists:
Moderator: Fabrice Stassin, Secretary General BEPA
Johan Blondelle, DG RTD, European Commission
Franz Geyer, BMW Group
Justo Garcia, Orano
Antoine Driancourt, CEA-Liten
Enrique Moliner, LOMARTOV SL
Guillaume Barbe, CEVA Logistics
Andreas Forfang, Vianode
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