Fortum Battery Recycling has received an environmental BImSchG-permit from Landratsamt Heilbronn and starts EV battery recycling operations in Kirchardt/Baden-Württemberg, in southern Germany.
“We are excited to start our operations in Germany and to bring our superior battery recycling technology to the heart of the European automotive market. Our new Germany-based recycling hub for ‘end-of-life’ lithium-ion batteries and battery production waste materials will be connected to our brand-new hydrometallurgical recycling facility in Harjavalta, Finland, which is also starting commercial operations in just a few weeks. Our new central European recycling operations give local manufacturers a unique opportunity to connect to the fast-growing Finnish sustainable battery raw materials cluster,” says Tero Holländer, Head of Business Line, Batteries, Fortum Battery Recycling.
Fortum Battery Recycling uses a combination of mechanical and hydrometallurgical technologies to recycle the battery materials. The technology was developed by Fortum Battery Recycling, and the battery treatment processes have been optimised for high safety, sustainability, and a high recovery rate.
Fortum Battery Recycling’s Harjavalta hydrometallurgical site, to which the Kirchardt recycling hub will be connected, uses the most advanced recycling technology available in Europe. The hydrometallurgical process has a low-carbon footprint and ensures that over 95 % of the valuable metals from the battery's black mass can be recovered. The recovered battery chemicals – lithium, cobalt, manganese and nickel – can be used by battery manufacturers in the production of new batteries.
“I’m extremely proud of Fortum Battery Recycling’s recycling services. Our operations cover all the necessary handling and production steps for the highest recycling rates: pre-treatment services, black mass production and hydrometallurgical recovery of metals. Our recycling hub in Kirchardt can treat over 3,000 tonnes of batteries per year, and we can offer closed-loop services for the battery and automotive sector in central Europe. The Kirchardt site provides an entry point for customers in central Europe to access the best recycling services Fortum Battery Recycling offers,” says Frank Stumpf, Operations Director, Fortum Batterie Recycling.
The recycling hub in Kirchardt is now in operation and can receive battery or production scrap deliveries. As the European automotive and battery manufacturing industry faces a rising demand for battery raw materials, Fortum Battery Recycling wants to help by offering low-carbon recycling technologies for local battery manufacturers. Fortum Battery Recycling is exploring the potential to expand operations in other European regions.
Further information:
Tero Holländer, Head of Business Line, Batteries, Fortum Battery Recycling, tero [dot] hollander [at] fortum [dot] com, tel. +358 40 861 5071
Frank Stumpf, Operations Director, Fortum Battery Recycling, frank [dot] stumpf [at] fortum [dot] com, tel. +49 152 28 44 97 62
Jaakko Savolainen, Commercial Director, Battery Sales, Fortum Battery Recycling, jaakko [dot] savolainen [at] fortum [dot] com, tel. +358 40 501 4836
Fortum Battery Recycling
Fortum Battery Recycling is part of the Fortum portfolio. Fortum Battery Recycling is a specialist in recycling of valuable metals in EV batteries. It’s low-CO2 battery recycling solution makes it possible to recycle over 80% of the battery with 95% of the valuable metals contained in the battery's black mass to be put back into circulation. fortum.com/batteryrecycling
Fortum
Fortum is a Nordic energy company. Our purpose is to power a world where people, businesses and nature thrive together. We are one of the cleanest energy producers in Europe and our actions are guided by our ambitious environmental targets. We generate and deliver clean energy reliably and help industries to decarbonise their processes and grow. Our core operations in the Nordics comprise of efficient, CO2-free power generation as well as reliable supply of electricity and district heat to private and business customers. For our ~5 000 employees, we commit to be a safe, and inspiring workplace. Fortum's share is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki. fortum.com