In a bid to create the first complete and scalable value chain for the reuse and recycling of electric vehicle batteries in Europe, Stena Recycling has announced plans to build a dedicated plant for EV battery recycling in collaboration with tech company EV HUB at Stena’s new Ausenfjellet site in Frogner, Norway, around 35 kilometres north-east of Oslo.
Stena Recycling estimates the total investment costs for this project to be in the region of NOK100m (approximately €8.7m), NOK21.8m (€1.9m) of which will be provided by the Norwegian state energy agency Enova. The plant is scheduled for completion after summer 2024.
With the number of electric vehicles on Europe's roads expected to hit 30 million by 2030, demand for lithium ion batteries is growing. Stena's project is meant to address the need for efficient eco-friendly solutions for the reuse and recycling of these batteries.
Once the plant is fully operational, up to 3,000 tonnes of high-energy batteries will be processed annually, explained Stena Recycling. This is equivalent to 6,000 to 8,000 electric car batteries. The project includes the development of an advanced recycling infrastructure, AI algorithms for assessing battery condition, innovative dismantling and diagnostic processes and a modular battery storage bank for second-life applications.
According to Stena, EV HUB has developed a solution for the diagnosis and repair of battery systems that collects data in real time and uses AI for improved recycling efficiency. "Our technology provides a detailed overview of the battery's condition making it possible to save many electric cars from being scrapped and get them back on the road again," said EV HUB CEO Nassir Farooq.
Reusing electric car batteries reduces CO2 emissions and resource consumption, contributing to the transition to a low-carbon society, explains Stena Recycling. The project will also create new knowledge and new green jobs, said the recycler.
