A sustainable solution for batteries
Even at their end-of-life, batteries are valuable. Through recycling, Hydrovolt recovers copper, plastics, aluminum and a material called black mass, which contains the valuable metals of nickel, manganese, cobalt and lithium. With our approach, little of the material within a battery is ever wasted or sent to a landfill. Instead, it is recovered to be circulated back into the manufacturing of new products.
Norway’s electric vehicles
Norway is far ahead of any other country in the adoption of electric vehicles. This means that the country already today requires solutions for handling EV batteries reaching their end-of-life.
Hydrovolt is partnered with Batteriretur to ensure the recycling of these batteries and has scaled its first recycling plant in Fredrikstad to process 12,000 tons of battery packs on annual basis – sufficient for the entirety of Norway’s end-of-life battery market today. Already in operation today, Hydrovolt will expand to keep up with larger numbers of EVs entering the market in the future.
Supporting a circular battery industry in Europe
Europe is currently involved in a tremendous industrial endeavor: establishing a new battery industry to support its transition to net-zero emissions by 2050. Batteries are key to the energy transition, especially for electric vehicles and energy storage. Producing batteries, however, requires large amounts of resources, including metals that today must be mined from the Earth.
But there is another, more sustainable way to sourcing these materials. Through battery recycling we can recover metals and use them again and again in the production of new batteries. This not only provides a solution for batteries at their end-of-life, but also a source of sustainable raw materials to support the European battery industry. Recycling carries a far smaller environmental footprint than mining – lower in water and energy consumption and lower in carbon emissions – but can deliver the same quality of product. It is better for our planet and improves the supply of metals which are key to the transition to a decarbonized society.
The partners
Hydrovolt was launched as a joint-venture of Hydro and Northvolt in June 2020.
About Northvolt
Northvolt is a European supplier of sustainable, high-quality battery cells and systems. Founded in 2016 to enable the European transition to a decarbonized future, the company has made swift progress on its mission to deliver the world’s greenest lithium-ion battery with a minimal CO2 footprint and has grown to over 3,000 people from over 100 different nationalities.
Northvolt has to date secured more than $50 billion worth of contracts from key customers, including BMW, Fluence, Scania, Volkswagen, Volvo Cars and Polestar, to support its plans, which include establishing recycling capabilities to enable 50 percent of all its raw material requirements to be sourced from recycled batteries by 2030. See northvolt.com
About Hydro
Hydro is a leading aluminium and energy company that builds businesses and partnerships for a more sustainable future. Hydro develops industries that matter to people and society. Since 1905, Hydro has turned natural resources into valuable products for people and businesses, creating a safe and secure workplace for 31,000 employees in more than 140 locations and 40 countries.
Hydro own and operate various businesses and have investments with a base in sustainable industries. Hydro is present in a broad range of market segments for aluminium and metal recycling, and energy and renewables. The company offer a unique wealth of knowledge and competence. Hydro is committed to leading the way towards a more sustainable future, creating more viable societies by developing natural resources into products and solutions in innovative and efficient ways. See hydro.com