Hydrovolt assists in the decommissioning of the battery storage facility in Spydeberg

Hydrovolt has provided technical expertise and delivered a plan for the decommissioning of the battery storage facility in Spydeberg. The plan and operating permit have been approved by the relevant authorities, and work on handling the electric vehicle batteries is now underway.

Since Friday, April 11, Hydrovolt has been in close dialogue with Indre Østfold kommune and Indre Østfold Brann og Redning (IØBR) regarding a plan to ensure the safe and responsible handling of the electric vehicle batteries stored in Spydeberg. The dialogue was initiated following an order requiring the removal of batteries stored at Scanfreight’s battery warehouse.

The batteries stored in Spydeberg are owned by LG Electronics and originate from a recall. Hydrovolt is not responsible for such batteries stored at various locations in Norway but offers a recycling service and solution at its plant in Fredrikstad for batteries that have reached the end of their life.

Safe and Efficient Handling

Hydrovolt operates Norway’s first and one of Europe’s largest facilities for recycling industrial batteries from various sources, including electric vehicles. The plant has been in operation for three years and plays a key role in receiving batteries for recycling to address a growing waste challenge, as exemplified by the EV batteries stored in Spydeberg.

The decommissioning plan for the Spydeberg battery storage facility follows Hydrovolt’s procedures for safe and responsible handling and recycling of EV batteries and has been quality-assured by the Direktoratet for samfunnssikkerhet og beredskap (DSB).

The purpose of the plan is to reduce the risk posed by the battery storage facility, which requires the batteries to be handled. This process also involves risk, with fire and personal injury being among the most significant—although fire is considered unlikely. A thorough risk assessment has been conducted in advance, and risk-reducing measures have been implemented to manage these concerns appropriately.

How the Work Will Be Carried Out

The work in Spydeberg will take place during daytime hours in cooperation with EOBD, an experienced specialist in EV battery handling. The goal is to decommission the battery storage facility as quickly and safely as possible, and the work is estimated to take six weeks. Hydovolt will provide the municipality with weekly updates on progress and any deviations during the operational period.

The handling of EV batteries will be carried out in a way that ensures safety at all times. A number of measures have therefore been implemented during the preparation phase, along with a clear step-by-step plan for the decommissioning process:

The first step is to conduct a safety assessment of the batteries removed from storage. A series of measurements are performed according to established criteria to determine the condition of each battery.

Following this assessment, Hydrovolt classifies the battery. If the battery is stable, it is prepared for transport and recycling at the facility in Fredrikstad. If the battery is unstable, it is treated on site to bring it into a safe condition for transport.

The treatment of unstable batteries involves discharging and removing the energy from the deviating battery on site. This process is monitored by the company’s operators, who are equipped to detect any heat development and quickly implement measures if abnormalities are identified. Hydrovolt has also placed several water basins on site, into which a battery can be submerged in the event of smoke or fire. This is considered the most effective method for limiting a potential battery fire. Once discharged, the battery is in a safe condition with no fire risk.

When batteries are removed from storage for handling and transport to Hydrovolt’s recycling facility, this will be carried out according to a plan in which the Spydeberg site is divided into multiple firebreak sections to reduce the consequences of any potential fire.

All transport from the site will be conducted in accordance with applicable regulations. Upon arrival at the facility in Fredrikstad, the batteries will enter Hydrovolt’s recycling process. Further details about this process are available on the company’s website.

Emergency Preparedness and Safety as the Main Focus

Hydrovolt participated in a joint exercise led by IØBR together with police and health services before the work commenced. IØBR has also increased its emergency preparedness and maintains round-the-clock presence with personnel and equipment in Spydeberg until the battery storage facility has been decommissioned.

Hydrovolt has previously received 52 boxes of EV batteries from the Spydeberg storage site at its Fredrikstad facility. All batteries were stable except for one with minor deviations. Recycling was carried out in accordance with the company’s standard procedures.

All measures implemented in Spydeberg are aimed at reducing the risk of fire and pollution. Close cooperation and dialogue between Hydrovolt, the municipality, and IØBR will be maintained throughout the work period. At the same time, the activities carried out in Spydeberg are the same as those Hydrovolt performs daily when receiving batteries at its recycling facility in Fredrikstad.

The plan in Spydeberg will ensure a swift and safe solution for decommissioning the battery storage facility. With Hydrovolt’s recycling solutions, more than 90% of the materials in the batteries will be recovered and reintroduced into a circular value chain. The batteries will become new resources instead of waste posing a risk to the environment and others.

Additional Resources

• Read the decision from the County Governor (Statsforvalteren) here:
  https://www.statsforvalteren.no/ostfold-buskerud-oslo-og-akershus/miljo-og-klima/forurensning/tillatelse-etter-forurensningsloven-til-avvikling-av-lager-for-elbilbatterier-i-indre-ostfold-kommune/
• Read more on Indre Østfold municipality's website:
  https://www.io.kommune.no/aktuelt/na-starter-flyttingen-av-elbilbatteriene-i-spydeberg.35814.aspx
• Read more about producer responsibility and what happens to EV batteries, written by Elbilforeningen:
  https://elbil.no/forsvarlig-etterliv-og-gjennvinning-hva-skjer-med-elbilbatteriene/