Battery-Recycling
Efficient and Safe Solutions for HighPerformance Recycling Facilities
From cars to ebikes and scooters—the electrification of mobility is in full swing. One key driver behind this development is the rapid progress battery technology has made in recent years. But what happens when a batteryelectric vehicle reaches the end of its life?
Building a deeply integrated batteryrecycling ecosystem has become imperative if Europe aims to strengthen its resilience and reduce dependency on critical raw materials such as lithium and cobalt. However, the necessary prerequisites and expertise to establish efficient valuecreation processes are still lacking in many areas.
At present, endoflife batteries and production scrap provide far too little feedstock to ensure economically viable plant utilization. Added to this are the high transportation costs associated with handling and moving decommissioned batteries.
The result: Battery recycling—especially for electricvehicle batteries—is currently not yet economically viable in Europe. Nevertheless, the market is gaining momentum and is expected to experience significant growth in the coming years.
Your challenges
Companies in the batteryrecycling industry face a combination of economic, technological, and regulatory challenges.
If you are responsible for shaping the future of this sector, do questions like these sound familiar?
- Where should I locate my facility in view of the required infrastructure—including safety services such as an onsite fire brigade—and the surrounding supply chain?
- How can I reduce the immense CAPEX and OPEX of new facilities while also lowering transportation costs for battery logistics?
- How do I optimize my sustainable business case, taking into account available funding opportunities (regional, national, EUwide) and ensuring longterm subsidy security?
- How do I ensure a successful and timeefficient permitting process for my planned recycling plant—and how can effective public communication support this?
- How can I standardize and scale my recycling processes (mechanical, pyro, hydrometallurgical)? Which technology is the best fit for my operational model?
- How do I increase plant utilization, and what measures can help positively influence battery return volumes?
- How can I structure and coordinate the numerous projects required to build and scale my recycling facility?
- The EU will require a recycling efficiency of 70% from 2030 onward. What can I do today to achieve this target and successfully navigate increasingly complex regulations?
- How can I benefit from a network of regional processing facilities to improve efficiency and resilience?
Our Integrated Approach
The specialists at Drees & Sommer provide comprehensive support to the batteryrecycling industry. Our interdisciplinary teams cover all aspects of a project from a single source. This includes:
- Financing strategies and securing funding opportunities
- Supplying facilities with sustainable energy solutions
- Designing efficient logistics, storage, and traffic areas, including all required permitting processes (e.g., under the Federal Immission Control Act – BImSchG)
- Developing the necessary utilities and media infrastructure
- Engineering and constructing process plants, including green processindustry solutions
- Commissioning as well as service support during ongoing operations (maintenance, repair, facility management, etc.)
- Managing communications and stakeholder engagement, including publicrelations activities
Your benefits
- Technically grounded expertise:
We provide indepth knowhow across all process steps—from building and plant construction to every stage of material processing and battery recycling. - Maximum safety:
Our specialists bring extensive safety expertise, including compliance with the Federal Immission Control Act (BImSchG), the Major Accidents Ordinance, emission and immission control, occupational safety, HSE and fire protection. - Accelerated timetomarket:
From the initial idea to market launch, we accelerate your project based on agile projectmanagement methods. - Maximum investment security:
Our teams develop reliable cost and scheduling plans, ensuring that your project progresses with confidence and predictability. - Sustainable solutions with economically sound structures:
Our experts combine economic viability with ecological requirements—ensuring your project is both profitable and sustainable. - Businesscase optimization:
Through lifecycle analyses, targeted fundingmanagement strategies and tailored financing advisory, we maximize the value of your project. - Everything from a single source:
From consulting and planning to execution management (project and construction management, commissioning, etc.), we streamline coordination and increase efficiency throughout the entire project lifecycle
Let's talk!
We're happy to help.