Battery pioneer and the UK’s foremost investor in battery cell technologies, Britishvolt, enter an industry leading battery recycling ecosystem venture with strategic partner, Glencore.
Britishvolt has announced a joint venture with strategic partner Glencore to develop a world-leading ecosystem for battery recycling in the UK. This ecosystem will be anchored at a new recycling plant located at the Britannia Refined Metals operation (BRM), which is run by Glencore. BRM will continue with its current production and trading operations.
Glencore is one of the world’s largest global diversified natural resource companies, and a major producer and marketer of more than 60 responsibly sourced commodities that advance everyday life. The Group’s operations comprise around 150 mining and metallurgical sites and oil production assets.
UK battery recycling ecosystem
This collaborative project to construct a battery recycling ecosystem in the UK, sees a return to recycling for BRM, securing jobs and creating new ones. Once completed, the plant is anticipated to have a processing capacity of a minimum of 10,000 tonnes of lithium-ion batteries per year. This includes, but is not limited, to valuable battery manufacturing scrap, portable electronics batteries, and EV packs.
The plant is estimated to be operational by mid-2023, with the long-term goal of being 100% powered by renewable energy. The partnership also aims to develop other recycling activities such as black mass refining into battery grade raw materials.
The joint venture will leverage Glencore’s multi-decade recycling experience across end-of-life materials, such as discarded electronics, copper and alloy scraps.
Energy transition
Both Britishvolt and Glencore believe that battery recycling will become a key part of the energy transition, through efficiently recovering the critical metals required. The aim of the battery recycling ecosystem venture is to help support the creation of a circular economy that supplies recycled materials and minerals back into the battery supply chain.
“This exciting project adds much to our existing relationship with Glencore supplying Britishvolt with responsibly-sourced cobalt,” explained Timon Orlob, Global Chief Operating Officer at Britishvolt. “Recycling is key to a successful energy transition and has always been a major part of Britishvolt business model.
“We’ve been looking for the perfect partner to help kick start a UK battery recycling industry and FTSE100-listed Glencore has expert historical experience in recycling. This joint venture will help us both to create a truly sustainable battery value-chain, create jobs and develop new battery recycling technologies. Both Britishvolt and Glencore are fully committed to reducing carbon across the supply chain.”
“We are excited to deepen our partnership with Britishvolt,” added David Brocas, Head Cobalt Trader at Glencore. “Both companies are united in their ambition to further the energy and mobility transition. Glencore has decades of recycling experience across multiple disciplines (e-waste/copper scrap/battery). This recycling partnership complements our long-term supply agreement for responsible cobalt from our operations in Norway and the Democratic Republic of Congo.”
