ABB and Altilium sign agreement to work on battery industry recycling projects

ABB and the UK-based clean technology group Altilium have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) agreement to collaboratively explore the potential of integrating automation, electrification, and digital technologies in European plants. This cooperation aims to support the expansion of battery materials recycling. Altilium specializes in developing eco-friendly processing technologies and scaling up infrastructure for recycling metals and electric vehicle (EV) battery waste. Their goal is to establish a domestic supply chain of low-carbon battery materials for the automotive industry.

In this partnership, ABB will provide expertise in designing and delivering control systems equipment and solutions for the distribution and management of electrical power for Altilium's pilot battery recycling project in the UK. This project will focus on producing cathode active material (CAM) suitable for batteries from used EV batteries. ABB will also explore the use of its ABB Manufacturing Operations Management (MOM) and Manufacturing Execution System (MES) digital applications, which streamline and optimize processes with user-friendly interfaces and edge data collection.

The collaboration between ABB and Altilium extends beyond the pilot project to include the retrofitting of Altilium's European Solvent Extraction-Electrowinning (SX-EW) facility in Eastern Europe, scheduled to commence battery waste processing in 2024. Additionally, they plan to develop a new plant in Teesside, UK, starting in 2026, which will contribute to 20% of the country's CAM requirements, making it one of the largest projects of its kind in the region.

Dr. Christian Marston of Altilium expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, stating that it aligns with their mission to revolutionize battery recycling for clean energy transportation. Staffan Sodergard, Global Product Line Manager for Battery Manufacturing at ABB, highlighted the importance of this agreement in advancing the field of battery recycling, especially given the expected 14-fold increase in battery demand by 2030 due to the widespread adoption of electric vehicles, as reported by the World Economic Forum.

ABB's technology and approach will enable Altilium to expedite its time to market, providing scalable solutions as the company expands its operations while significantly reducing the carbon footprint associated with EV batteries. This aligns with both companies' commitment to a more sustainable future and represents the latest example of ABB's involvement in recycling used batteries.

Altilium has already established its EV Battery Recycling Technology Centre in Devon in 2022 and is currently the sole UK company producing CAM recovered from EV battery waste. Their first European plant will recycle battery waste from over 24,000 vehicles annually, and the upcoming UK facility in Teesside is projected to process waste from over 150,000 EVs each year, resulting in the production of 30,000 metric tons of CAM.

Source:new.abb.com