Automated Lithium-Ion battery upcycling process using robotics and computer vision to deliver sustainable energy storage at scale

Project Information

AUTOMATED BATTERY UPCYCLING

Grant agreement ID: 190116067

DOI 10.3030/190116067

Project closed

EC signature date 12 April 2023

Start date 1 March 2023

End date 31 August 2024

Funded under

• The European Innovation Council (EIC)

Total cost € 3 548 668,75

EU contribution € 2 481 705,50

Coordinated by

CIRCU LI-ION S.A.
Luxembourg

Project description

Innovative eco-friendly technology for battery upcycling

The EU has established a goal of achieving zero emissions by 2050. However, the shift towards renewable energy sources has led to a shortage in battery storage availability. It is of utmost importance to explore battery recycling because current practices result in the wastage of over 80 % of still-functional batteries. The EIC-funded AUTOMATED BATTERY UPCYCLING project introduces an eco-friendly technology for battery upcycling and recycling developed by Circu Li-ion. This process facilitates the automatic handling of used battery packs, offering precise data on each cell. It refurbishes cells for future use and prepares end-of-life cells for recycling. This technology has the potential to recover more than 80 % of cells, doubling the battery’s lifespan, reducing production emissions by 80 % and enhancing recycling efficiency.

Objective

The EU is aiming to reach zero emissions by 2050 but the transition towards renewable energy is leading to bottlenecks in battery storage availability. The total storage capacity needed will rise from 0.7 TWh in 2019 to 10.5 TWh by 2030 but this accounts for up to 248% of the global lithium reserves. Recycling and reuse of batteries are an essential frontier but the current practices waste over 80% of the still usable battery storage while 88% of the battery recycling is outsourced to Asia.

Circu Li-ion has developed a sustainable technology-approach to battery upcycling and recycling. Circu Li-ion enables the automated processing of used battery packs and delivers reliable analytics on each battery cell, refurbishes cells for re-use and prepares end-of-life cells for recycling. Our technology can recover >80% of otherwise recycled cells, doubles the battery lifetime, reduces production emissions by 80% and increases recycling efficiency.

Fields of science

• engineering and technology › environmental engineering › waste management › waste treatment processes › recycling
• natural sciences › chemical sciences › electrochemistry › electric batteries
• engineering and technology › environmental engineering › energy and fuels › renewable energy
• natural sciences › computer and information sciences › artificial intelligence › computer vision
• engineering and technology › electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering › electronic engineering › robotics

Keywords

• AUTOMATED BATTERY UPCYCLING

Programme(s)

• HORIZON.3.1 - The European Innovation Council (EIC) Main Programme

Topic(s)

• HORIZON-EIC-2022-ACCELERATORCHALLENGES-02 - EIC Accelerator Challenge: Technologies for ‘Fit for 55’

Call for proposal

HORIZON-EIC-2022-ACCELERATOR-01

Funding Scheme

HORIZON-EIC-ACC-BF - HORIZON EIC Accelerator Blended Finance

Coordinator

CIRCU LI-ION S.A.

• Net EU contribution: € 2 481 705,50
• Address: 4 OP DE LEEMEN ; 5846 Hesperange ; Luxembourg
• SME The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed. Yes:
  Region
  Luxembourg › Luxembourg › Luxembourg
• Region: Luxembourg › Luxembourg › Luxembourg
• Activity type: Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)
• Total cost: € 3 548 668,75