An R&D initiative to recover critical metals and components from electric vehicle batteries.

With the support of the State Research Agency (CPP2023-010611), in public-private partnership with ITE (Instituto Tecnológico de la Energía) and the UPV (Universitat Politècnica de Valencia), GDES Circularity has launched BAT2REC, a project to develop an experimental prototype to recover critical metals and components from electric vehicle batteries.

To bring this initiative to fruition, a multidisciplinary consortium of three entities from different strategic sectors has been formed. This well-balanced team brings together both the business sector, represented by GDES Circularity, and academia, through the participation of the Universitat Politècnica de València and the specialised R&D team at the Instituto Tecnológico de la Energía. Each entity brings complementary knowledge and experience to the project, facilitating its overall development and the achievement of its objectives, both in technical terms and in terms of benefits and impacts. GDES Circularity will act as the coordinating partner and will industrialise and commercialise the technological solutions and developments to improve the efficiency and sustainability of the lifecycle of electric vehicle batteries.The BAT2REC project will last 36 months, with completion scheduled for mid-2027. During this period, three key activities will be carried out: an analysis of technologies, needs and requirements; the development of lab-scale prototypes; and experimental validation of the implemented technologies.

There are major challenges in the recycling of lithium-ion batteries that limit their efficiency and sustainability. Current technologies, such as direct recycling and hydrometallurgy, have limitations that prevent the recovery of all the valuable materials. In direct recycling, the lack of automated disassembly and the multiplicity of battery designs make it difficult to standardise the process. In hydrometallurgy, the processing of battery components requires more efficient and sustainable separation and purification methods, especially to recover lithium. The BAT2REC project aims to overcome these challenges by developing and validating advanced technologies in both areas, which will be tested using an experimental prototype on a pre-industrial scale.

This research and technological development project aims to strengthen the electric vehicle value chain by recycling and recovering critical metals and components. By reducing reliance on new resources and minimising the carbon footprint, it seeks to promote the uptake of electric vehicles and encourage more sustainable and environmentally friendly mobility.

This is GDES’ latest open innovation initiative. It is an action in line with the philosophy of GDES Blue Ventures, a platform that was created to contribute to making the planet more efficient, less polluting and, therefore, more sustainable.

If you want to find out more, follow this link: GDES Blue Ventures – NET-ZERO Open Innovation