Li-Cycle has officially opened its first European battery recycling facility in Magdeburg, Germany, using innovative “Generation 3” Spoke technology. This technology enables all lithium-ion battery waste, including complete electric vehicle battery packs, to be recycled directly without discharge, disassembly, or thermal processing. The Germany Spoke is already operating successfully, and a second parallel line is expected to be added by the end of 2023.
Each main line at the plant has the impressive capacity to process up to 10,000 metric tons of lithium-ion battery material per year. With an additional planned capacity of 10,000 tons, the plant is expected to reach a total processing capacity of an impressive 30,000 tons per year. This positions Germany Spoke as one of the largest facilities in Li-Cycle’s current portfolio and one of the most extensive facilities of its kind in all of Europe.
Li-Cycle has already announced plans for additional Spokes in France and Norway. These Spokes produce a valuable intermediate product called “black mass,” which contains many useful battery materials including lithium, nickel and cobalt.
This pioneering facility in Magdeburg underlines Li-Cycle’s commitment to sustainable solutions in the battery value chain and strengthens its position as an innovation leader in the battery recycling industry.
Source: Battery news