Coordinated topic with India on recycling of EV batteries

This Destination contributes directly to the Strategic Plan’s Key Strategic Orientations ‘Green transition’, ‘Digital transition’ and ‘A more resilient, competitive, inclusive and democratic Europe’.

In line with the Strategic Plan, the overall expected impact of this Destination is to contribute to the “Facilitating a clean and sustainable transition of the energy and transport sectors towards climate neutrality through cross-cutting solutions”.

The main impacts to be generated by topics under this Destination are:

Batteries

1. Increased competitiveness and strategic autonomy of a complete EU value chain while maximizing sustainability.
2. Reducing dependency on raw materials and upscaling processing capacity, also for recycled materials.
3. Creating an integrated European battery sector for next generation batteries, from design to manufacturing and all the way to end of life, reducing environmental impact.
4. Improving energy storage technologies to enhance the resilience of EU’s energy system, facilitating integration of renewable energy sources.

Legal entities established in China are not eligible to participate in both Research and Innovation Actions (RIAs) and Innovation Actions (IAs) falling under this destination. For additional information please see “Restrictions on the participation of legal entities established in China” found in General Annex B of the General Annexes.

Expected Outcome:

Battery recycling is of strategic importance for both Europe and India, not only to keep raw materials in the respective territories but also to reduce the environmental impact of the recycling process. R&I in this area has been identified as a priority by the EU-India Trade and Technology Council’s Working Group on Green and Clean Energy Technology to reinforce bilateral cooperation.

Project results are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:

• Battery recyclers based in the EU and India benefit from of the improved sustainability, safety, and affordability of innovative recycling processes.
• Stakeholders on battery recycling based in the EU and India benefit from each other’s experience on recycling logistics, including the informal processes and supply chain constraints.
• The cooperation between EU and India key researchers, institutions and industries which are active in battery recycling is supported and strengthened.

Scope:

Projects are expected to build a jointly operated recycling pilot line on Indian soil demonstrating innovative recycling processes for lithium-ion batteries going beyond the current state of the art in terms of recycling efficiency (in particular of Li), environmental impact, cost, and compatibility with different types of batteries (including those currently on the market and to be anticipated in the coming years). The pilot line must be able to process black mass including mixed chemistries with Li as end product, with a purity level suitable for Cathode Active Material (CAM). Recovery of graphite or silicon/graphite in various compositions should also be addressed. Adequate benchmarking figures must be provided to show progress beyond the state of the art.

Projects are also expected to demonstrate effective use of technologies for logistics, sorting, collection and discharging of end-of-life batteries. This should involve the informal sector (i.e. end users, collection points, sales channels) and include the following two areas:

• Development of innovative and digitalised waste collection systems towards zero-risk to improve quantity, quality, safety of the stored End of Life batteries
• Safe, fast, cost-efficient ways for large-scale discharging/deactivation End of Life batteries (both damaged and scraps), anticipating the development for new chemistries.

Projects are furthermore expected to assess the environmental impact of the piloted innovations in the recycling processes through Life Cycle Analysis.

Projects to be aligned with the missions, policies and priorities in the area of battery recycling, in both the regions (India and the EU). On the Indian side, alignment with relevant regulatory and strategic frameworks is expected, such as the Battery Waste Management Rules (2022) and the National Programme on Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) Battery Storage. EU projects are expected to build upon the activities of past and ongoing recycling-related projects under the BATT4EU partnership, as well as progress being made on the implementation of the Battery Passport. Projects are furthermore expected to be in line with the Batteries Regulation^[1] (in particular with sections referring to recycling efficiency) and the Safe and Sustainable by Design guidelines^[2].

The exploitation of results, including IPR, should be appropriately addressed in the proposal.

Joint work should benefit from the Indian and European experience in battery recycling. Aligned projects should have the same start date, the same duration, same targets, and must show clearly how the coordination among them will bring added scientific value. To ensure a project implementation that reflects a genuine EU-Indian cooperation, aligned projects should involve properly coordinated research activities between EU and India in the jointly developed research plan of the two coordinated projects. Independent projects, which are not aligned, will be considered ineligible. Proposals will include detailed explanations about tasks and effort of the coordinated proposal as a whole and cross-references to the other part of the proposal.

The coordinated call aims at exploiting synergies between India and Europe in terms of scientific expertise and resources in topics related to battery recycling by implementing coordinated projects. Potential areas for collaboration (i.e. the coordinated part of the call) could include (but are not limited to) demonstration of more flexible and adaptable recycling processes capable of treating mixed battery chemistries; innovative & digitalised waste collection systems; advanced sorting systems; active monitoring systems for high level of safety; safe, fast and cost-efficient discharging/deactivation (gen4 included); prediction for second-life use of batteries, diagnostics including State of Health.

The topic is within the scope of the EU-India Strategic Partnership and the EU-India Trade and Technology Council in relation to battery recycling technologies. For the purposes of this topic, the Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI), Government of India has made the required funding available for the coordinated projects of the Indian side. A balanced effort and matched budget between Europe and India regarding the two coordinated calls are expected.

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[1] Regulation - 2023/1542 - EN - EUR-Lex

[2] https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/news/all-research-and-innovation-news/recommendation-safe-and-sustainable-chemicals-published-2022-12-08_en