Canadian Battery recycler Li-Cycle has received a commitment of up to 6.4 million euros from the German state of Saxony-Anhalt. The funding is part of the “Improvement of the Regional Economic Structure” program and will support the company’s lithium-ion battery recycling facility in Sülzetal, Saxony-Anhalt. Operational since August 2023, the plant is the company’s first European recycling facility.
Annual processing capacity of up to 10,000 tons
The plant currently has an annual processing capacity of up to 10,000 tons, with the potential to expand to up to 30,000 tons. The plant uses Li-Cycle’s patented underwater shredding process to recycle lithium-ion battery materials. This allows the facility to process complete battery packs from electric vehicles and energy storage systems without disassembly, discharging, or thermal treatment. According to Li-Cycle, the process is applicable to all types of lithium-ion battery materials, regardless of form factor or cell chemistry.