Dear battery enthusiast,
Welcome to Battery Associates’ September Newsletter. We have summarised some of the month’s most relevant battery news, highlighting technology and research development, and updates from Battery Associates.
Battery Newsletter structure:
Battery Industry Highlights
B.A Editorial
Product Launch offer
Battery Insiders Podcast
B.A Updates & Events
Battery Industry Highlights
In this section, we have summarised relevant battery news from the past month.
On September 28, Northvolt announced its inaugural overseas fully integrated battery manufacturing plant in Québec, Canada. The facility will include on-site CAM manufacturing, battery production, and a recycling plant, with a total investment of USD 5 billion. The project's initial phase is set to have a 30 GWh capacity and construction is planned to commence by the end of 2023, with commercial products expected to be rolled out by 2026.
B.A Commentary: The Inflation Reduction Act, proposed by the Biden administration, compelled battery manufacturers worldwide to reassess their investment strategies. The IRA alone has earmarked approximately USD 150 billion in subsidies for battery manufacturers who produce batteries in the US. To tap into this support, Northvolt announced its interest in US expansion in October 2022 and has now finalized its location in the North American market. Meanwhile, in May 2023, Northvolt also secured half a billion in funding support from the German government to expedite their plant process in Germany, which had previously slowed due to the company's US expansion plan.
On September 19, the American battery materials manufacturer and recycler, Redwood Materials, announced the acquisition of Redux, a battery recycling company based in Germany. In February 2022, the company had previously announced its intention to expand into European markets.
B.A Commentary: In February 2022, North American battery material manufacturer and recycler Redwood Material announced its expansion into the European market. Although the announcement was made in 2022, Redwood Material has not secured any significant customer deals in the European market. However, on September 19, 2023, Redwood announced the acquisition of Redux, a battery recycling company in Germany. They claim that their mechanical shredding plant can complement Redwood Material's hydrometallurgical recovery process. Despite this, they have not made any announcements regarding investments in establishing recovery plants in Europe. However, last month, Redwood Material successfully raised USD 1 billion in funding, so we can anticipate some investments from Redwood Material in the European market.
On September 28, Volvo Cars, the automaker, and Northvolt, the battery manufacturer, announced the groundbreaking news of their battery manufacturing joint venture facility in Sweden. Upon completion, the facility is projected to reach a capacity of 50 GWh, with mass production expected to commence in late 2026.
B.A Commentary: Novo Energy, a joint venture between Volvo Cars and Northvolt, was announced last year in November and is expected to commence construction this year. As per the plan, the joint venture's battery manufacturing facility is breaking ground on its construction in Sweden. The facility will have a total investment of 2.9 billion euros. Additionally, this facility will not only supply cells for Volvo but also Polestar EV vehicles.
On September 5, Fortum Battery Recycling announced receiving funding of 4.5 million euros from Business Finland. The funding aims to facilitate the establishment of innovative mechanical shredding equipment and implement advanced water and gas monitoring systems at its recycling facility in Ikaalinen.
B.A Commentary: Fortum operates a hydrometallurgical battery recycling plant in Harjavalta, Finland. The allocated funding is utilized to scale up production at its mechanical shredding facility in Ikaalinen, Finland, which will ensure a consistent feedstock for its recycling facility in Harjavalta. In July 2023, Fortum announced its plans for a second recycling hub in Germany. The company aims to attain 20k tons of annual recycling capacity with two or more hydrometallurgical plants in Europe and some seven mechanical units producing black mass for the hydrometallurgical sites.
On September 29, BMW announced a 100 million euro investment in its Wackersdorf site by 2026. The main objective is to establish a cutting-edge testing facility focusing on electric vehicle (EV) battery performance and safety. In the first phase, BMW plans to set up testing centers with battery cyclers. By the final phase in 2025, this facility will be fully equipped with various mechanical testing apparatus to evaluate new car models before their official launch.
B.A Commentary: In May 2022, BMW invested 170 million euros to establish a Cell Manufacturing Competence Centre in Munich to demonstrate the industrial feasibility of future generations of high-performance battery cells. This competence center includes a pilot plant, supported through the European funding process IPCEI (Important Projects of Common European Interest). BMW planned to test its solid-state battery cell prototype manufacturing. Now, BMW has established its EV battery performance and safety testing facility in Wackersdorf, Germany. This testing facility will focus on testing complex driving patterns, including charging and discharging cycles, which can also be simulated in endurance tests. BMW claims that the availability of complex testing solutions is limited in the free market.
On September 29, mining company Glencore and automakers Stellantis and VW announced plans to acquire two battery material mines (Nickel and Copper) in Brazil. However, the deal collapsed, as the financial company handling the transaction stated that, 'despite all efforts, no revisions to the acquisition agreement could be agreed upon.' Consequently, the contract was terminated.
B.A Commentary: Since the beginning of the year, we have witnessed a price fall in Nickel. This year alone, the price of nickel has dropped by 37 percent. This is seen as one of the major reasons for the failure of the mining deal. Reuters writes, "The price called by ACG (the financial company involved in the deal) was higher than buyers would have considered realistic after the drop in the nickel price."
On September 21, the US Department of Energy announced its selections for the AY 2023 Recycling-Remanufacturing Lab Call funding. They have allocated USD 2 million to eight projects, with five projects receiving funding under the category of 'development of room temperature processes for recycling and re-use of electrodes.' The remaining three projects have been allocated funding under the category of 'recycling of electrolytes’.
B.A Commentary: Last month, the US Department of Energy (DOE) announced its intention to release a funding opportunity worth USD 37 million to accelerate innovative advancements in electric vehicle battery recycling, transportation, and design. As part of this initiative, DOE has announced a USD 2 million fund. Numerous funding opportunities are available for battery stakeholders. For more information, visit the US DOE website.
Product Launch offer
Visit our updated EU Battery Regulation Briefings website (batteryregulation.eu).You are able to request an expert call and also access our AI-powered tool to understand the passed EU Battery Regulation. For any additional questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via info@batteryregulation.eu.
Website: Link
Battery Insiders Podcast Summary
Battery Associates runs a monthly podcast called Battery Insiders. Battery Insiders covers the role of batteries for sustainable development and battery-relevant topics featuring a range of battery experts and enthusiasts. Our podcast also includes the recordings of the Battery Revolution Clubhouse sessions co-hosted live by Mariam Awara. Battery Insiders is hosted by Bhavya Jha and Dr. Simon Engelke.
Talk on: Battery Technology & Battery Passports
Speaker: John Tintinalli, General Manager of SAE Europe & Dr. Simon Engelke, Founder & Chair of Battery Associates
Session Summary: Sarah Harman hosted the podcast episode at IAA MOBILITY featuring Dr. Simon Engelke and John Tintinalli which discusses the risks, opportunities, and impacts of battery technology in the automotive industry. Additionally, the speakers engage in a comprehensive discussion about the environmental and social impacts of the increasing battery market, including issues with mining in countries with human rights concerns and environmental challenges in battery production. Listen to the conversation here.
Battery Associates Updates & Events
Li-Ion Battery Europe 2023
Battery Associates is thrilled to announce our partnership with Li-ion Battery Europe on 29th - 31st October taking place in Budapest, Hungary. We're dedicated to pushing the boundaries of innovation, sustainability, and energy efficiency. Our partnership with Li-ion Battery Europe is a testament to our commitment to staying at the forefront of innovation in the battery industry.
Li-ion Battery Europe is dedicated to showcasing the latest advancements in lithium-ion batteries, with a focus on sustainability, energy efficiency, and environmental impact. The event will feature topics like European market development and local value chains, manufacturing innovations & vast factories, future advanced battery technology, and lifecycle and long-term sustainability. Learn more about the event here.
Future Battery Forum
Battery Associates is excited to partner with Future Battery Forum on 27-28th November in Berlin which aims to bring together decision-makers from the entire value system of battery technologies: users, battery system & cell manufacturers, and their suppliers.
We are delighted to connect with fellow industry leaders and enthusiasts, and engage in stimulating discussions at our company booth. Dr. Simon Engelke, Founder & Chair of Battery Associates will be moderating the panel ‘Strengthening local supply chains: building a competitive EU battery industry through local for local’.
Future Battery Forum will also be hosting a women's meetup during the first day of the event which promises to be an insightful and enjoyable gathering, where women in the battery space will come together to share their experiences, network, and support each other.
Register here with code ‘FBF23COOP’ and get a 20% discount off your ticket!
Battery101
Battery Associates has successfully awarded 1000 scholarships for Battery101, an on-demand entry-level course to a diverse group of students dedicating scholarships to 41.2% females, 55.9% males, and 2.9% with other gender identities. This represents our dedication to fostering diversity, inclusivity, and excellence in the world of energy storage. Check out a heatmap below which highlights the 90+ countries where the scholars are based.
This online and on-demand course is perfect for anyone eager to learn or refresh the basics of battery technology. Purchase and access the course here.
Battery Day 2023 On September 21, Battery Day 2023 saw the registration of 1000+ registrants from 60+ countries that featured stimulating discussions, insightful panels, and in-depth explorations. A huge thank you to our 40+ talented speakers and our esteemed sponsors, Optel, Siemens, Dyson, Circulor, Twaice, & Accure Battery Intelligence for supporting our mission and making this event accessible to all.
Save the date for Battery Day 2024, 26th September 2024 - registrations are now open! If you are interested in being involved in the event, please contact info@battery.associates.
BatteryMBA Announcement
BatteryMBA’s ninth cohort started on September 18th with over 60 participants from 20+ countries! The course consists of an exciting battery case study track (with case studies from leading business schools). Our next cohort runs from January 8 - March 30, 2024. Enroll here!
BatteryMBA alumni and participants work at Tesla, Airbus, JLR, Farasis Energy, Li-Cycle, Hitachi Energy, InoBat, AVL, Circulor, European Parliament, and many others. If you have any queries, reach out to us via email at info@battery.mba. Need-based scholarships and group discounts are available.
Battery Associates services
Battery Associates offers consultancy, innovation, and education services on a wide range of topics. Please get in touch if you're interested in any of our services!
About Battery Associates
Battery Associates (B.A) is a community-driven company on a mission to accelerate sustainable battery innovation - join us!
B.A operates as a global network that unites battery experts (BatteryPRO), a platform for innovative projects (BatteryLAB), and a facilitator of training programmes for aspiring battery leaders (BatteryEDU). B.A's educational programmes notably includes BatteryMBA, a 12-week programme training aspiring battery leaders.
We are rapidly becoming a reference community for battery enthusiasts who want to tackle pressing environmental and energy-related challenges. Battery Associates currently unites battery experts working across the battery value supply chain, based in over 20 countries. We're growing, join us in our work!
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