ReLiFe (Recycling Lithium Ferrophosphate) is a project developed in collaboration with a consortium of partners, aiming to demonstrate, initially at pilot scale, an environment-friendly and cost-effective technology for recycling lithium ferrous phosphate (LFP) scrap and end of life (EoL) batteries.
The pilot plant, with a nominal capacity of 500 tn/year, will be established in Xanthi, northeastern Greece, at the industrial complex of Sunlight Group Energy Storage Systems S.A, the project''s Lead Partner.
ReLiFe Project will eventually pave the path for the successful commercialization of an industrial scale LFP recycling plant, which will cover EU''s raw material requirements for battery cells manufacturing and supply 1.5% of lithium demand in Europe.
The project will run for three years, from 1.1.2023 to 31.12.2025, and has received ca. €3.6m funding from EIT RawMaterials under the Grant Agreement 22020, while the partners are also contributing ca. €1.5m of their own funds to the project.
The ReLiFe Project aims to establish and demonstrate, initially at pilot scale, a robust metallurgical technology for recycling all sizes of LFP scrap and EoL batteries – i.e. the specific type already produced by Sunlight Group in its facilities worldwide.
The subsequent industrialization will not only further support core EU energy targets, but also secure Sunlight''s supply chain in critical raw materials for LFP cell manufacturing, and also expected to create more than 250 direct and 1,000 indirect jobs.
The diverse partners comprising the ReLiFe consortium are also contributing €1.5m in own funds for the implementation of the project. The consortium represents a unique mix of academic and industrial partners well-geared towards the goal of establishing an optimized plant for LFP battery recycling.
Sunlight Group Energy Storage Systems announces that the innovative lithium batteries recycling ReLiFe Project, developed in collaboration with a consortium of partners, has been awarded ca. €3.6m in total funding from EIT RawMaterials, and begins implementation. The partners are also contributing ca. €1.5m of their own funds to the project.
The implementation of this ambitious project meets a series of core EU targets regarding Critical Raw Materials (CRMs), sustainability, energy transition, and circular economy. ReLiFe stands for Recycling Lithium Ferrophosphate and is a decisive step to address one of the most pressing global energy-related needs: developing effective ways to recycle lithium-ion batteries, themselves the driver of a carbon-free all-electric future, and ensure sustainability.
Following the successful operation of the pilot recycling plant, additional capital investments can ramp-up production and establish a full-scale recycling facility of lithium batteries with an annual capacity of thousands of tonnes. This development will allow for the recovery of three EU-critical raw materials from end-of-life and scrap LFP batteries (namely lithium, iron phosphate, and graphite), strongly supporting circular economy. Additional base metals like copper and aluminum will also be retrieved in the process.
Commenting on the awarding of the funding and implementation of the ReLiFe project, Dr. Nikolaos Tsiouvaras, CTO at Sunlight Group Energy Storage Systems, noted: "This is a true game-changer and the first step to establish an industrial-grade LFP recycling plant in Europe. At Sunlight we have been investing time and resources to identify the optimal way of recycling lithium products, as efficient as our EMAS-certified lead-acid battery recycling operation."
Carlo Novarese, Director of Lithium-ion Cell Engineering at Sunlight Group, added: "We are embarking on this significant project with the best possible partners to develop an effective and sustainable recycling method for LFP batteries. We are contributing 30+ years of manufacturing experience, state-of-the-art facilities in our industrial complex in Xanthi, and the know-how of our excellent team. We''re very excited about this!"
Furthering the project''s environmental goals, the treatment process to be applied in the implementation of ReLiFe involves significantly lower CO2 emissions (90%) and overall costs (30%), compared to current recycling processes, which strongly supports EU energy and sustainability targets. And not only that, as ReLiFe also addresses three key UN Sustainability Development Goals: SDG9 on Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure; SDG11 on Sustainable Cities and Communities; and SDG17 on Partnership.
Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) and Helmholtz-Institut Freiberg für Ressourcentechnologie (HIF): HZDR conducts cutting-edge and application-oriented research, focusing on energy, health, and matter. Under HZDR, HIF focuses on the sustainable circular economy of minerals and metals. Its research team includes multiple scientific disciplines from exploration, processing, metallurgy, analytics, and modelling and valuation.
Küttner GmbH: Technology supplier operating internationally in a wide range of industries. Employs experienced industrial plant engineers and provides planning, procurement, and project management services.
Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg (TUBAF): The Institute of Nonferrous Metallurgy and Purest Materials at TUBAF and the professorship of biohydrometallurgy and microbiology provide unique expertise on pyrometallurgical, hydro- and bio-hydrometallurgical processing using lab- to large pilot scale processing. Experimental work is combined with flowsheet modelling and advanced thermochemical modelling techniques leading to optimized metallurgical process research and design.
European battery makers are gearing up to take advantage of massive "green" stimulus packages unveiled since the coronavirus pandemic, though many acknowledge it will be tough to match the Asian giants that dominate the mainstream market.
From Greek battery maker Sunlight to startups like InoBat Auto in Slovakia and Switzerland''s Innolith, firms say the challenge of building economies of scale fast to compete head-on means finding niches is a more likely path to success, for now.
But Bisalas isn''t going after the EV market dominated by China''s Contemporary Amperex Technology (CATL), Japan''s Panasonic and South Korea''s LG Chem, Samsung SDI and SK Innovation. He''s focusing on lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) production, a type of battery suited to forklifts, locomotives and robots that perform short tasks with breaks in between.
About Greece lithium-iron-phosphate batteries lfp
As the photovoltaic (PV) industry continues to evolve, advancements in Greece lithium-iron-phosphate batteries lfp have become critical to optimizing the utilization of renewable energy sources. From innovative battery technologies to intelligent energy management systems, these solutions are transforming the way we store and distribute solar-generated electricity.
When you're looking for the latest and most efficient Greece lithium-iron-phosphate batteries lfp for your PV project, our website offers a comprehensive selection of cutting-edge products designed to meet your specific requirements. Whether you're a renewable energy developer, utility company, or commercial enterprise looking to reduce your carbon footprint, we have the solutions to help you harness the full potential of solar energy.
By interacting with our online customer service, you'll gain a deep understanding of the various Greece lithium-iron-phosphate batteries lfp featured in our extensive catalog, such as high-efficiency storage batteries and intelligent energy management systems, and how they work together to provide a stable and reliable power supply for your PV projects.
Related Contents
