- The plant processes 12,000 tonnes of EV batteries annually.
- Expansion targets 70,000 tonnes by 2025 and 300,000 tonnes by 2030.
- Recovered materials include plastics, copper, aluminium, and black mass.
- Black mass contains nickel, manganese, cobalt, and lithium.
Overview
Hydrovolt, a joint venture between Northvolt and Hydro, has commenced commercial recycling operations at its plant in Fredrikstad, Norway. This facility is Europe's largest electric vehicle battery recycling plant, with the capacity to process 12,000 tonnes of battery packs annually, equivalent to around 25,000 EV batteries.
Recycling Process
The plant employs a fully automated recycling process that recovers up to 95% of battery metals, including plastics, copper, aluminium, and black mass. Black mass is a powder containing nickel, manganese, cobalt, and lithium, which will be supplied to Northvolt for further recycling. Recovered aluminium will be delivered to Hydro for recirculation into commercial-grade aluminium products. The plant also features a dust collection system to capture valuable materials typically lost during mechanical recycling.
Expansion Plans
Hydrovolt is planning to expand its recycling capacity within Europe, aiming to recycle 70,000 tonnes of battery packs by 2025 and 300,000 tonnes by 2030. This expansion corresponds to approximately 150,000 EV batteries in 2025 and 500,000 in 2030.
Sustainability Impact
The recycling of batteries at Hydrovolt will contribute to the sustainability of the battery industry and help meet emerging European regulations governing batteries, including mandatory recycling targets. The recovery of black mass will reduce dependence on mining for primary raw materials, mitigating associated risks and vulnerabilities.
Future Projections
By 2025, Hydrovolt is expected to produce over 2,000 tonnes of black mass annually from its Fredrikstad facility. This material will undergo hydrometallurgical treatment at Northvolt’s Revolt Ett recycling plant in Skellefteå, Sweden, to be processed into battery-grade material.
