Scandinavian firms to recycle lithium-ion batteries

The Swedish battery start-up Northvolt and Norwegian metal producer Hydro have created a joint venture firm, Hydro Volt, that will build a recycling plant in Fredrikstad, Norway, for lithium-ion batteries from electric vehicles. Due to open in 2021, the plant will have initial capacity to crush and sort over 8,000 metric tons of batteries per year. Aluminum from the batteries will be reused by Hydro, and the remaining so-called black mass will be further processed by Northvolt in Västerås, Sweden. Northvolt is also building a large lithium-ion battery factory in Skellefteå, Sweden. The planned Hydro Volt facility marks a step toward Northvolt’s goal of sourcing 50% of its raw materials from recycled batteries by 2030. The Norwegian Automobile Importers’ Association estimates that electric vehicles will command a 55–60% market share in Norway in 2020, more than in any other country. Lithium-ion batteries from electric cars typically run for 10 years or more before performance fades and they need replacing.