Public Funding for G. & P. Batteries Limited

This ABACUS project is directly aligned with the research challenge of preserving the value of products at end-of-life and keeping them in productive use for longer. The consortium is led by Jaguar Land Rover and includes G+P Batteries, Potenza Technology and the University of Warwick – WMG. The ABACUS project aims to achieve a waste stream reduction of 50%-70% through new business models and new innovative approaches to battery system design that (a) support the in-service life of the battery and (b) extend its productive life beyond first vehicle installation. The project will define the complete value chain for the battery. It will identify key breakpoints, for example when it is economical to service, test, recover, remanufacture and redeploy the battery. The project will address the strategic need for accurate and easily obtained data for driving commercial decisions that are economically viable and environmentally sustainable. For the first time, strategic circular economy principles such as prevention, modularity, re-purposing and re-manufacture will be embedded with traditional automotive targets for reduced product cost, weight and volume.

The UK Battery Waste Regulations now in force is increasing the volume of battery waste required to be recycled. Project ReCharge sets out to utilise this resource to improve the supply of Zinc, Nickel, Lithium and other metals presently going to landfill or being exported as waste. The UK has no battery waste treatment facilities at present for some battery types. This project will establish a low energy method of utilising this waste stream. ReCharge will use known industrial biotechnology processes to extract and concentrate the metals contained within various portable battery types. This process enables biological extraction from high metal content wastes, it has to compete economically with present smelting technologies. The project aims to economically recover metals from battery waste; by cultivating micro-organisms, optimising growth and recovering the metals produced. The technology will be exploited through a licenced UK waste processing company.

OXIS Energy Ltd. is currently in the process of designing and developing a prototype battery module incorporating OXIS Energy’s proprietary Lightweight Polymer Lithium Sulphur (Li-S) electrochemistry. This breakthrough battery technology has the potential to replace Li-ion batteries as the main battery technology in electric vehicles. The feasibility study aims to determine: i) whether there are viable possibilities for finding second life applications for the new battery chemistry of Polymer Lithium Sulphur, once a battery is no longer suitable for its first intended use as an electric vehicle battery; ii) the viability of a recycling process that will meet European recycling efficiency standards (currently 50%) once the Lithium Sulphur batteries do reach the end of their useful life and are declared waste.

This project will aim to answer the following questions: • Is there a business case for putting used car batteries on the national grid? • Is it technically feasible? • Is it financially viable ? • What risks are involved and how should these be managed? • If there is a business case then what is the road map for exploitation? • The consortium is made up of members from across the supply chain from source to end user and is therefore uniquely placed to address these issues.

RECONIF is a collaborative research project which has developed an innovative approach to the recovery of nickel from waste as exampled by filter cakes, used batteries and other renewable feedstocks. A patented process has been developed which combines the use of novel ionic-liquid based extraction to dissolve nickel from feedstock, in conjunction with integrated electrochemical recovery technology. This innovative development has taken the selective recovery of nickel beyond current chemical and physical-based state-of-the-art solutions. The developed RECONIF process utilises a hydrophobic task-specific ionic liquid exhibiting selective solubility towards metal oxides and hydroxides and which upon subsequent acidification’ with ‘phase switching task specific ionic liquid (TSIL) which enables nickel to be selectively released upon subsequent acidification from which recovery via electrowinning may be effected with the ionic liquid being reused for subsequent extractions.