Gigafactory firm Britishvolt has formed a joint venture to recycle the batteries it will make at its planned plant in Northumberland.
The company will work with strategic partner Glencore to set up a battery recycling plant at the Britannia Refined Metals plant in Northfleet, Kent, which will secure existing jobs at that site and create new posts.
The facility - which is expected to be operational by 2023 - will process all of Britishvolt’s scrap materials from the plant at Cambois. It will be powered by renewable energy, and will also look to develop additional recycling facilities.
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Britishvolt said it hoped the venture would create a “a genuinely circular economy that supplies recycled materials and minerals back into the battery supply chain”. It said the project would research ways of making it easier to recycle batteries for electric vehicles.
Timon Orlob, global chief operating officer at Britishvolt, said: “This exciting project adds much to our existing relationship with Glencore supplying Britishvolt with responsibly-sourced cobalt.
“Recycling is key to a successful energy transition and has always been a major part of Britishvolt business model. We’ve been looking for the perfect partner to help kick start a UK battery recycling industry and FTSE100-listed Glencore has expert historical experience in recycling.
“This JV will help us both to create a truly sustainable battery value-chain, create jobs and develop new battery recycling technologies. Both Britishvolt and Glencore are fully committed to reducing carbon across the supply chain.”
Britishvolt is hoping to cerate 3,000 jobs at a plant being built on the former coal yards of the old Blyth Power Station.
It has secured a grant worth tens of millions of pounds from the Government’s Automotive Transformation Fund, which in turn unlocked funding of £1.7bn from investment groups Tritax and Abrdn.
David Brocas, head cobalt trader at Glencore, said: “We are excited to deepen our partnership with Britishvolt. Both companies are united in their ambition to further the energy and mobility transition. Glencore has decades of recycling experience across multiple disciplines (e-waste/copper scrap/battery).
“This recycling partnership complements our long-term supply agreement for responsible cobalt from our operations in Norway and the Democratic Republic of Congo. We believe the opportunity to utilise BRM’s operations as a cutting-edge battery recycling facility will help support the development of a UK battery recycling industry.
“It will also play a part in furthering the UK’s climate ambitions as well as Glencore’s as we work towards net zero total emissions by 2050.”
