Northvolt’s and Hyrdo’s battery recycling joint venture, Hydrovolt, has officially started commercial recycling operations in Fredrikstad, southern Norway.
Hydrovolt’s electric vehicle battery plant can process approximately 12,000 tons of battery packs per year, which equates to around 25,000 EV batteries. They have invested NOK 120 million into the plant through the joint project.
The plant is expected to be powered by 100% renewable energy, which is specifically designed for crushing and sorting batteries. The process design is meant to maximise recovery of materials that are found within the plant, including a dust collection system which ensures the capture of material that is typically lost.
Hydrovolt CEO Fredrik Andresen has said: “Norway has long been a global leader in electric car adoption. At the start of 2021, we became the first country in the world in which over half of all new cars sold are electric. We should therefore also aim to be world-leading in recycling the used car batteries, when the electric cars reach their end-of-life.”
“Batteries play a key role in the world’s transition to renewable energy. Through Hydrovolt, we are laying the foundations for a circular supply chain for batteries in Europe” stated Arvid Moss, Executive Vice President for Energy and Corporate Development in Hydro.
The operator and supplier of the batteries, Batteriretur, will be located adjacent to the new Hydrovolt plant, with the operations being closely integrated with the already existing business.
Hydro and Northvolt formed their partnership Hydrovolt in the summer of 2020 and in November 2020, Hydrovolt received NOK 43.5 million from the Norwegian government to support clean energy and climate efforts.
The facility is set to be one of the most technologically advanced of its kind in the world, with a promising future of expansion.
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