16/09/2025

RELiEF on the Road: Advancing the European Lithium Battery Value Chain

Our RELiEF partners continue to highlight the project’s latest research and progress at conferences and meetings throughout Europe.

12th International Conference on Sustainable Solid Waste Management – Paphos, Cyprus

From June 25 to 28, 2025, Eduardo Mateus and Alexandra Ribeiro from NOVA University Lisbon went to Paphos, Cyprus, to participate in the 12th International Conference on Sustainable Solid Waste Management (CYPRUS2025). Eduardo Mateus had the opportunity present the work titled “Evaluating Energy Consumption in the Electrodialytic Recovery of Lithium from Mineral Sources”, authored by Carolina Pires, Joana Almeida, Haroldo Ponte, Eduardo P. Mateus, M. K. Lenzi and Alexandra B. Ribeiro.

“This was a great opportunity to present scientific results obtained within the scope of the RELiEF Project, and to interact and network with colleagues from all over the world,” remarks Alexandra Ribeiro, who is an International Scientific Committee member of the conference.

Visit of BLC – The Battery Lifecycle Company GmbH – Magdeburg, Germany

As part of the RELiEF project's “roadshow” to map and advance the European lithium battery value chain, TechConcepts recently had the privilege of visiting Europe’s largest recycling player: BLC – The Battery Lifecycle Company GmbH in Magdeburg, Germany. It is a joint venture between Rhenus Automotive and TSR Automotive GmbH, is dedicated to managing the entire life cycle of vehicle batteries with a core focus on repair, reuse, and recycling. They provide automobile manufacturers with comprehensive solutions for giving electric vehicle (EV) batteries a new lease on life.

Previously operating from a site in Rheda-Wiedenbrück, Germany, since 2024 BLC – The Battery Lifecycle Company GmbH has unveiled a new facility in Magdeburg. This state-of-the-art centre has an annual processing capacity of up to 15,000 tonnes of batteries - approximately six times the capacity of their previous site. This establishes it as one of the largest facilities of its kind in Europe.

Extending the Battery Life Cycle: The Service Concept

Our visit highlighted their holistic approach, which is perfectly aligned with the circular economy goals central to the RELiEF project. Their service concept is designed to maximize the value and utility of the critical raw materials for batteries through:

Repair: Restoring batteries to their original function.
2nd Life / 2nd Use: Preparing batteries for less demanding secondary applications, such as energy storage.
Disassembly & Pre-Treatment: Safely and efficiently breaking down battery packs to prepare them for subsequent recycling processes.

A Glimpse into the Future of Recycling

The focus will be on enhancing efficiency, safety, and scalability through innovation. Key areas of development include:

An increased grade of automation throughout their processes.
Automated deep-discharging of batteries to improve safety handling.
Automated diagnosis of batteries to swiftly determine the optimal pathway for repair, reuse, or recycling.

This visit provided the RELiEF project with insight into the rapid scaling of industrial battery recycling capacity in Europe. Companies like BLC – The Battery Lifecycle Company GmbH are critical partners in building a resilient, sustainable, and circular battery ecosystem, turning today's end-of-life EV batteries into tomorrow's valuable resources.

By taking part in these European events, RELiEF continues to support innovation in sustainable lithium extraction and the development of a circular, low-carbon future.

CYPRUS2025

Visit of BLC