Singapore-based SK tes has opened a new lithium battery recycling plant in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The plant has initial capacity to process 10,000 tons of EV batteries annually with the option to double this on an adjacent plot. The output is about 5,000 tons of black mass plus other materials.
The inauguration event on 26 September brought together a range of interest, from the European Commission, Port of Rotterdam and South Korea’s embassy in the Netherlands, as well as SK tes’ clients. Jae-Yeon Cho, head of the SK ecoplant environment unit, said: “We have many global operations in France, Singapore, China and, next year, in Australia as well. Our new Rotterdam facility will be the one showcasing our most advanced battery recycling technologies and processes.”
Thomas Holberg, COO at SK tes, said the facility will meet a complex challenge in a huge market and a vision to close the loop for the supply chain of critical raw materials.
SK tes discharges battery packs before sending the recovered energy back to the grid and rendering them inert. Packs are then dismantled, and materials sorted for recycling. The battery modules are shredded in an inert atmosphere before drying, where the electrolyte is recovered, producing dried scrap which is separated into aluminium, copper and black mass ready for further processing into new batteries. Packs glued together are a particular problem for dismantling, the company said.
The packs are separated into individual chemistry batches. The plant runs at two tons per hour and is restricted by the drier. It has the option of adding a second drier to double capacity. The site can take NMC and NCA chemistries, also NMCA. Initially, it does not treat LFP or LCO but will be able to add these later.
The plant is moving out of commissioning and into ramp-up for full commercial operation, which the company expects to be profitable.
Photo: At the opening ceremony, from left: John Oh, Thomas Holberg, Kerstin Lichtenvort, Jae-Yeon Cho, Hye-Jeong Ahn, Nico van Dooren, Terence Ng and Nivar Fuchs.
