ProtectLiB, a spin-off company from the University of Graz, has developed a compact system for recycling lithium-ion batteries from electric vehicles.
The aim of this innovation is to enable the on-site recycling of valuable raw materials in a cost-effective and environmentally friendly manner.
The first prototype is already completed and ready for use on the university campus.
At present, the project is focused on car batteries. Mobile phone or laptop batteries are “excluded for now,” suggesting that the scope of the project may be expanded in the future.
The initiative was launched by Jürgen Abraham, Tobias Kopp, and Chris Pichler, who are now working on the solution as part of a spin-off company from the University of Graz, based in the UniCorn start-up incubator, under the “ProtectLiB” project.
There, they developed the compact recycling plant, which is the size of a container.
“We can separate lithium, cobalt, and nickel from the liquid electrolytes. Unlike current processes, this can be done without heat,” explains Kopp.
According to him, this offers a significant advantage for customers, as the residual materials are no longer hazardous, and subsequent processing and transport are considerably more economical.
The first customer is also located “in the south of Graz.”
Kopp states: “Battery prototypes for transport are being developed there. In the future, ProtectLiB’s technology will enable the company to recycle them directly on-site.”
In a LinkedIn post, the project initiators highlighted three key takeaways:
- Original equipment manufacturers produce batteries globally, but recycling is local, which presents particular challenges, such as the granularity of the specified contents.
- The digital battery passport will only improve sustainability and circularity if it is implemented correctly and access privileges are defined sensibly.
- The initiators assert that it is necessary to clarify who is responsible for the accuracy of the collected data, who has access to it, and for how long.
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