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Expert talk: Why Should We Recycle Batteries in Europe? Challenges and Opportunities
Date and time:
March 18th, 2025 from 2 pm – 3 pm
Description:
As Europe approaches 2025, battery recycling becomes increasingly relevant. Stricter regulations and rising consumer awareness about environmental impacts drive the demand for responsible battery disposal. Meanwhile recent advancements in recycling processes, such as scalable hydrometallurgical techniques, enhance recovery rates of valuable materials.
The expert discussion ‘Why Should We Recycle Batteries in Europe? Challenges and Opportunities?‘ on March 18th features leading researchers and industry visionaries. Together we will assess the current state of battery recycling in Europe and identify key technological constraints as well as promising chances to ensure a steady supply of materials for future battery production.
Maximilian Stephan, PhD candidate at the Competence Center Emerging Technologies at Fraunhofer ISI, kicks us off with addressing the critical question: Why do we need battery recycling in Europe? His insights will set the stage for understanding the importance of sustainable practices in the battery industry. Justo Garcia, Head of the Financing Strategy for the Battery project at Orano, will tackle the industry-specific challenges facing battery recycling. His extensive experience in securing funding and managing consortium activities will shed light on the obstacles that need to be overcome to enhance recycling efforts in Europe. Dr. Johannes Woth, expert in electromobility and energy storage at Fraunhofer IWKS, will lead us through the current status of battery recycling in Europe, providing an overview of existing systems and informed visions for the near future.
Our speakers:
Maximilian Stephan studied economics at the University of Heidelberg and business administration and engineering at Pforzheim University and Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences. He gained practical experience through internships at Texas State Capitol and Daimler AG. Since March 2020, he has been with the Competence Center Emerging Technologies at Fraunhofer ISI, becoming a research associate in December 2021 and is now a PhD candidate. His current work focuses on market competition and value chain analyses for battery storage technologies.
Justo Garcia serves as the Head of the Financing Strategy for the Battery project at Orano. He oversees a team dedicated to securing EU and French funding, while also coordinating consortium activities. With over 25 years of experience at Orano Group, Justo has held various roles, including engineering manager, project manager, and head of the R&D department. In 2021, he was elected to the Executive Board of the Batteries European Partnership Association (BEPA), as a representative of the battery recycling industry.
Dr. Johannes Woth is a researcher at the Fraunhofer Research Institution for Materials Recycling and Resource Strategies IWKS in Hanau. Since 2018, he has led projects in battery recycling, focusing on electrochemical testing and mechanical fragmentation of lithium-ion batteries. His team developed a unique recycling process for black mass with high purity output. Additionally, he researches the recycling of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) and completed his PhD at the University of Stuttgart, recovering neodymium from permanent magnets.
Access:
Attendance at the expert talk is free of charge. To participate in the webinar, you only need to register. Sign up now!
Host:
The expert discussion is organised by the European Battery Business Club (EBBC), a unique platform for lifelong learning. The EBBC is hosted by Fraunhofer IFAM, which combines battery expertise with many years of experience in continuing education. The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, based in Germany, is a leading organisation for applied research.
