Sunday, June 1, 2025
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
  • Terms & Conditions
Environmental Magazine
Advertisement
  • Home
  • News
  • Climate Change
  • Energy
  • Recycling
  • Air
  • Fossil Fuels
  • Water
No Result
View All Result
Environmental Magazine
  • Home
  • News
  • Climate Change
  • Energy
  • Recycling
  • Air
  • Fossil Fuels
  • Water
No Result
View All Result
Environmental Magazine
No Result
View All Result
Home News

UK’s first at-scale EV battery recycling and refining plant begins construction in Plymouth

April 23, 2025
in News
A A

Lithium-ion battery recycling technology firm Altilium says it has commenced construction of the UK’s first at-scale EV battery recycling facility with integrated chemical refining capabilities, located in Plymouth, Devon.

The group claims a first in the UK in terms of the production of new battery cells from recycled materials. “The groundbreaking ACT 3 scale-up plant will place the UK at the forefront of sustainable battery materials production.”

The facility will have the capacity to recover critical battery minerals, including lithium, nickel and graphite, from 24,000 EVs per year. Using Altilium’s proprietary EcoCathode™ process, battery scrap will be recycled into nickel Mixed Hydroxide Precipitate (MHP) and lithium sulphate — critical intermediate materials for domestic production of battery cathodes.

Construction work at the 4-acre site has already begun, with engineering design work being completed by global engineering consultancy Hatch. The plant will provide important learnings around materials handling, scalability and process optimisation, as well as sustainability and environmental compliance, as part of a scale-up pathway the firm has laid out (see below), which culminates in construction of a planned mega-scale refinery later this decade.

Currently the UK is dependent on the international market for supply of critical battery materials, which are essential for decarbonisation and the energy transition. With growing demand from the battery production sector, the UK is expected to need up to 40% of current global lithium production and up 30% of current global graphite production by 2030, according to research by the UK Critical Minerals Intelligence Centre (CMIC).

By developing a circular economy for EV batteries, Altiliium is ensuring the UK has a secure and sustainable domestic supply chain for these materials, while reducing our reliance on imported resources and cutting carbon emissions.

Dr Christian Marston, Altilium COO, commented: “Our ACT 3 site marks the next phase in Altilium’s mission to close the loop on battery materials here in Britain. We are proud to be building this scale-up facility here in Plymouth, which will be a cornerstone of the UK’s EV battery supply chain. This is about taking a strategic and incremental approach to scaling a vital new industry, one that ensures value stays in the country and creates long-term skilled green jobs.”

While battery recycling in the UK has to date focused primarily on shredding batteries and black mass production, Altilium says it is pioneering the next step: keeping valuable battery metals like lithium and nickel in the UK through advanced hydrometallurgical refining. “This approach ensures local job creation and a resilient supply of battery-grade materials for the UK’s growing EV and gigafactory sectors.”

Altilium’s proprietary EcoCathode™ process boasts a 95% recovery rate for critical minerals like lithium, nickel, and cobalt, and a 99% recovery rate for graphite. This method is said to result in a 24% reduction in emissions compared to conventional hydrometallurgical recycling processes.

 

ShareTweetSharePinSendShare

Related Articles

News

Thames Water receives £122.7m fine in reported sewage spills crackdown

May 28, 2025
News

Net zero report sets out path to cut carbon and costs for small firms

May 28, 2025
News

Scotland can reach Net Zero by 2045 but needs to step up the pace, says CCC

May 27, 2025
News

1.5°C Paris target too high for polar ice sheets, says new study

May 20, 2025
News

Traffic noise: Time to get serious?

May 20, 2025
News

Research will investigate risk of hidden microbial impact on CO2 storage

May 18, 2025

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recommended

Boiling tap water helps remove microplastics, says study

February 29, 2024

IRA’s Solar for All Program Will Install Nearly 1 Million Systems in US

April 23, 2024

Don't miss it

Energy

Gila River Tribes Intend to Float Solar Panels on a Reservoir. Could the Technology Help the Colorado River?

June 1, 2025
Fossil Fuels

U.S. Steel Is a Major Source of Pollution in Pennsylvania. Will Its Sale Lock in Emissions for Another Generation?

May 30, 2025
Activism

Trump Executive Orders Violate Young People’s Rights to a Stable Climate, a Lawsuit Alleges

May 30, 2025
Fossil Fuels

Supreme Court Backs a Controversial Railroad in Utah for Carrying Oil

May 29, 2025
Energy

Clean Energy Project Cancellations Top $14 Billion So Far in 2025

May 29, 2025
Energy

What Will Tariffs Do to the Energy Economy? Here Are Three Scenarios

May 29, 2025
Environmental Magazine

Environmental Magazine, Latest News, Opinions, Analysis Environmental Magazine. Follow us for more news about Enviroment and climate change from all around the world.

Learn more

Sections

  • Activism
  • Air
  • Climate Change
  • Energy
  • Fossil Fuels
  • News
  • Uncategorized
  • Water

Topics

Activism Air Climate Change Energy Fossil Fuels News Uncategorized Water

Recent News

Gila River Tribes Intend to Float Solar Panels on a Reservoir. Could the Technology Help the Colorado River?

June 1, 2025

U.S. Steel Is a Major Source of Pollution in Pennsylvania. Will Its Sale Lock in Emissions for Another Generation?

May 30, 2025

© 2023 Environmental Magazine. All rights reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Climate Change
  • Energy
  • Recycling
  • Air
  • Fossil Fuels
  • Water

© 2023 Environmental Magazine. All rights reserved.

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.