Car Sustainability Goes Through Battery Recycling

The electrification of the auto sector is affecting all car manufacturers which, despite the pandemic and the collapse in sales, are heavily investing in the production of more sustainable cars. But sustainability also passes through the use of construction materials according to the principle of the circular economy and therefore the components must follow the recycling of materials. In Italy, Midac will be at the forefront in the production of car batteries through the recycling of exhausted ones, as reported by the northeast economy.

With a total investment of 104 million euros, the company Midac will be able to produce its own lithium batteries with the reuse of raw materials deriving from recycling of exhausted batteries, in accordance with the principles of the circular economy.

In the Europe crossed by the pandemic there is an industry that continues to invest and create jobs: that of lithium-ion batteries. By facilitating the transition from fossil fuels to cleaner energy, this supply chain fully responds to the ambitious European goal of the Green Deal, which aims at climate neutrality in 2050.

To support this strategic sector, the European Commission has given the green light to the second tranche of funding for Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEI) on new batteries generation (2.9 billion euros), attributed after careful selection to 42 European companies in the sector.

One of these is Midac Batteries Spa has obtained the green light for the development of three innovative projects relating to the production, reuse and sustainable management of the end of life of lithium batteries.

These projects will allow the company to build the first integrated lithium battery production plant in Italy, for a total investment of 104 million euros. The company will thus be able to produce its own lithium batteries with the reuse of raw materials deriving from the recycling of exhausted batteries, in accordance with the principles of the circular economy, thus ensuring compliance with Midac's "green" philosophy.

In particular, the first project concerns the process of selecting and recovering batteries at the end of their life, which allows the non-reusable ones to be sent to a recycling plant with a capacity equal to 30,000 tons / year and to use those still functioning in less demanding applications. In this way, the batteries can live a second life, reducing the environmental impact and increasing the percentages of materials recovered from 60% to over 90%.

The recycling and reuse activities will be developed in collaboration with partner companies, including Enel X.

The second project concerns the development of a new cell production plant based on third and fourth generation technology, which allow faster recharging, greater autonomy and safety . These will then be destined for the new battery assembly department in Soave and in Cremona to be used in automotive, Material Handling and reserve power applications.

The third project is related to the development of battery management electronics, which, thanks to the help of artificial intelligence, will allow to extend their life. The batteries will also be equipped with IoT systems to facilitate their use by end customers.

The construction plan for the new plant, lasting a total of 7 years, represents an unrepeatable opportunity for the company and for the entire Italian and European sector to gain a leading role in the lithium-ion storage technology sector, and to develop, also in Europe, the entire technological chain that revolves around this so strategic technology.

Automatic translation. We apologize for any inaccuracies. Original article in Italian.

By nordesteconomia