STREAMS research project to examine flexible battery supply chains
The EU-funded project with the long title ‘Sustainable Technologies for Reducing Europe’s bAttery raw MaterialS dependance’ aims to strengthen the European supply chain for battery production by developing flexible and scalable technologies, to reduce dependence on imported raw materials and to promote circular economy approaches in battery production. STREAMS is paying particular attention to the sustainable production of anode and cathode active materials.
“The fragility of current supply chains and the scarcity of critical raw materials pose major challenges for Europe’s battery manufacturers. The focus of European battery production is therefore on securing sustainable supply chains and reducing dependence on critical raw materials such as lithium, nickel and cobalt. The increasing demand for batteries, particularly for electric mobility and renewable energies, has created an acute need to use our own resources more efficiently,” says the AIT press release.
The kick-off event for STREAMS recently took place at the AIT site in Vienna, where representatives from all 19 project partners were present. The four agreed research priorities for the next three years include strengthening the European supply chain, developing comprehensive technological solutions, utilising different material sources (primary and secondary materials) and working on circular economy models.
AIT has taken on the overall coordination of STREAMS, but is also working with the Battery Technologies unit on the development of cathode and anode materials for the more sustainable prototype cells. “The overarching goal is to develop materials and cells that have outstanding electrochemical performance and can ultimately compete with conventional battery systems. In addition, the researchers at AIT optimise environmentally friendly, aqueous slurry formulations for electrode coating and act as a central interface between electrode processing on a laboratory and pilot scale,” the press release states.
“By developing sustainable technologies to integrate and harmonize the production of active cathode and anode materials from primary sources, secondary sources and end-of-life batteries, we are making a significant contribution to strengthening the environmental circularity of the European battery materials ecosystem. At the same time, this promotes strategic autonomy, increases competitiveness and strengthens the resilience of the sector,” says Damian Cupid, AIT Senior Scientist and project leader of STREAMS.
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