Nils Steinbrecher, Managing Director of SK Tes Sustainable Battery Solutions at the International Automotive Recycling Congress (IARC), 2022.
The SK Tes Sustainable Battery Solutions team joined other leading experts in the field of automotive recycling at the IARC in Basel, Switzerland - on July 5th and 7th. Steinbrecher highlighted the company’s efforts to drive innovation in the automotive recycling sector. The event brought together industry leaders to discuss the future of sustainable battery solutions, emphasizing responsible recycling practices for a greener, more efficient future.
Here is the video interview with Nils Steinbrecher:
The interview discusses the battery recycling market, challenges, and SK Tes developments and plans.
Could you summarize SK Tes’ battery recycling operations and recent developments?
Our headquarters are in Singapore, and we operate globally, applying expertise from Asia to Europe and China. Recently, we won a large grant to establish a battery recycling facility in Australia and opened our new Rotterdam battery recycling facility.
Additionally, SK ecoplant acquired TES (now SK Tes), accelerating our investments in EV battery recycling significantly.
Do you see particular potential for automotive batteries in Europe?
Yes, absolutely. The automotive sector is driving giga-factories, but these might face challenges due to high production scrap rates. Europe’s recycling capacity must scale to meet demand.
End-of-life EV batteries last longer than expected—often 10 to 20 years—impacting recycling predictions. Over 90% of future battery recycling is expected to come from the automotive sector.
Are there other battery sectors you are focusing on?
Yes, including commercial vehicles, utilities, and energy storage solutions for data centers. The rise of renewables also drives demand for long-term battery storage.
Second-life batteries are another focus. Automotive batteries, designed for rapid charge/discharge cycles, are ideal for repurposing.
How does SK group’s technology complement your capabilities?
SK group is the sixth-largest battery producer globally and offers expertise in second-life energy storage and process technology.
With their support, we may enhance our hydrometallurgical recycling process in Rotterdam to recover more active materials, moving up the value chain for higher-quality battery materials.
What are your plans for sales and development?
We aim to expand into Eastern and Southern Europe while collaborating with SK on further investments, including projects in the US.
Events like this conference help us connect with clients and advance our initiatives.
Get in touch with SK Tes about your battery recycling projects today.
Advancing EV Battery Recycling: Insights from IARC 2021
SK Tes shares insights into EV treatment and recycling with policymakers and manufacturers. ICBR, hosted in Geneva, provides a platform to discuss challenges in battery recycling.
You can download the slide deck here: (R)eUse, (R)epurposing, (R)ecycling, (R)ecovery – Where are we in terms of lithium-ion batteries?
The global demand for EV batteries is expected to rise 14-fold by 2030, emphasizing the need to close the recycling loop.
To meet this demand, SK Tes is investing in a global network of sustainable battery recycling facilities:
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