Fortum, Hydrovolt sign deal on battery material recycling

Fortum Battery Recycling and Hydrovolt, a Nordic battery recycler, have signed an agreement on the delivery of black mass to Fortum’s battery material recycling plant in Finland, said the Finnish majority state-owned energy company Fortum in a press release on Thursday.

The scope of the collaboration includes a cross-Nordic process where first, Hydrovolt mechanically recycles EV batteries at its first industrial plant in Fredrikstad, Norway. After the batteries are crushed and turned into black mass, the material is then shipped to Fortum’s hydrometallurgical plant in Harjavalta for further processing.

At Harjavalta, the cutting-edge hydrometallurgical process recovers valuable and critical metals from the black mass. Eventually the materials are returned to the cycle and are used in the production of new lithium-ion batteries.

“We are excited to have started this partnership with Hydrovolt, another pioneer in the battery recycling industry. It is important to us to work with partners that share the same vision as we do – providing safe, cost-effective, and sustainable services for battery handling. Together, we can drive the battery industry forward with more efficient and sustainable solutions while also promoting Nordic collaboration and knowhow,” said Tero Holländer, Head of Fortum Battery Recycling.

“We are thrilled to enter partnership with an innovative and strong actor such as Fortum Battery Recycling. This collaboration is a great example of how we can create circular solutions paving the way for more sustainable practices in the industry. Together, we set a leading example in the Nordics, championing sustainable battery recycling and closed loop systems for securing critical raw materials,” said Ole-Christen Enger, CEO of Hydrovolt.