Sustainable processing and refining of raw materials to produce battery grade Li-ion battery materials (Batt4EU Partnership)
Programme Category
Programme Name
Programme Description
Horizon Europe is the European Union (EU) funding programme for the period 2021 – 2027, which targets the sectors of research and innovation. The programme’s budget is around € 95.5 billion, of which € 5.4 billion is from NextGenerationEU to stimulate recovery and strengthen the EU’s resilience in the future, and € 4.5 billion is additional aid.
Identifier Code
Call
Summary
Projects are expected to demonstrate the cost-effective, safe and sustainable production of at least one of the following end products:
- Metals and precursors suitable for batteries.
- Active electrode materials.The raw materials in scope are limited to lithium, cobalt, graphite, nickel, manganese and phosphorus.
Detailed Call Description
The proposed processes need to be ready for large-scale adoption, using at least one of the following source materials:
- Primary: Refining of raw materials sourced from ores, brine, or other mineral-bearing resources, using processes tailored to raw materials originating from the EU (or countries associated to Horizon Europe);
- Secondary, such as mining waste, tailings, sludges and slags (for Ni, Co), intermediate products of end-of-life processes (e.g., black mass), manufacturing scraps, and wastewater from processing.
Mining and mechanical recycling processes of battery cells, modules and packs are out of scope for this topic. The use of waste batteries and battery manufacturing waste which require mechanical (pre-)treatment is also out of scope.
Integration of produced electrode materials into cell production is out of scope, but validation of functionality and quality of the processed materials is within the scope.
Whenever the expected exploitation of project results entails developing, creating, manufacturing and marketing a product or process, or in creating and providing a service, the plan for the exploitation and dissemination of results must include a strategy for such exploitation. The exploitation plans are expected to include preliminary plans for scalability, commercialisation, and deployment (feasibility study, business plan) indicating the possible funding sources to be potentially used (in particular the Innovation Fund).
Proposals are expected to evaluate the social acceptance of the proposed sustainable business models, by consulting and involving actors directly affected by the planned processing activities. Proposals should demonstrate the potential of the proposed solutions to reduce environmental and social barriers to the deployment of new production facilities.
Call Total Budget
Financing percentage by EU or other bodies / Level of Subsidy or Loan
70%
Expected EU contribution per project: €10.00 million
Thematic Categories
- Energy
- Environment and Climate Change
- Information and Communication Technologies
- Processing
- Research, Technological Development and Innovation
- Small-Medium Enterprises and Competitiveness
Eligibility for Participation
- Educational Institutions
- Legal Entities
- Natual person / Citizen / Individual
- NGOs
- Non Profit Organisations
- Other Beneficiaries
- Private Bodies
- Producer Associations
- Researchers/Research Centers/Institutions
- Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
- Training Centres
Eligibility For Participation Notes
The Joint Research Centre (JRC) may participate as member of the consortium selected for funding.
The following exceptions apply: subject to restrictions for the protection of European communication networks.
To increase EU resilience in raw materials supply chains and thus reduce the serious risk to the Union’s strategic assets, economic and societal interests, autonomy and security associated with the current EU reliance on a few third countries for critical raw materials, by increasing sustainable and responsible sourcing of primary and secondary raw materials necessary to enable the green and digital transition and in alignment with the Communication (2020) 474 on Critical Raw Materials Resilience and the Critical Raw Materials Act[[Regulation (EU) 2024/1252 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 April 2024 establishing a framework for ensuring a secure and sustainable supply of critical raw materials and amending Regulations (EU) No 168/2013, (EU) 2018/858, (EU) 2018/1724 and (EU) 2019/1020 (OJ L, 2024/1252, 3.5.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1252/oj).]], participation in this topic is limited to legal entities established in Member States, associated countries, OECD countries, African Union Member States, MERCOSUR, CARIFORUM, Andean Community and countries with which the EU has concluded strategic partnerships on raw materials[[Raw materials diplomacy – European Commission (europa.eu)]] as well as trade (or association/economic partnership or equivalent, including the new Clean Trade and Investment Partnerships) agreements containing raw materials cooperation provisions (i.e. Energy and Raw materials chapters)[[https://policy.trade.ec.europa.eu/eu-trade-relationships-country-and-region/negotiations-and- agreements_en]].The choice of these countries was made taking into consideration the development of strategic international partnerships on raw materials and avoidance of reinforcing existing over-dependencies, as well as the importance of involving partners committed to pursuing open trade in such materials. Proposals including legal entities which are not established in the countries that fall under the criteria above will be ineligible.
Call Opening Date
Call Closing Date
National Contact Point(s)
Research and Innovation Foundation
Address: 29a Andrea Michalakopoulou, 1075 Nicosia, P.B. 23422, 1683 Nicosia
Telephone: +357 22205000
Fax: +357 22205001
Email: support@research.org.cy
Website: https://www.research.org.cy/en/
Persons to Contact:
Mr. Christakis Theocharous
Scientific Officer A’
Email: ctheocharous@research.org.cy
Mr. George Christou
Scientific Officer
Email: gchristou@research.org.cy