ABM Q4 - Flipbook - Page 14
OPI N I O N
EV
Closing the loop: The
future of the battery
→ John Jaddou is global director, new business development at Orbia Fluor & Energy Materials
A
s manufacturers race
to scale EV production,
securing reliable access
to battery materials is as
important as innovating
the batteries themselves.
The next phase will depend
not only on performance
improvements, but on how
effectively manufacturers can recover,
recycle, and reuse critical materials.
While critical minerals such as
lithium, cobalt and graphite are mined
globally, much of the world's battery
material processing capacity remains
concentrated in a limited number of
regions. As geopolitical uncertainty and
demand continue to grow, manufacturers
are focused on regional sourcing and
circular economy initiatives.
The companies making the greatest
progress consider manufacturability,
supply chains, testing strategies, and
end-use requirements from the outset.
As new cell and battery plants come
online, scaling production generates
significant scrap, from electrode trim and
off-specification cells to entire modules,
that must be recovered alongside endof-life batteries for full circularity.
The battery boom
Achieving the desired balance of energy
density, charging speed, durability, and
cost requires a holistic approach, where
materials are designed to work together
as part of an integrated system.
Electrolytes, for example, illustrate
how closely battery performance and
supply chain resilience are connected.
Manufacturers require highly specialised
formulations tailored to specific battery
chemistries, but access can be affected
by global production concentration and
long supply chains.
Developing regional sources will
become increasingly important for
reducing risk and supporting production
at scale.
14
AUTOMOTIVE BUSINESS
Q4 2026
The same thinking applies at the
end of a battery's life. Recovering and
reintroducing valuable materials can
help diversify sources of supply while
reducing dependence on newly mined
materials. New cell plants commonly
scrap 15% to 30% of output in their early
years, and industry analysts expect
manufacturing scrap to remain the
primary feedstock for recycling until
around 2030, when retired EV volumes
begin to overtake it.
Recycled materials
By keeping critical high-quality materials
in close circulation, not only is waste
reduced, but so is dependence on one
concentrated source of supply.
Graphite is the primary material used
in most battery anodes and can account
for around 30% of a battery's weight.
The value of recycled graphite extends
beyond environmental benefits.
The global supply chain remains heavily
concentrated in China, where more
than 95% of the world’s battery-grade
graphite is controlled. By recovering
and refining graphite from production
scrap and end-of-life batteries, valuable
material can be kept in circulation.
At Orbia Fluor & Energy Materials,
recycled graphite forms part of a
broader strategy to advance battery
circularity, supporting the transition to a
more sustainable value chain.
Anode electrode fabrication alone
discards roughly to 15% of coated foil as
graphite-rich scrap, and a closed-loop
unit installed at the end of a coating line
can recover more than 95% of that and
return it directly to electrode production.
Looking ahead
For OEMs, circularity is increasingly
becoming a commercial issue as well
as an environmental one. As demand
scales, circularity will become a vital cog
in the machine supporting the long-term
growth of the EV market.
