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Towards Sustainable Battery Production – Turning Industrial Waste Streams into Battery-Grade Silicon

The demand for high-purity silicon in battery manufacturing is growing rapidly, yet its conventional production methods put heavy strain on the environment. At the same time, various industrial sectors generate large amounts of underutilized silicon-rich by-products, such as brewers’ grain husks and geosilica from geothermal energy production.

The new international BATTSi project (Valorization of Industrial Waste Streams for Battery Grade Silicon), coordinated by Centria University of Applied Sciences, aims to address this challenge.

Project leader: Egidija Rainosalo

 

 

The project develops novel technologies to convert silicon-containing industrial side streams into battery-grade silicon, suitable for use in lithium-ion battery anodes. The initiative supports the green transition, reduces dependence on virgin raw materials, and creates new business opportunities, particularly for companies operating in Northern regions.

BATTSi will produce a comprehensive roadmap for technology transfer and commercialization, supported by pilot actions and databases of testing services. The project will also assess the environmental impact and scalability of the technologies developed. It brings together research institutions, SMEs, and large industrial partners from Finland, Iceland, Ireland, and Sweden.

Partners include the University of Eastern Finland, the University of Iceland, the University of Limerick, and Luleå University of Technology. Industry collaboration includes partners such as Terrafame, Anora Group, and Iceland’s HS Orka. MACON Ltd will lead commercialization planning and stakeholder analysis.

The final outputs – technical guidelines, policy briefs, and training materials – will be shared with companies and public authorities to support the adoption of circular and sustainable solutions in the battery value chain. BATTSi directly supports the European Green Deal, Finland’s Battery Strategy, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, especially by promoting the reuse of materials and industrial waste valorization.

Financed by: Interreg NPA

Project Budget:  1,53 m€

Start Date: 01.03.2025

Finish Date: 29.02.2028

See further details

Centria University of Applied Sciences (Finland)
-Lead coordinator; responsible for project management, technology piloting, and material testing

University of Eastern Finland (Finland)
– Specializes in silicon recovery and development of anode materials

University of Iceland (Iceland)
– Responsible for purification of geothermal silica and lifecycle analysis

        Associate Partners

University of Limerick (Ireland)
– Leads electrochemical testing of silicon anodes

Luleå University of Technology (Sweden)
– Conducts techno-economic assessments and resource efficiency analyses

MACON Ltd (Finland)
– In charge of commercialization planning, market analysis, and stakeholder engagement

 

Partner at the University of Iceland
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