Behind the Battery Boom: A Growing Case for Circularity

As global electrification gathers momentum, a critical yet under-addressed challenge is emerging in the background.

The global battery market is booming, expected to nearly double in value by 2030, reaching $431 billion, with lithium-ion technologies leading the charge (Research & Markets, Battery Market Report 2025).

EVs, home energy storage systems, smart grids, and consumer electronics all rely heavily on batteries integrated into daily life. However, despite substantial investment in battery production, insufficient focus is directed toward their end-of-life management.

A Ticking Clock in the Energy Transition

With electrification scaling at pace, the numbers are staggering. Millions of electric vehicles are hitting the roads, backed by ambitious policy mandates and public demand.

At the same time, decentralised energy storage, from solar panels to battery farms, is seeing exponential growth across Europe, the US, and Asia. Each advancement is a win for sustainability, but it comes with a caveat: these systems rely on critical raw materials that are finite, volatile in price, and often extracted under ethical scrutiny.

The pinch is already being felt. New tariff structures on cobalt, nickel, and advanced battery components are disrupting global supply chains, forcing manufacturers to localise operations and rethink raw material strategy.

A Circular Solution for a Linear Problem

Operational since July 2023, Recyclus Group’s lithium-ion facility in Wolverhampton is purpose-built to address this market gap. Using advanced, IP-protected technologies, we recover valuable materials like lithium, nickel, cobalt, and manganese, generating black mass for re-entry into the battery materials supply chain.

By offering safe, scalable recycling infrastructure, we provide battery producers, EV manufacturers, and energy providers with an alternative to unsustainable landfill or overseas disposal.

As Europe tightens regulation on battery end-of-life treatment and OEMs face mounting pressure to comply with EPR frameworks, Recyclus is already playing a pivotal role in supporting this shift toward circularity.

Beyond Compliance: Recycling as Strategic Advantage

Forward-looking businesses are now viewing recycling not as a cost centre, but as a strategic differentiator.

The ability to recover and reuse battery-grade materials offers:

• Price stability in an era of raw material volatility.
  
• ESG credibility as customers and investors demand transparency.
  
• Regulatory readiness in anticipation of tightening EU and UK circular economy mandates.
  
• Operational resilience in response to supply chain shocks and geopolitical tensions.

Recyclus is actively engaged with key industry partners to help deliver these outcomes as regulatory and market demands evolve.

Towards a Sustainable Future

The numbers speak for themselves. The global energy transition is a story of innovation, but also one of responsibility. As batteries become more embedded in our lives, so too must our commitment to managing them sustainably.

Recyclus Group was built to meet that challenge head-on.
We’re not just part of the battery revolution, we’re making sure it’s built to last.