Solar Surge, Storage Demand: Why Renewable Growth Makes Battery Recycling Essential
Global renewable power is set to grow by 4,600 GW by 2030, the equivalent of adding China, the EU and Japan’s total power capacity combined.
The Renewable Boom Is Accelerating
According to the International Energy Agency’s Renewables 2025 report, global renewable electricity capacity is forecast to more than double by 2030. Solar PV will drive around 80% of this growth, supported by faster permitting and low-generation costs. Wind, hydro, bioenergy and geothermal will also expand, with geothermal installations hitting historic highs in markets such as the United States, Indonesia and Japan.
In emerging economies across Asia, the Middle East and Africa, new auction programmes and rising government targets are enabling rapid deployment. India is set to become the second-largest renewables growth market after China.
For Recyclus Group and the broader battery ecosystem, this signals a clear message: the global energy transition is accelerating, and storage will be critical.
Solar Growth Means Storage – and More Batteries
As more variable renewables connect to the grid, the need for energy storage systems (BESS) rises sharply. Solar power peaks during the day, but demand often peaks in the evening – storage bridges this gap.
The IEA highlights growing curtailment and negative pricing events due to grid pressures. As countries respond with new capacity and storage auctions, the deployment of BESS will increase dramatically.
More batteries in the field = more end-of-life batteries in the future.
This creates both a sustainability challenge and an opportunity for circular solutions.
Supply Chain Risks and Critical Mineral Pressure
The IEA warns that over 90% of global solar and rare earth supply chains will remain concentrated in China through 2030. While some diversification is happening, reliance on a single region creates vulnerability for developers and governments.
To reduce risk, the sector must:
• Recover critical minerals domestically.
• Build resilient, circular infrastructure.
• Ensure safe management of end-of-life batteries.
Recycling is not just a waste solution, it is a strategic supply chain necessity.
Policy Shifts and Market Dynamics
Not all regions are growing evenly. The IEA notes that U.S. renewable growth forecasts have been cut by 50% due to tax incentive phase-outs and regulatory shifts, while China’s move from fixed tariffs to auctions has impacted project economics.
However, this is balanced by stronger momentum in Europe, India and emerging markets, where faster permitting and corporate power purchase agreements are expanding renewables at pace. In fact, PPAs, utility contracts and merchant plants will drive 30% of global renewable capacity expansion to 2030, double last year’s share.
Consistency, recycling, and responsible supply are increasingly seen as essential components of long-term project viability.
The Storage and Recycling Challenge
The IEA states that renewables in transport and heat will grow only modestly, but electricity will dominate the transition. EVs, grid storage and industrial batteries will all expand, and each will require safe end-of-life processing.
Key challenges include:
• Safe handling of lithium-ion batteries.
• Fire risk and regulatory compliance.
• Recovery of high-value materials (lithium, nickel, cobalt, copper, manganese).
• Scaling industrial infrastructure.
Without efficient recycling, the sector risks bottlenecks, safety incidents, and material shortages.
Enabling a Circular Renewable Future
Recyclus Group operates at industrial-scale, actively processing significant volumes of end-of-life lithium-ion batteries every day. Through our expanding network of partnerships, we are recovering critical materials and feeding them back into the supply chain.
We work directly with partners across automotive, BESS, insurance and defence sectors, delivering safe, compliant recycling and high-value resource recovery that supports sustainability goals and strengthens supply chain resilience.
Our capabilities include:
• Industrial-scale shredding and separation.
• Black mass recovery for critical minerals.
• Specialist handling of damaged and thermally runaway batteries.
• Innovation in next-generation recycling processes.
• Strategic partnerships and material offtake agreements.
As renewable adoption accelerates, Recyclus provides the missing link: turning end-of-life batteries into a circular, secure supply of materials to power the next generation of clean energy technologies.
Conclusion
The IEA’s forecast makes it clear: renewables are entering a phase of unprecedented growth, dominated by solar PV and supported by energy storage. This surge brings opportunities, but also urgent challenges in supply chains, grid stability, and battery lifecycle management.
Recyclus Group is committed to supporting this transition by delivering safe, scalable, and circular recycling solutions. As global renewable capacity rises, we will continue to recover critical materials, reduce waste, and power the shift to a more sustainable energy system.