In mid-September 2023, the start-up cylib in Aachen launched its proprietary pilot line for sustainable battery recycling of lithium-ion batteries. For the first time, all elements, including raw materials such as lithium and graphite, can be recovered. The project is supported, among others, by the state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW). An EU grant, with advisory support from the ZENIT funding team, also contributed to the implementation.

According to CEO and co-founder Lilian Schwich, the pilot plant has introduced a unique benchmark technology for battery recycling in Germany. From now on, cylib has a daily recycling capacity of 500 kg, and plans for an industrial-scale facility capable of recycling several thousand tons per year are already underway. With rising demand for battery raw materials and an estimated need for 2.1 million tons of recycling capacity by 2040, cylib's proprietary recycling process strengthens Europe's independence from raw material imports.

"Our 35 employees are tackling this challenge head-on," adds CTO and co-founder Paul Sabarny. Despite growing demand, import dependencies, and increasing regulatory pressure, the efficiency of raw material recovery in battery recycling remains low. However, cylib, founded in 2022 as a spin-off from RWTH Aachen, has developed the right technology to enable truly sustainable recycling of batteries.

The innovative end-to-end recycling plant in Aachen marks the first step toward industrial implementation of cylib's process, which allows the recovery of all elements contained in batteries, such as cobalt, nickel, and copper. Thanks to the proprietary process, lithium and graphite recovery is water-based and requires no chemicals.

NRW.Europa Support

Cylib received a small grant for an important component in the process—an air classifier—through ZENIT's advisory services for the EU project Waste 2 Profit. This initiative supports circular economy companies in the Maas-Rhine region, covering parts of Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium. In North Rhine-Westphalia, EFA NRW and ZENIT are involved in the project. Insights into the funded projects under Waste 2 Profit, which concluded in December 2023, were shared during the final event on December 6 in Roermond.

Contact for NRW.Europa:
ZENIT GmbH / Enterprise Europe Network
North Rhine-Westphalia NRW.Europa
Benno Weißner
Phone: 0208 30004-59
Email: Benno.Weissner@zenit.eu

Company Contact:
www.cylib.de

If you're looking for support options for your innovative project, the NRW.Europa team is the right place to start—whether it's regional, federal, or EU funding programs.

#Batteries
#Energie
#Sustainablity
#Recyling