On 18-20 November 2025, the BATRAW consortium met in Pamplona and Bilbao (Spain) for the 8th General Assembly and Innovation Workshop 2 of the project, seeking to develop new technological processes for recovery of critical raw materials from electric vehicle batteries. Included in the agenda were site visits to project partner (BeePlanet, Comanai and Indumental) facilities in Pamplona and Bilbao, and centred on Pilot 1 of BATRAW (the essential processes of lithium ion battery deactivation and disassembly).
Co-funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme (Grant No. 101058359) and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI, Grant No.10042492 ), BATRAW focuses on the development of sustainable recycling solutions for battery packs at the end of their operational life. The project supports the objectives of the European Circular Economy Action Plan and contributes to the wider transition toward a resilient and climate aligned battery sector.
The 8th General Assembly was hosted by BeePlanet and Comanai in Pamplona and Indumental in Bilbao, chaired by Leitat Technological Center, the project’s coordinator. During the sessions, project partners presented key updates that reflected the progress made in the last 6 months and the next steps to meet the project objectives as BATRAW enters its final phase.
Innovation Workshop 2: The complexity and importance of battery disassembly
The Innovation Workshops, organised and delivered by ISLE, are crucial for bridging the gap between novel research and real-world industrial application, providing a platform for partners to showcase their innovations to relevant stakeholders and gather invaluable feedback to accelerate market adoption and foster future collaboration. Innovation Workshop 1 was held in October 2025, with the article summarising the key insights published here.
Innovation Workshop 2 centred on Pilot 1 which focuses on the essential processes of lithium ion battery deactivation and disassembly. These steps are technically intricate and carry significant safety and operational implications, making them a critical part of any effective recycling pathway.
The workshop was facilitated by Isle’s Associate Directors Dr Elvira Serra and Babi Uku. The session brought together 10 external stakeholders representing a range of organisations across the battery value chain, including manufacturers and European battery associations. They contributed to in-depth discussions and offered valuable insights on the technical viability and commercial potential of BATRAW innovations.
Partner presentations included:
- Rapid battery health assessment within 30 minutes, demonstrating an innovative approach to determining the State of Health of battery packs prior to disassembly - Egoitz Martinez Lasernal (BeePlanet).
- Car disassembly and battery pack repair processes - Enrique Zapico (Cesvimap) Battery pack dismantling to module level and subsequent module identification and dismantling to cell level - Jordi Magdaleno Maltas (Leitat Technological Center)
- Development of a semi automatic battery dismantling pilot line - Eduardo Aparicio (Comanai)
- The external stakeholder participation was highly positive, with attendees expressing interest in remaining engaged as future points of contact for project partners.
Next steps
The BATRAW consortium will meet on 3-5 March 2026, in Madrid, for the final Innovation Workshop where partners will present the key results and insights generated across all technical and strategic activities. This will be held alongside the final General Assembly and final conference, organised by Recyclia, as well as a dedicated policy event organised by CEPS.
