A Second Life for Lithium-Ion Batteries in Nigeria
Innovate UK Global Alliance Africa collaborated with Hinckley Recycling in Nigeria to identify effective solutions for end-of-life care for lithium-ion batteries.
The UK battery industry reflects a new market destination with significant business opportunities. The estimated global Lithium-Ion (Li-ion) battery market is worth over $40 billion. These batteries could create millions of tonnes of waste if not recycled.
As the global demand for batteries continues to surge driven by increased electric transportation and consumer electronics, the need for more efficient and environmentally conscious recycling processes has become a national and global priority.
International partnerships, such as the collaboration between Hinckley Recycling (Nigeria), Enverse (UK/Singapore), SLS Energy (Rwanda) and Aceleron (UK) through Innovate UK Global Alliance Africa’s Open Innovation (OI) programme, are critical in driving this vision forward.
These alliances are directly contributing toward the UK’s Africa Technology and Innovation Partnership (ATIP) objectives in promoting sustainable initiatives that leverage innovation to address key development, social, and economic challenges.
The Challenge
In 2022, the e-waste recycling specialists, Hinckley Group, launched two Open Innovation (OI) challenges with support from Innovate UK Global Alliance Africa to improve circular usage of Li-ion batteries.
At the time, Hinckley were receiving 10,000-15,000 battery packs every year without the technology to successfully track, trace and repurpose the batteries as a second life energy source. This led to the launch of two concurrent OI challenges:
Battery Inventory System – Track, Trace and Report on Lithium-Ion Batteries focused on developing a tracking system to code individual batteries based on their potential to be reused within the circular economy.
Innovative Solutions for Second-Life Batteries focused on identifying affordable second-life battery solutions to satisfy diverse use cases such as roadside kiosks, personal mobility, and light and cooling services.
Following a competitive process, three innovative Solution Providers were selected:
Enverse, a global expert in industrial data analytics, selected to develop a battery inventory management system (BIMS) that included an integrated traceability system.
SLS Energy, an established circular economy provider in Rwanda with expertise in energy storage-as-a-service for second life batteries.
Aceleron Energy (now owned by ADVIK), a UK renewable energy specialist, selected to develop and apply their expertise in innovative storage technology.
About Global Alliance Africa
Innovate UK Global Alliance Africa will build new and stronger UK-African partnerships to maximise the creation of inclusive market access, funding and investment opportunities through innovation knowledge transfer. Innovate UK Global Alliance Africa is a six-year project funded by UK International Development through GCRF and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
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