Battery Caffè Podcast Episode 10: Critical Minerals

The Battery Caffè is an initiative of the Cross-Sector Battery Systems Innovation Network, a community funded by Innovate UK KTN and the Faraday Battery Challenge. This Innovation Network aims to open new markets for the battery industry, promote innovation in batteries & help decarbonise a wide range of end-users. If you haven’t already, please go check out our online UK Batteries Networking Hub platform.

This podcast episode focuses on critical minerals in the battery supply chain and is hosted by Nikoleta Piperidou, Cross-Sector Battery Systems Innovation Network Lead at Innovate UK KTN and Dr Sheena Hindocha, Knowledge Transfer Manager for Materials Chemistry at Innovate UK KTN with special guest Olimpia Pilch, International Partnerships and Business Manager at Critical Minerals Association United Kingdom (CMA UK).

Nikoleta, Sheena and Olimpia talk about the economic and technological importance of critical minerals and why we should collaborate with global industry partners to build a more resilient energy supply that accelerates the growth of the UK’s domestic capabilities.

Throughout this conversation, the supply and demand of critical minerals for batteries as we transition to net zero in the UK is discussed at length. The 2035 UK Battery Recycling Industry Vision highlights that there is a major opportunity to secure the supply of critical batteries for minerals through recycling. Battery development can adopt a circular economy approach whereby battery materials are separated, recycled, then re-manufactured into new batteries all within the UK which would allow for significantly more of a battery’s economic value to be kept within the UK’s economy while also reducing the UK’s dependency on other countries for critical minerals.

Useful links and additional info

• Read more about The 2035 UK Battery Recycling Industry Vision.
• The Cross-Sector Battery Systems Innovation Network is co-funded by Innovate UK KTN and the Faraday Battery Challenge. Visit the UK Batteries Networking Hub to find out more. Don’t forget to sign up if you would like your organisation to feature on the battery landscape map.
• Read the podcast transcript here.
• Contact Innovate UK KTN’s Energy team.
• Contact Innovate UK KTN’s Infrastructure team.
• Contact Innovate UK KTN’s Chemistry team.
• Explore the Critical Minerals Association (UK) website.