Can we start turning plastic waste into batteries for a clean future?
A new project from the Centre for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Württemberg (ZSW), is hoping to turn previously non-recyclable plastic waste, into a valuable carbon source for battery production.
The CarbonCycle project, backed by €1 million from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK), is testing a high-temperature rotary kiln thermolysis process that converts plastic residues into solid carbon and hydrogen-rich gas.
This innovative method aims to repurpose plastic waste from industry into high-purity carbon suitable for battery electrodes, particularly as graphite demand for electric vehicles surges.
“Our aim in this project is to demonstrate that the recovery of carbon from existing industrial plastic residues is technically feasible and economically viable,” said Dr Jochen Brellochs, research scientist at ZSW. “We see this as a key contribution to achieving an EU-wide circular economy.”
Unlike conventional plastic pyrolysis, which focuses on oil production, CarbonCycle targets solid carbon and hydrogen.
The hydrogenated gas could serve as a low-carbon industrial fuel, similar to turquoise hydrogen, but with lower energy requirements and no reliance on fossil gas.
Initial lab trials at ZSW will be followed by a pilot-scale system processing 5kg of plastic per hour.
The recovered carbon will be tested for battery applications, with a full process chain from waste to battery half-cell being developed.
The project represents a significant step towards decarbonising battery supply chains and reducing dependence on imported fossil carbon.
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