European battery materials investment project

BASF’s investment in battery materials production in Europe will help customers keep the carbon footprint through the value chain for electromobility as low as possible. 

BASF is announcing a new battery materials production site in Harjavalta, Finland and Schwarzheide, Germany, as part of its multi-step investment plan to built up the sustainable European electric vehicle (EV) value chain. Both plants, which will start-up in 2022, produce cathode active materials with an initial capacity enabling the supply of around 400,000 full electric vehicles per year with BASF battery materials. Those innovative cathode materials by BASF increase the performance of batteries whilst promoting the success of climate-friendly mobility. 

BASF’S cathode active materials produced in Europe will have an industry leading low CO₂ impact. The battery materials plants in Germany and Finland will utilize an energy mix lowering CO₂ emissions across the value chain. Thanks to the efficient manufacturing process, the high share of renewable energy, the upstream integration into the key raw materials like Cobalt and Nickel, as well as the short transportation route along the value chain, BASF is able to reduce the CO₂ footprint significantly – by around 30% compared to the conventional industry standard on the market.

Schwarzheide investment

BASF’s new plant for cathode active materials is located at the German BASF site in Schwarzheide. The new plant will focus on the production of high-energy density cathode active materials to be part of the European battery value chain for electric vehicles. 

The site in Schwarzheide uses an energy-efficient gas and steam turbine power plant that operates on the principle of combined heat and power generation. It is currently being modernized to further increase its eco-efficiency. Until the battery materials plant is commissioned, the integration of renewable energies is also planned. With the commissioning of the plant, more than 150 jobs will be created. The investment is supported by the Federal Republic of Germany and the State of Brandenburg. They jointly presented a grant notice from the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) and State of Brandenburg which is about the funding support to BASF’s European battery materials project and within the framework of the important project of common European interest (IPCEI) for batteries.

The funding is a clear commitment to Schwarzheide as a production location for battery materials and a signal to support structural economy change in the region,” Jürgen Fuchs Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors

The Schwarzheide plant’s modular design and infrastructure allows for the rapid scale-up of manufacturing capacities enabling BASF to meet increasing customer demand for the European EV market. The plant in Schwarzheide will use precursors (PCAM) from BASF’s previously announced plant in Harjavalta, Finland. 

Hier kommt Finnland 

Hier Teil zusammen 

“The plants in Finland and Germany will offer our customers reliable access to tailored high-nickel cathode active materials in proximity to their European manufacturing facilities,” said Dr. Peter Schuhmacher, President, Catalysts division at BASF. 

With the investments in Finland and Germany, BASF will be the first CAM supplier with local production capacities in today’s three major markets – Asia, the U.S. and Europe. BASF will become the leading supplier with a reliable, sustainable and European-based supply chain which will comprise base metal supply, particularly nickel and cobalt, precursor production, and cathode material production within one region.

Ende

The Harjavalta plant will utilize renewable energy resources, including hydro, wind and biomass-based power. This advantageous energy mix will provide CAM material with a very low CO2 footprint.

On the European battery value chain

The Schwarzheide production site for battery materials is part of BASF’s multi-stage investment plan to establish the European battery value chain for electric vehicles. Innovative cathode active materials from BASF will enhance the performance of batteries and promote the success of climate-friendly mobility.

With the investments in Harjavalta, Finland and Schwarzheide, Germany, BASF is reaffirming its support for the European Commission's agenda towards a European value chain for battery production.

The investments in Harjavalta, Finland, and Schwarzheide, Germany, reinforce BASF’s support of the European Commission’s agenda towards a European battery production value chain and are part of the “Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI)” that was approved by the European Commission on December 9, 2019 under the European Union state aid rules.

To learn more about BASF Battery Materials and BASF’s commitment to e-mobility, visit our website:

https://catalysts.basf.com/products-and-industries/battery-materials

Harjavalta investment

BASF’s new precursor plant is located in close proximity to Finnish partner companies in the Harjavalta industrial park. This ensures the secure and reliable supply of raw materials and also reduces the carbon footprint during transportation. To further minimize the CO₂ impact, the new plant will use renewable energy resources, including hydro, wind and biomass-based power. It will offer more than 100 job opportunities to the Satakunnan region and will be an important building block in the establishment of a Finnish battery value chain. The investment is co-funded by Business Finland within the IPCEI on Batteries.  

The Harjavalta plant will utilize renewable energy resources, including hydro, wind and biomass-based power. This advantageous energy mix will provide CAM material with a very low CO2 footprint.

BASF and Nornickel join forces to supply the battery materials market

• BASF announces first location for battery materials production in Europe
• BASF and Nornickel establish a strategic cooperation to meet the growing needs for battery materials in electric vehicles

Ludwigshafen, Germany, and Moscow, Russia, October 22, 2018 – BASF has selected Harjavalta, Finland, as the first location for battery materials production serving the European automotive market. The plant will be constructed adjacent to the nickel and cobalt refinery owned by Norilsk Nickel (Nornickel).

This investment is part of BASF’s €400 million multi-step investment plan announced last year and builds upon initial battery materials production started in Harjavalta in 2018.  Start-up is planned for late 2020, enabling the supply of approximately 300,000 full electric vehicles per year with BASF battery materials. The new plant in Harjavalta will utilize locally generated renewable energy sources, including hydro, wind and biomass.

Additionally, BASF and Nornickel have signed a long-term, market-based supply agreement for nickel and cobalt feedstocks from Nornickel’s metal refinery. The agreement will establish a locally sourced and secure supply of raw materials for battery production in Europe.

The investment in the new plant in Finland reinforces BASF’s support of the EU Commission’s agenda towards a European battery production value chain. BASF is also evaluating additional locations in Europe for the construction of new production plants for battery materials.

“With the investment in Harjavalta, BASF will be present in all major regions with local production and increased customer proximity further supporting the rapidly growing electric vehicle market,” said Kenneth Lane, President, BASF’s Catalysts division. “Combined with our Nornickel cooperation, we are creating a strong platform that connects the efforts between industry leaders in raw material supply and battery materials technology and production.”