As the BeyondBattRec project progresses towards more efficient and sustainable recycling technologies for end-of-life lithium-ion batteries, it is becoming increasingly clear that technological innovation alone is not enough. A truly circular battery value chain also depends on people: the stakeholders who shape, enable, and ultimately accept these solutions.
We are therefore excited to announce that NOVA has recently joined the BeyondBattRec consortium as a new Hop-on Partner. NOVA brings expertise in stakeholder analysis, participatory research, and social acceptance – adding a critical dimension to the project’s ambition of building a competitive and circular European battery ecosystem.
Understanding the Complexity of Battery Recycling Value Chains
Battery recycling is far more than a technical process. It is a complex, multi-stage value chain involving a wide range of actors: from battery manufacturers and automotive OEMs to logistics providers, recyclers, policymakers, and local communities.
The recycling process itself spans several interconnected steps, including collection, transport, dismantling, sorting, and final material recovery. At each of these stages, different stakeholders interact, often with diverging priorities and constraints. These interactions shape the efficiency, scalability, and sustainability of recycling systems.
BeyondBattRec addresses these challenges by developing advanced technologies for sorting, dismantling, and recovering high-value materials such as lithium, cobalt, and nickel, contributing to a circular value chain and reducing Europe’s dependency on raw material imports. However, ensuring that these innovations can be implemented at scale requires a deeper understanding of the stakeholder landscape in which they operate.
Mapping Stakeholder Networks: Who Drives the Transition?
A central focus of NOVA’s contribution is to analyse and map stakeholder networks across the battery recycling ecosystem.
Stakeholder networks are not static; they are dynamic systems shaped by power relations, resources, regulatory frameworks, and shared goals. Effective engagement requires identifying not only who the stakeholders are, but also how they are connected and how influence flows between them.
Research shows that successful sustainability transitions depend heavily on stakeholder alignment and collaboration across different domains – technical, institutional, and cultural. Yet, barriers such as fragmented regulations, limited coordination, and insufficient information exchange often hinder progress.
By applying advanced stakeholder analysis methodologies, NOVA aims to:
- Identify key actors across the battery value chain
- Understand their roles, interests, and influence
- Map relationships and potential collaboration pathways
- Highlight gaps and opportunities in stakeholder engagement
This structured approach will support BeyondBattRec in creating more robust, inclusive, and scalable recycling solutions.
Social Acceptance: A Key Enabler for Circular Innovation
Another critical dimension of NOVA’s work is social acceptance. Even the most advanced recycling technologies cannot succeed without public trust, regulatory support, and stakeholder buy-in. In the context of battery recycling, social acceptance is influenced by several factors:
- Environmental and safety concerns
- Perceived economic benefits and risks
- Regulatory clarity and policy coherence
- Transparency and communication across the value chain
Recent studies highlight that stakeholders generally support the transition to sustainable battery systems but raise concerns about regulatory complexity and implementation feasibility. These concerns underline the need for inclusive dialogue and evidence-based communication.
The colleagues at NOVA adopt participatory and transdisciplinary approaches to ensure that stakeholder perspectives are actively integrated into the innovation process. This includes the co-creation of knowledge and the development of engagement strategies tailored to different stakeholder groups.
From Technology to System Innovation
The transition towards a circular battery economy is not just a technological challenge – it is a systemic transformation. BeyondBattRec already contributes significantly to this transition by advancing high-efficiency recycling technologies and supporting the development of a sustainable European battery value chain aligned with the goals of the European Green Deal. With the addition of stakeholder-driven insights, the project now takes a further step towards bridging the gap between innovation and implementation.
Picture credits: Produced by acib with Copilot