Viridis Recycling, a spin-off of Germany’s Fraunhofer IWKS, has obtained approval under the Federal Immission Control Act for its lithium-ion battery recycling facility in Hanau, establishing the regulatory basis for continued operations and further industrial development.
The company is developing the Hydropulse process, which uses shock waves generated in water to separate battery cells. The process is designed to reduce cross-contamination between recovered material streams compared with conventional crushing and high-temperature treatment.
Hydropulse targets multiple battery chemistries
Viridis says Hydropulse can process production scrap and spent NMC, NCA and LFP batteries. After cells are discharged and dismantled, they undergo aqueous shock-wave treatment. Subsequent washing, centrifugation and sieving separate the resulting material streams.
The process is designed to recover materials containing lithium, nickel, cobalt and graphite, while reducing reliance on energy-intensive smelting and extensive chemical treatment. Viridis estimates that Hydropulse could deliver energy savings of up to 90% and carbon reductions of approximately 50%. These figures still require validation during sustained commercial operation and across different feedstock qualities.
Pilot operations continue in Germany
The Hanau facility currently operates at pilot scale. Viridis is also completing certification as a specialist waste-management operator, which is required for the handling, transport and treatment of hazardous battery waste. A second pilot line is being built in the Stuttgart region, with commissioning planned for the first quarter of 2027. Its location near Germany’s automotive manufacturing cluster is intended to provide access to production scrap and end-of-life vehicle batteries.
Viridis has not disclosed commercial annual capacity, total capital expenditure or customer contracts. The Hanau approval provides the regulatory basis for continued development, while the company still needs to demonstrate continuous throughput, safe waste handling, recovered-product purity and competitive unit costs before Hydropulse can be deployed commercially alongside established mechanical and hydrometallurgical recycling technologies.
