The Fraunhofer Battery Alliance has signed two letters of intent to broaden its research cooperation with South Korean partners. The agreements involve the Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), the city of Pohang, and the Korea Environment Corporation (K-eco).
The partnership focuses on the entire battery value chain, including material development, cell production, and recycling. POSTECH and the city of Pohang will collaborate on lithium-ion battery materials and next-generation technologies, with the city providing administrative and funding support.
The Fraunhofer Research Institution for Battery Cell Production (FFB) in Münster serves as the central hub for this collaboration. The FFB facility allows for testing new materials and manufacturing processes under near-industrial conditions to evaluate their scalability for series production.
The agreement with K-eco prioritizes battery recycling, material characterization, and quality assurance. The partners aim to develop research approaches that support compliance with the EU Battery Regulation, addressing current economic challenges in the recycling sector.
The Fraunhofer FFB is a major publicly funded project in Germany. The German federal government has allocated up to €750 million for research facilities, while the state of North Rhine-Westphalia is contributing €320 million for infrastructure and land.
No specific timelines, project details, or additional funding amounts were disclosed regarding the new agreements. The collaboration seeks to pool scientific expertise to advance sustainable battery production and circular economy models.
