Next Hydromet

Located at Fortum’s Harjavalta, Finland facility – already Europe’s largest closed-loop hydrometallurgical battery recycling plant – this plant expansion initiative aims to significantly reduce chemical waste and optimize resource efficiency.

NEXT HYDROMET project will enhance Fortum's capability to recover crucial critical metals from end-of-life electric vehicle batteries and industrial battery waste, thereby reinforcing the circular economy for batteries within Europe.

Pioneering innovation for reduced emissions & waste

NEXT HYDROMET introduces Fortum’s next-generation technology, designed to further improve efficiency, reduce chemical use, and maximize sustainability in battery metal recovery.

The project’s innovation lies in:

• The integration of advanced hydrometallurgical processes.
• Chromatographic separation.
• On-site electrochemical production of key process chemicals.

This approach minimizes the need for externally supplied chemicals and drastically reduces waste streams, making the process exceptionally resource efficient and environmentally friendly.

Setting a benchmark for battery recycling in Europe

With a processing capacity of 3,000 tonnes of black mass per year, the NEXT HYDROMET plant will produce high-purity, battery-grade nickel sulphate, cobalt sulphate, and lithium hydroxide. This output is sufficient to supply materials for approximately 138,000 electric vehicles annually, marking a significant step towards low-carbon battery production in Europe.

The project is engineered to achieve significant emissions reductions. Operating at lower temperatures and powered exclusively by renewable electricity, this advanced technology enables more than 95% recovery of battery metals, setting a new standard for sustainable lithium-ion battery recycling.

EU-Backed development towards a final investment decision

In March 2026, Fortum Battery Recycling signed a grant agreement with the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) for the NEXT HYDROMET project. The grant, with a potential of up to EUR 40 million, is part of the EU Innovation Fund programme and formalizes the funding path following the company's successful evaluation in the Net-Zero Technologies Call (IF24 Call) announced in November 2025.

The NEXT HYDROMET project is in its development phase, with key steps being undertaken ahead of a potential final investment decision. The estimated start of operations is 2029.

Disclaimer: Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.