The REBELION project contributed to the ICONS report “Catalysing Battery Innovation – Driving Impact Across Europe’s Battery R&D Ecosystem”, released on 11 March 2026. The report provides an overview of Europe’s battery value chain, examining emerging technologies, industrial challenges, and pathways for scaling innovation. REBELION shared insights from its work on second-life applications, recycling, and […]

The REBELION project contributed to the ICONS report “Catalysing Battery Innovation – Driving Impact Across Europe’s Battery R&D Ecosystem”, released on 11 March 2026.

The report provides an overview of Europe’s battery value chain, examining emerging technologies, industrial challenges, and pathways for scaling innovation.

REBELION shared insights from its work on second-life applications, recycling, and refurbishment, helping to illustrate how circular approaches can extend battery lifetimes and support more sustainable management of used batteries.

The project also highlighted the potential of automation, AI, and robotics for battery inspection and disassembly, showing how these technologies can support safer, faster, and more scalable practices in industrial contexts.

By contributing to the report, REBELION aims to support evidence-based decision-making and knowledge exchange across Europe’s battery research and innovation community.

Download and read the full report.

Cover image by Sam Roy on Unsplash.

Battery inspection and disassembly are emerging as key bottlenecks in the circular battery value chain. While manual processes remain slow, costly, and potentially risky, AI‑driven automation and robotics are enabling safer, faster, and more scalable solutions. A dedicated webinar, co-hosted by REBELION and Recirculate within the Circular Battery Cluster, will take place on 18 March at […]

Battery inspection and disassembly are emerging as key bottlenecks in the circular battery value chain. While manual processes remain slow, costly, and potentially risky, AI‑driven automation and robotics are enabling safer, faster, and more scalable solutions.

A dedicated webinar, co-hosted by REBELION and Recirculate within the Circular Battery Cluster, will take place on 18 March at 16:00 CET to examine how AI and robotics are reshaping battery inspection, reuse, and recycling in industrial settings.

The session will compare manual and automated approaches, examining industry practices, technological advancements, and ongoing challenges such as data availability, standardisation, and diverse battery designs. Topics include AI‑ and robotics‑enabled disassembly from pack to cell level, machine learning for component identification, and automated inspection systems that support condition assessment and strategic reuse or recycling — even without QR codes or Digital Product Passports.

The webinar will also address how automated inspection can strengthen decision‑making and improve integration between inspection and disassembly systems, contributing to a more efficient and scalable circular battery ecosystem.

Join the webinar
Automated vs Manual: How Robotics Are Transforming Battery Inspection
18 March – 16:00 CET

Speakers

Tomi Pitkäaho – PhD, Principal Lecturer in Research, Centria University of Applied Sciences
Rustam Stolkin – Professor, Chair of Robotics, University of Birmingham, Founder and Director of the Extreme Robotics Lab
Alireza Rastegarpanah – Visiting Professor, Lecturer, Aston University School of Computer Science and Digital Technologies
Giampiero Pupillo – Automation Engineer, Comau
Óscar Palacín Domínguez – Researcher, R+D+i Project Manager, Eurecat – Technology Centre

This is the second event in the Circular Battery Cluster series, fostering knowledge exchange across research, industry, and innovation.

On 3–4 February, the REBELION consortium gathered in Birmingham, UK, for its second Review Meeting, hosted by The Extreme Robotics Lab at the University of Birmingham, a partner of the project. During the two-day meeting, partners reviewed the progress achieved so far and confirmed that REBELION is advancing according to plan. As REBELION enters its […]

On 3–4 February, the REBELION consortium gathered in Birmingham, UK, for its second Review Meeting, hosted by The Extreme Robotics Lab at the University of Birmingham, a partner of the project.

During the two-day meeting, partners reviewed the progress achieved so far and confirmed that REBELION is advancing according to plan. As REBELION enters its final year, set to conclude at the end of December 2026, discussions focused on consolidating results and preparing for the next steps.

Taking advantage of the visit, consortium members also toured the Sustainable Robotics Centre at the Birmingham Energy Innovation Centre (Tyseley Technology Park), gaining further insight into cutting-edge research infrastructures in the field.

About REBELION

REBELION is an EU-funded project tackling the waste management challenges of lithium-ion batteries used in electric mobility. By developing advanced recycling solutions, the project aims to recover and valorise critical raw materials, strengthening Europe’s strategic autonomy and supporting a more sustainable and competitive battery value chain.

REBELION has been featured in the Spanish magazine “Experimenta”, specialised in design, graphics, architecture and technology, thanks to the contribution of project partner ONA Product SL. Within REBELION, ONA leads the development and prototyping of the lamp that integrates second-life batteries. The article spotlights KLAAP, the lamp designed by Studio PAAK, presented at the Barcelona […]

REBELION has been featured in the Spanish magazine “Experimenta”, specialised in design, graphics, architecture and technology, thanks to the contribution of project partner ONA Product SL. Within REBELION, ONA leads the development and prototyping of the lamp that integrates second-life batteries.

The article spotlights KLAAP, the lamp designed by Studio PAAK, presented at the Barcelona Design Week and selected for Lagranja Open Design Editions. As part of the REBELION vision, the KLAAP lamp gives discarded batteries a second life: originally set aside because they could not handle high power peaks, these batteries are still perfectly suited to deliver stable, long-lasting energy. Their integration into a lighting system highlights the project’s commitment to reuse as a concrete strategy to extend component lifetimes and reduce environmental impact through design.

Read the full article (in Spanish) and stay tuned for more REBELION updates.

A new video interview is now available on the REBELION YouTube channel, featuring Antonio García Martínez from project partner CMT – Clean Mobility & Thermofluids, a research and postgraduate training center focused on applied thermo-fluid science within the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV). In his contribution, Antonio García Martínez describes CMT’s role in REBELION, focused […]

A new video interview is now available on the REBELION YouTube channel, featuring Antonio García Martínez from project partner CMT – Clean Mobility & Thermofluids, a research and postgraduate training center focused on applied thermo-fluid science within the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV).

In his contribution, Antonio García Martínez describes CMT’s role in REBELION, focused on improving safety in the transport and storage of lithium-ion batteries. The work includes the development and testing of a dedicated container that combines different safety solutions to reduce risks in case of fire.

The video also highlights the main challenges behind this work, such as balancing safety, weight, cost, and storage capacity while integrating components from different sources.

> Click on the image to watch the full interview.

Cover image: courtesy of CMT – Clean Mobility & Thermofluids, Universitat Politècnica de València.

The REBELION consortium convened online for its General Assembly, on 16 December 2025, bringing together all project partners to review progress achieved so far and align on the next steps as the project enters its final phase. During the meeting, each work package leader presented updates on ongoing activities, key achievements, and remaining tasks. The […]

The REBELION consortium convened online for its General Assembly, on 16 December 2025, bringing together all project partners to review progress achieved so far and align on the next steps as the project enters its final phase.

During the meeting, each work package leader presented updates on ongoing activities, key achievements, and remaining tasks. The discussions provided a comprehensive overview of the technical, scientific, and coordination progress across the project, confirming that activities are advancing as planned. At the same time, partners addressed a number of open points that will require focused attention during the final project year.

A session of the General Assembly focused on planning the final phase of REBELION. The last year of the project will place a strong emphasis on exploitation, uptake, and impact generation, with the aim of translating research and innovation results into practical, usable outcomes for stakeholders across the battery value chain. Partners discussed strategies to consolidate Key Exploitable Results, strengthen engagement with industry and policymakers, and maximise the long-term value of REBELION’s contributions to circular battery systems and European battery innovation.

The General Assembly confirmed the consortium’s shared commitment to delivering high-quality results and working collaboratively to address remaining challenges, ensuring that REBELION concludes with a solid foundation for sustained impact beyond the project lifetime.

Cover image by Sigmund on Unsplash.

The REBELION consortium held an internal workshop on 12 December 2025 to advance its work on the Digital Battery Passport, one of the project’s Key Exploitable Results. The session focused on assessing the data fields required to enable effective and meaningful information exchange across the entire battery value chain. Partners examined the needs and constraints […]

The REBELION consortium held an internal workshop on 12 December 2025 to advance its work on the Digital Battery Passport, one of the project’s Key Exploitable Results. The session focused on assessing the data fields required to enable effective and meaningful information exchange across the entire battery value chain.

Partners examined the needs and constraints of each actor involved in the DBP-related data flow, including disassemblers, diagnostic service providers, refurbishers, recyclers, car dealers, and sorting plants. Through this structured discussion, the consortium explored what information each stakeholder must receive and provide, identifying critical dependencies and opportunities to streamline data exchange throughout the battery lifecycle.

The insights collected during this internal workshop will serve as the basis for an upcoming cross-project session that will bring together related initiatives and key external stakeholders. This broader workshop will support the development of REBELION’s first policy brief, which will address the Digital Battery Passport and its role in fostering transparency, traceability, and sustainability in the European battery sector.

Further updates will be shared as the work progresses.

Cover image by Letícia Gurgel on Pexels.

REBELION took part in the Battery Innovation Days (BID) 2025 held in Graz, Austria, as a member of the Circular Battery Cluster, together with the EU-funded projects REINFORCE, RECIRCULATE and BATTEREVERSE. The event gathered key stakeholders from the European battery ecosystem to discuss the latest advances in research, innovation, regulation and industrial deployment. REBELION’s contribution […]

REBELION took part in the Battery Innovation Days (BID) 2025 held in Graz, Austria, as a member of the Circular Battery Cluster, together with the EU-funded projects REINFORCE, RECIRCULATE and BATTEREVERSE.

The event gathered key stakeholders from the European battery ecosystem to discuss the latest advances in research, innovation, regulation and industrial deployment.

REBELION’s contribution to a circular European battery value chain

REBELION focuses on addressing the waste-management challenges associated with lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) used in electric mobility. By developing sustainable and economically viable recycling solutions, the project contributes to reducing Europe’s reliance on imported critical raw materials while supporting the shift to a more circular and resilient battery sector.

A shared space for collaboration and dialogue

Throughout the event, the four projects jointly represented the Circular Battery Cluster at a dedicated booth. This provided an opportunity to present their activities, technological developments and long-term objectives to industry, researchers, policymakers and other stakeholders working on battery innovation.

As part of the official BID programme, the Cluster delivered a public presentation titled:
“Beyond the 1st Life: European Collaboration for a Sustainable Battery Future.” The session highlighted the importance of coordinated European efforts in battery circularity, second-life strategies and end-of-life recycling, showcasing how the cluster projects complement one another in addressing different phases of the battery lifecycle.

Circular Battery Cluster presentation at BID 2025

Stay informed about REBELION: follow our updates and discover more about our activities, events and project outcomes on our website and LinkedIn page.

Connect with the Circular Battery Cluster, joining our LinkedIn community.

REBELION will participate in the fifth edition of the Battery Innovation Days, taking place on 2–3 December 2025 in Graz, Austria, and online. The event will gather researchers, policymakers, industry representatives and end-users for two days of discussion on the future of European battery innovation. REBELION will join the conference together with the Circular Battery […]

REBELION will participate in the fifth edition of the Battery Innovation Days, taking place on 2–3 December 2025 in Graz, Austria, and online. The event will gather researchers, policymakers, industry representatives and end-users for two days of discussion on the future of European battery innovation.

REBELION will join the conference together with the Circular Battery Cluster, which brings together four EU-funded projects—REBELION, Recirculate, Reinforce and BatteReverse—working to advance circularity, sustainability, and innovation across the battery value chain. The cluster will be present with a shared exhibition stand, where representatives from all four projects will welcome visitors, exchange insights, and discuss the latest progress toward more sustainable and circular battery systems.

More information is available on the Battery Innovation Days website.

Cover image by Chris Zwettler on Pexels.

The REBELION project, as a member of the Circular Battery Cluster, will take part in the webinar Closing the Loop: Reverse Logistics for Batteries in Europe, on 18 November 2025 at 17:00 CET. As Europe accelerates its shift to electric mobility, managing the growing number of batteries poses new challenges. From collection to recycling, building a safe and circular reverse […]

The REBELION project, as a member of the Circular Battery Cluster, will take part in the webinar Closing the Loop: Reverse Logistics for Batteries in Europe, on 18 November 2025 at 17:00 CET.

As Europe accelerates its shift to electric mobility, managing the growing number of batteries poses new challenges. From collection to recycling, building a safe and circular reverse logistics chain requires strong collaboration across sectors.

This first webinar of the Circular Battery Cluster brings together leading European experts to explore how to connect the missing links in battery reverse logistics. 
Drawing on real-world circularity projects — such as BatteReverse, REBELION, REINFORCE, and RECIRCULATE — the session will showcase solutions being tested across Europe, share lessons learned, and outline the next steps to scale circular systems for end-of-life batteries.

What to expect

• Gain insights from leading European actors developing and testing reverse logistics solutions for end-of-life batteries.
• Discover real examples of collaboration across the automotive, logistics, and recycling industries to build a circular battery value chain.
• Learn about safety standards, regulatory alignment, and cross-border transport of lithium-ion batteries.
• Hear lessons learned from EU-funded projects driving innovation in battery reverse logistics.

Follow the Circular Battery Cluster on LinkedIn and join the webinar to be part of Europe’s battery circularity journey.

Cover image by wynpnt on Pixabay