The number of lithium-ion and similar batteries reaching end-of-life is expected to rise sharply from the mid-2030s onwards, making managing battery waste safely and efficiently a key challenge.

Companies, universities and public research centres are responding by accelerating innovation to recycle critical raw materials and reduce reliance on primary mining, while mitigating the environmental impact.

According to a new study published by the European Patent Office (EPO) and the International Energy Agency (IEA), international patent families (IPFs) related to battery circularity recorded an average annual growth rate of 42 per cent from 2017 to 2023.

This figure compares with 16 per cent for rechargeable battery manufacturing overall and 2 per cent for all technical fields during the same period.

“Innovation in battery circularity technologies is key to securing resources, strengthening competitiveness and reducing environmental impact,” said António Campinos, EPO President. “As this field becomes increasingly important in global resource systems, regions that combine strong industrial ecosystems, supportive policy frameworks and access to recycling feedstock will be well positioned to lead the circular battery economy. Europe brings many of these elements together, with a diverse innovation ecosystem and policy initiatives that provide a solid foundation for the development of circular battery value chains.”

“In the age of electricity, batteries have become a cornerstone of energy security and industrial competitiveness, but their full value will only be realised if countries build strong circular systems around them,” said Fatih Birol, IEA Executive Director . “Accelerating innovation in recycling and reuse can ease pressure on critical mineral supply chains, reduce environmental impacts and create new economic opportunities. Europe has important strengths to build on, and this report highlights how targeted innovation and policy support can help position it at the forefront of a sustainable battery economy.”

More than one in four cars sold globally in 2025 was an electric vehicle, reliant on lithium-ion or other modern batteries.

But around 1.2 million electric vehicle batteries could reach the end of their lives in 2030 and 14 million in 2040, and today’s supply chains for battery minerals and components are highly concentrated.

Battery circularity technologies - including recycling, reuse of batteries in vehicles and repurposing of batteries for new applications – can help solve these challenges.

The EPO-IEA report draws on resources including the EPO’s patent databases and IEA expert analysis to identify the main locations of patenting, the leading patent applicants and the key technology categories.

Energy storage, including batteries, now accounts for around 40 per cent of all energy‑related patenting and continues to grow rapidly.

Patenting related to battery circularity is growing even faster than battery patenting in general, thanks to the rapid uptake of electric vehicles worldwide as well as legislation in Europe and China that makes companies responsible for end-of-life electric vehicle batteries.

Patent applicants from Asia accounted for 63 per cent of IPFs in battery circularity in 2023.

Until 2019, Japanese and Korean companies such as Toyota, LG and Sumitomo were the leading patent applicants in battery circularity, but they have been overtaken by Brunp of China.

Brunp’s growth has helped lift China’s share of IPFs in battery circularity from 5 per cent in 2013 to 29 per cent in 2023.

Chinese applicants are increasingly seeking patent protection outside of China in response to a bigger international market for battery circularity, adding to China’s strong presence across different stages of the battery value chain.

European companies and research institutes account for roughly 20 per cent of IPFs in battery circularity, with strong activity in technologies for the collection of used batteries and for chemical transformation to provide the raw materials for new batteries.

This focus reflects Europe’s current role more as a battery user than a producer.

While growth in battery circularity has been faster in Asia, the report shows that innovation in Europe is also expanding.

With targeted EU‑level policy support, this activity could form the basis of a robust European battery circularity ecosystem. -OGN/TradeArabia News Service