Keliber Receives Additional Funding for Developing a Sustainable Battery Value Chain

Keliber has received a positive decision from Business Finland regarding the Autumn IPCEI funding, a grant approved by the European Commission. Keliber will receive EUR 550,000 for a project that promotes the sustainable development of the battery value chain, circular economy and responsible production.

The support granted by Business Finland for the years 2022-2023 covers half of the EUR 1.1 million budget that Keliber will use to develop mining activities. The project focuses in particular on reducing the environmental impact on mine water.

“Keliber is developing its future production processes to be as efficient and environmentally friendly as possible. We are investing in extensive research and development work with several different partners. All the support we receive will help us get closer to our goal, which is the responsible production of battery-grade lithium hydroxide and thus mitigating climate change”, says CEO Hannu Hautala.

The funding now granted by Business Finland is part of the European Commission's Autumn IPCEI (Important Project of Common European Interest) project. Keliber has previously received EUR 2.6 million in IPCEI support for its lithium project, which is used for developing sustainable production in many ways.

IPCEI is a joint European research and innovation project in the field of batteries, in which the EU aims to build a sustainable, innovative and competitive battery ecosystem in Europe.

Keliber aims to be the first company in Europe to produce battery-grade lithium hydroxide from its own ore. The company plans to ramp up production in 2024, when demand for lithium is expected to increase as a result of digitalisation and electrification of transportation.