Renewable biobased recycling of critical raw materials for the transition to sustainable transport and energy systems

Research Project, 2024 – 2026

The transition to a sustainable energy system rapidly increases demands for critical raw materials (CRMs), while generating waste streams that should be handled responsibly. CRMs such as rare earth elements, lithium, and cobalt, are essential to produce renewable energy technologies such as wind turbines and electric vehicle batteries, but sustainable supply chains and waste management strategies are necessary to minimize negative environmental impacts and promote the recovery of valuable materials.In this cross-disciplinary project we will establish biometallurgical recycling with the yeast Yarrowia lipolytica as renewable biocatalyst for production of the biolixiviant itaconic acid. Preliminary results show efficient CRM-leaching from lithium-ion batteries and permanent magnets (used in wind turbines and electric motors), with a striking specificity to leaving behind contaminants. We will now develop this process from proof-of-concept towards pre-pilot scale, giving rise to new challenges to address. We will improve itaconic acid production through both targeted and evolutionary engineering, aided by computational simulations of metabolism. Simultaneously, leaching and extraction methodologies and parameters will be tested and optimized, while the obtained results will be used to direct further optimization of the biolixiviant production process. Together, these efforts will contribute to the realisation of a circular society.