The fourth edition of our webinar series Short Circuit brought together industry experts to discuss the Digital Battery Passport (DBP) and its role in enhancing sustainability and circularity efforts across the EU battery value chain. Hosted by Maximillian Renner (EIT Urban Mobility), the webinar featured a high-level presentation by Tillmann Vahle (Project Lead for Battery Pass), and a panel discussion moderated by Olamilekan Olugbayila (Bax), featuring key experts in the field.
Introduction to the Digital Battery Passport
Tillmann Vahle delivered a comprehensive presentation on the DBP and its implications for reverse logistics. He began by introducing the Battery Pass project, coordinated by Systemiq, which unites the automotive industry, recycling experts, and the scientific community to address gaps and provide solutions for interpreting battery regulation.
Key takeaways from Tillmann's presentation:
- Current deliverables: The project has produced essential guidance documents, including content and technical standards for battery passport implementation, carbon footprinting rules, and industry best practices.
- Value cases: The DBP is expected to drive efficient recycling, lower costs for technical testing, and facilitate border crossings by distinguishing waste from non-waste materials.
- Data management: Successful DBP implementation hinges on data management, where companies must engage suppliers to deliver data in standardised formats. Vahle emphasised the importance of readiness assessments for companies, as DBP compliance will be required by February 2027.
- Collaborative approach: The transition to using battery passports will require ecosystem-wide collaboration, continuous iteration, and adaptation.
Insights from the panel: shaping the future of battery passports
The panel discussion, moderated by Bax Innovation Consultant Olamilekan Olugbayila, featured experts including:
- Kostas Christidis, Chief Technology Officer at Frontier Innovations
- Graham Lee, Head of Battery Passport Programme at Global Battery Alliance
- Tillmann Vahle, Project Lead at Battery Pass
- Teresa Oberhauser, Head of EU Research and Government Relations at Circularise
We explored several core themes related to the DBP and its future impact on business models, technical challenges, and sustainability efforts.
1. Technical approaches to Data Management
Kostas Christidis provided insights into the technical frameworks enabling secure data sharing within the DBP ecosystem. He highlighted the use of technologies like OpenID, OAuth, and decentralised identifiers to establish trust among supply chain participants. Blockchain plays a pivotal role in ensuring that data, once shared, remains immutable and traceable across the entire value chain.
The discussion underscored the challenge of obtaining data from upstream suppliers, particularly in competitive or politically complex regions. The panel acknowledged that while blockchain ensures data integrity, it also complicates the gathering and sharing of sensitive information. The team is currently piloting solutions with 11 consortia to explore track-and-trace providers, focusing on automating data sharing through smart contracts without fully disclosing sensitive information.
2. Impact on Business Models and Industry Adoption
Teresa Oberhauser emphasised the need for interoperable data standards to minimise material waste and maximise sustainability. She pointed out that institutions like the Global Battery Alliance (GBA) and the European Union play a vital role in supporting standardisation, which can be further developed by private sector expertise. Companies, however, must carefully balance the level of disclosure when sharing data, especially when it involves intellectual property. The use of data ranges, rather than specific figures, is being tested in pilot programs to address this challenge.
3. Supply chain challenges
One of the significant challenges raised during the discussion was the difficulty in mapping and engaging with the full supply chain, particularly for downstream companies. Suppliers often change, and obtaining a clear snapshot of the supply chain is complicated. Teresa Oberhauser highlighted the need to provide upstream suppliers with clear data management and storage options. She also mentioned that the appropriate level of data granularity needs to be carefully assessed, as too much detail may be unnecessary for certain use cases, such as recycling.
4. Lessons learned from pilot programs
Graham Lee shared insights from the GBA’s pilot programs, noting the difficulty in collecting comprehensive sustainability data to meet stakeholder expectations. The first wave of pilot programs in 2022 provided valuable lessons on data interoperability and disclosure. The GBA is working toward establishing robust common standards to ensure meaningful comparability of sustainability performance across supply chains.
5. Future outlook
The panel concluded with thoughts on the future of the DBP. Kostas Christidis expressed a desire for a standardised, secure data exchange system that protects citizens' data rights while enabling greater transparency across the supply chain. Teresa Oberhauser reiterated the importance of developing interoperable data standards to prevent material waste, while Graham Lee stressed the need for industry-wide common standards to accurately compare sustainability data and drive improvements in sustainability performance.
Aligning for 2027: A call for collaborative action
The webinar offered a detailed exploration of the Digital Battery Passport, emphasising the critical role of data management, collaboration across supply chains, and the need for interoperable standards. As the February 2027 compliance deadline approaches, stakeholders across the battery value chain will need to align their systems and data-sharing practices to meet regulatory requirements while advancing sustainability goals.
What are your thoughts? We'd love to hear from you. Feel free to contact us.
You can rewatch the recording of the session on the Battereverse Community platform.
REGISTER FOR THE NEXT SHORT CIRCUIT: Our next webinar on Battery Trading & Repurposing for 2nd-life applications will take place on Tuesday February 25th!
