Key Impact Points:
- Emma Nehrenheim joins as Managing Director of the European Battery Alliance (EBA), bringing 20+ years of experience in battery production and environmental engineering.
- Her leadership comes at a pivotal time as Europe’s battery sector faces surging competition from Asian markets and seeks to expand domestic capacity.
- EBA aims to boost Europe’s battery industry share, generate €300 billion in GDP, and create 1 million jobs by 2030 across the battery value chain.
Emma Nehrenheim Takes Helm at EBA
Emma Nehrenheim has been appointed Managing Director of the European Battery Alliance (EBA), an initiative led by InnoEnergy under the mandate of the European Commission. Nehrenheim brings over two decades of expertise in environmental engineering, industrial innovation, and battery manufacturing.
She most recently served as Chief Environmental Officer and President of Northvolt Materials, playing a central role in scaling battery production and contributing to the EU Battery Regulation—widely considered the world’s most ambitious framework on sustainability, recyclability, and traceability.
“When we started Northvolt, Asia had already established a significant lead in battery manufacturing and development. With the support of the European Battery Alliance and InnoEnergy, we took on the challenge of building a battery industry rooted in Europe,” said Nehrenheim.
“Our mission isn’t just to build a battery industry, but to make it European, shaped by our standards, driven by our innovation, and powered by our industrial strength. I am here to be part of that and to do what I can to support the continued growth and success of EBA and its member companies.”
Strengthening Europe’s Battery Value Chain
The EBA’s industrial stream, now under Nehrenheim’s leadership, aims to reinforce Europe’s battery ecosystem and industrial resilience. With global supply shifting and Asian overcapacity targeting European markets, domestic production and innovation are critical.
Diego Pavía, CEO of InnoEnergy, emphasized the urgency:
“Europe’s battery value chain, from raw materials to recycling, is a ‘must have’ if the continent is to remain a competitive player in mobility in the short, medium, and long term.”
“The automotive sector, both directly and indirectly, represents 7% of Europe’s GDP and 13 million jobs. The next 4–5 years will be critical, as Europe aims to raise this to 8%, unlocking an additional €300 billion in annual GDP and creating one million new jobs by 2030 across the entire value chain.”
Transitioning Leadership, Sustaining Momentum
Nehrenheim succeeds Thore Sekkenes, who led the EBA’s industrial stream for more than six years. Under Sekkenes’ leadership, the Alliance evolved from concept to execution—now encompassing over 800 companies spanning the entire battery value chain.
Sekkenes will remain actively involved to support continuity and leverage his deep sector knowledge as the initiative enters its next phase.
InnoEnergy’s Ongoing Role
Since 2017, InnoEnergy has served as the European Commission’s mandated leader of the EBA’s industrial efforts. To date, InnoEnergy has invested in more than 50 battery-related projects across Europe, from raw materials and manufacturing to recycling and deployment.
Its Skills Institute has already trained over 100,000 workers to meet growing talent demands in the battery sector.
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