Clarios has revealed investments of more than €4 million ($4.7 million) over the past year in energy-efficiency covering facilities across Europe, the Middle East and Africa as it expands sustainable production practices.

Projects at the company’s plants in Hanover and Zwickau in Germany and Česká Lípa in the Czech Republic delivered combined energy savings of more than 8,000MWh in fiscal 2025, Clarios confirmed on September 7.

The announcement came just weeks after the lead battery giant unveiled a major deal to source low-carbon lead for its battery manufacturing plants in the EMEA region.

Clarios, which owns the VARTA Automotive brand, said the fiscal 2025 investments have sharpened its competitive advantage, while boosting reliability as a key battery supplier to vehicle manufacturers and the automotive aftermarket.

A selection of the projects disclosed by the company included more than €1.3 million invested at Hanover to implement the site’s largest single energy-efficiency project — a new heat recovery system to capture previously unused waste heat from Barton reactors and mills and feed it into the plant’s internal heating network.

The recovered energy is used to heat battery curing chambers and further improve energy efficiency, with an additional €1.3 million spent on modernising site equipment.

At Zwickau, the battery maker has invested a total of almost €500,000 in energy recovery. Recovered heat is now used to help warm the facility, reducing overall energy consumption. The project includes upgrades to process cooling and compressed-air systems, as well as the installation of a heat-recovery system for ventilation infrastructure.

Meanwhile, Clarios has invested nearly €140,000 in energy efficiency upgrades at Česká Lípa, including heat-recovery system improvements and the conversion of facility lighting to LED technology.

The company said it also relies on a largely closed-loop model in production — with lead acid batteries made by Clarios designed to be 100% recyclable.

Meanwhile, the firm has been showcasing its advanced battery technologies, digital and other services at the Automechanika Frankfurt trade show, ending on September 12.

Werner Benade, Clarios EMEA president, said sustainable energy efficiency was a key component of securing the future of its business.

“Through targeted investments, we are reducing energy demand, strengthening the resilience of our production and creating the foundation for a reliable and competitive supply of the European automotive market.”