The Digital Battery Passport is becoming one of the most influential tools for improving transparency and sustainability in the European battery sector. Introduced through the EU Battery Regulation (EU) 2023/1542, it creates a digital identity that follows a battery from material sourcing to recycling. This identity makes information easier to access, verify, and use more reliably for every actor in the value chain.

To guide this system, the regulation defines six essential pillars of content. These pillars set clear expectations on what information must be included for Electric Vehicle (EV), Light Means of Transport (LMT), and industrial batteries above 2 kWh. Together, they create the foundation for a more traceable and circular European battery ecosystem.

The BASE Project works directly with these regulatory requirements. Our role is to ensure that the Digital Battery Passport becomes trustworthy, interoperable, technically sound, and practical for real industry use. Each of the six pillars aligns closely with BASE’s mission to improve data quality, support circular design, and accelerate responsible value chain practices.

Let’s take a closer look at the six pillars that set the foundation for a more accountable and truly circular battery ecosystem.

1. Battery Identification

Battery identification is the starting point for the Digital Battery Passport. It assigns a unique digital profile to every battery, allowing it to be recognised and monitored throughout its entire lifecycle.

The EU Battery Regulation requires manufacturers to record essential details such as:

• A unique battery model identifier
• Manufacturer information
• Production date
• Production site/location
• Serial numbers or equivalent traceable markers

Strong identification helps prevent fraud and supports recall procedures, quality control, second-life assessment, and recycling operations. It ensures that batteries are traceable even when they move across borders or change owners.

From BASE’s perspective, this is also the anchor point for interoperability. Without consistent identification rules, data exchange becomes unreliable. BASE’s data architecture supports uniform identifiers that integrate seamlessly with manufacturers, operators, and end-of-life actors.

2. Material Composition

The second pillar focuses on what materials are used in the battery, as well as their origin. Manufacturers must disclose information about

• Battery chemistry
• List of critical raw materials such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, and graphite
• Recycled content levels
• Material supply chain documentation that supports the traceability of these materials.

Material composition data is essential for recyclers, auditors, and regulators. It verifies sustainability claims and helps organisations understand the economic value of end-of-life batteries. It also supports responsible sourcing by making clear where key materials originate and how they were produced.

BASE’s work directly supports this pillar by creating harmonised data structures that make material information easier to access and compare. Clear and consistent reporting will strengthen ethical supply chain practices and support European strategies for raw material independence.

3. Carbon Footprint

Carbon footprint reporting is now a core requirement of the EU Battery Regulation. Manufacturers must calculate and publish the life cycle greenhouse gas emissions of each battery model. This includes

• Emissions from raw material extraction (mining, refining)
• Manufacturing processes
• Transport and assembly
• Packaging and distribution

The regulation follows a standardised methodology to ensure that results can be compared fairly across the market.

Transparent carbon footprint information allows customers, regulators, and industry partners to understand the true environmental cost of battery manufacturing. It also encourages producers to invest in cleaner processes and renewable energy use. For policymakers, carbon data supports wider European climate objectives by offering measurable insights into progress.

BASE integrates validated methodological frameworks into its Digital Battery Passport system so that carbon data is reported consistently. AI-driven analytics developed in BASE also help interpret carbon information and identify emission hot spots throughout the value chain.

4. Battery Performance and Durability

The fourth pillar focuses on how a battery functions throughout its life. This includes

• Rated capacity
• State of health (SoH)
• Expected cycle life
• Charging behaviour
• Energy efficiency
• Safety attributes

This information is vital for understanding real-world performance and long-term durability.

For consumers and operators, performance transparency builds trust. It helps them choose reliable batteries and understand how well a product will hold value over time. For repairers, refurbishers, and second-life energy storage providers, access to accurate performance information is essential. It indicates whether a battery is suitable for repair, repurposing, or recycling.

BASE’s framework strengthens this pillar by enabling secure and tamper-resistant data flows. When performance information is updated, the passport reflects it in real time. This creates new opportunities for second-life business models and supports a more circular European battery economy.

5. Due Diligence and Supply Chain Compliance

The fifth pillar focuses on responsible sourcing and ethical supply chain management. Under the EU Battery Regulation, companies must identify, prevent, and address social and environmental risks linked to raw material extraction and processing. This includes risks associated with cobalt, lithium, nickel, graphite, and other key materials.

• The Digital Battery Passport includes documentation of
• Due diligence policies
• Supply chain risk assessments
• Human rights and environmental safeguards
• Compliance measures aligned with international standards
• Audits and certification results

These records demonstrate that companies are taking active steps to reduce harm and uphold responsible practices across global supply chains.

BASE supports this pillar by enabling structured reporting and verifiable records within the passport system. The project aligns DBP data models with OECD guidance and EU expectations so that manufacturers, auditors, and regulators can access reliable information without fragmentation. BASE’s technical framework ensures that due diligence information is stored transparently and cannot be altered without authorisation.

6. Circularity and End-of-Life Data

Circularity is central to the future of Europe’s battery sector. The sixth pillar outlines how batteries should be handled once they reach the end of their first life. This includes

• Information on repairability
• Design for disassembly
• Reuse and second-life options
• Collectors and treatment facilities
• Recycling efficiency rates

The passport also includes data on recovered materials and potential second-life applications.

This information supports recyclers, repurposers, and repairers by giving them the technical details needed to safely recover materials and extend product life. It also helps manufacturers understand how their design choices impact long-term value retention and resource efficiency.

The BASE Project strengthens this pillar by integrating harmonised circularity indicators, real-time lifecycle tracking, and second-life analytics. BASE aligns all end-of-life data with the EU’s wider circular economy ambitions, helping industry partners model recovery rates and resource loops with greater accuracy.

How the Six Pillars Work Together

Individually, each pillar of a Digital Battery Passport fulfils a specific regulatory role. However, their true value emerges when they work together, forming a complete, interconnected information system that enhances safety, accountability, and sustainability across the battery value chain.

• Identification supports consistent tracking
• Material transparency improves recyclability and ethical sourcing
• Carbon footprint data helps reduce emissions
• Performance metrics enable reliable second-life applications
• Due diligence strengthens trust
• Circularity information closes the loop by supporting recovery and reuse.

With all six pillars in place, the Digital Battery Passport becomes much more than a compliance document. It becomes a foundation for a smarter, more transparent, and more circular battery economy.

How BASE is Working Towards Shaping the DBP Framework

The BASE Project is playing a critical role in advancing a Digital Battery Passport ecosystem that is technically sound, interoperable, and future-ready. The project aligns directly with the six content pillars defined in Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 and strengthens their practical application.

BASE integrates AI-driven analytics to monitor lifecycle performance, carbon intensity, and resource flows. Its blockchain infrastructure ensures data integrity so that information stored in the passport can be trusted throughout the value chain. The project also harmonises data models to support interoperability across countries, industrial actors, and digital systems.

By embedding ESGE indicators, circularity metrics, and traceability standards, BASE enables manufacturers, recyclers, and supply chain partners to adopt the DBP with ease and confidence. The project helps Europe accelerate progress toward its climate goals while ensuring that the battery sector grows responsibly and with sustainability in mind.

Closing Thoughts

The six pillars of the Digital Battery Passport form a clear and structured approach to strengthening transparency, sustainability, and accountability across the European battery landscape. They support everything from ethical sourcing to carbon reporting, product performance, and circularity outcomes. As the EU prepares for full implementation in 2027, the value of these pillars will only become more visible.

With the support of initiatives like the BASE Project, the Digital Battery Passport is on its way to becoming a foundational tool in Europe’s transition to cleaner mobility and energy systems. It will help create a battery value chain that is competitive, responsible, and fully aligned with circular economy principles.

The BASE project has received funding from the Horizon Europe Framework Programme (HORIZON) Research and Innovation Actions under grant agreement No. 101157200.

References

Regulation (EU) 2023/1542:  https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/1542/oj

European Environment Agency – Circular Economy: https://www.eea.europa.eu/en/topics/in-depth/circular-economy

OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Mineral Supply Chains: https://www.oecd.org/en/topics/sub-issues/due-diligence-guidance-for-responsible-business-conduct/responsible-mineral-supply-chains.html

European Commission – Environmental Footprint Methods: Calculating the environmental impact of products and services: https://green-forum.ec.europa.eu/green-business/environmental-footprint-methods_en

BASE Project – EU Battery Passport Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2023/1542): What You Need to Know: https://base-batterypassport.com/blog/regulations-4/eu-battery-passport-regulation-57

European Commission – Raw Materials: https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/sectors/raw-materials_en