The Economic Advantages of 2nd-Life Batteries and Recycling

During my childhood, I was taught to pass on things as long as they were functional and to repair them when they broke. This was a lesson on efficiency, which always prevails.

In today's world of abundance, there's a tendency to waste limited resources. Handling valuable materials like lithium, cobalt, nickel, copper, and manganese demands resource-efficient solutions. The utilization of batteries in their secondary phase and recycling are pivotal aspects in this context. It's crucial to be flexible and find alternative ways to effectively manage future scarce resources.

2nd-Life Batteries: A New Approach to Efficient Energy Utilization

Imagine a battery in an electric car enduring about 2,000 charge cycles before dropping to 80% of its original capacity. However, is that the end of its lifespan? These batteries have a 'second life', serving for up to an additional ten years.

Even when they drop between 80% and 70% of their original capacity, requiring replacement as per manufacturer instructions for electric vehicles, they still possess sufficient power for other applications. This renewed utilization of already-used resources opens up new pathways for energy storage, virtually multiplying the utility of each battery.

Recycling as the Driving Force of Efficiency

Traditional battery recycling involving disassembly, shredding, and melting is being optimized through increasing automation and innovative technologies. These advancements not only signify a more environmentally friendly practice but also bring about energetic and economic advantages. Recycling enables the recovery of valuable materials like lithium, cobalt, nickel, and aluminum, reintegrating them into production.

The evolving landscape of recycling methods, exemplified by innovative approaches such as the mechanochemical process developed by the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, demonstrates a significant stride toward achieving higher efficiency in material recovery. Such advancements pave the way for a more sustainable and cost-effective circular economy within the battery industry. As industries focus on resource conservation and environmental sustainability, these refined recycling techniques play a pivotal role in meeting the escalating demand for lithium-ion batteries while minimizing the ecological footprint associated with their production and disposal.

Potential for Economic Efficiency through Sustainable Batteries

The discourse on 2nd-Life applications and battery recycling transcends the ecological sphere. It's a step toward an efficient economy. The potential to repurpose used batteries and retrieve valuable materials offers companies the opportunity to reduce costs and employ resources more efficiently.

Moreover, with the projected substantial rise in raw material prices over the forthcoming years, this shift toward sustainable battery practices becomes not just a conscientious choice but a strategically economical one for businesses aiming to secure their supply chains and streamline their production costs.

Challenges in Reusing Electric Vehicle Batteries

The potential for reusing electric vehicle batteries in energy storage holds promise, yet it encounters some challenges:

1. Standardization and Compatibility: Vehicle batteries were developed and certified under different standards than those required in the energy storage realm. This complicates seamless integration, necessitating adjustments to meet diverse requirements.
2. Battery Condition: Electric vehicle batteries vary significantly in their condition and remaining capacity. Selecting suitable batteries with adequate performance and lifespan for energy storage is imperative, demanding meticulous scrutiny. Thermal instability and other potential risks must be considered in the development of 2nd-Life storage systems.
3. Logistics and Handling: Transporting and handling used batteries require specific measures due to their large, heavy nature and safety risks such as thermal instability.
4. Continuous Monitoring of Battery Parameters: Crucial battery parameters like capacity and internal resistance should be continuously monitored to detect critical conditions early, enabling proactive measures to prevent potential issues in 2nd-Life storage systems.

Overcoming these challenges demands a thorough examination of batteries, adjustments to standards and certifications, along with innovative approaches to battery handling. Considering potential risks from used batteries is crucial to ensuring the safety and effectiveness of 2nd-Life storage systems.

Innovation for an Efficient Energy Industry

The upcoming years promise declining recycling costs alongside rising raw material prices. By integrating 2nd-Life applications and recycling into the battery industry, not only new business opportunities emerge, but there's also improved competitiveness and both energetic and economic efficiency for companies and investors. It's becoming increasingly clear that today's batteries are tomorrow's raw materials. While the world strives to secure access to new mining areas, the obvious source—already mined and processed raw materials in our batteries—is currently often overlooked.

References

• www.batterydesign.net by Nigel Taylor

• Energy Transition Metals by Lukas Boer , andrea pescatori , Martin Stuermer

• Universal and efficient extraction of lithium for lithium-ion battery recycling using mechanochemistry by Oleksandr Dolotko , Niklas Gehrke , Triantafillia Malliaridou et al.