The electric motor industry will give birth to a huge battery recycling industry

　　Author ：Iflowpower – Portable Power Station Supplier

According to the British "Guardian" report, with the number of car enterprises and the government promised to improve the number of electric vehicles, it is expected that the number of electric vehicles in developed countries will reach 145 million. Although electric vehicles play an important purpose in emission reduction, it takes a press-of-time bomb that may endanger the environment: battery. The British "Guardian" report is estimated that by 2030, more than 12 million tons of lithium-ion batteries are expected to "retire".

These batteries have a large number of raw materials such as lithium, nickel and cobalt, and the mining of these raw materials will affect the climate, environment, and labor rights. At the same time, when these batteries exceed the service life, it is also possible to become a pile of electronic waste. In the case where the automotive industry has begun to transform, some experts say that the processing life-reaching battery approach should now be planned to reduce the dependence on mining, and realize the recycling of raw materials.

The second life of the battery is from the US dollar capital to the resource cycle, using entrepreneurial companies and R & D institutions to study the method of large-scale disassembly, and extract valuable metals. James Peng Nington, the head of the World Economic Forum Circular Economy Project, said, if we want to do more for existing materials, recycling should not be the primary solution. "The best way starting from the beginning is to let these things have been used longer.

He said. Jessicarichter, a Lunduniversity Research Environmental Policy, said: "There are many (batteries) after the battery of electric cars for first time. "These batteries may no longer be used to power the car, but can store excess power from solar or wind farm production.

Make the lithium-ion battery to the first life of the electric vehicle to a second life stored in the fixed energy storage, there is another benefit: replacing a toxic lead-acid battery. Non-profit Organization, "Pure Earth", Richardfuller, said that especially in African countries, only approximately 60% of lead-acid batteries are used in automobiles, and 20% are used to store excess. Solar energy.

Fuller believes that lead-acid batteries usually can only use for about two years under a warm climate, because heat will make them degrade faster, which means often recycling often. However, there are very few facilities in Africa to be safely doing. Instead, these batteries are often removed in terms of native.

In this process, the recycler and its surroundings will be contaminated, while lead is a strong neurotoxin, which is poisoned, which will damage the development of children's brain. Fuller said that the lithium-ion battery can supply a smaller toxicity, longer energy storage alternative. Battery recycling industry accelerated development Peng Nington said: "When the battery has arrived in the life of life, it will be recovered.

"Recycling of lithium-ion batteries is now more and more. Tesla announced in the company affected by the company announced in August, the company began to build recycled equipment in Super Factory in Nevada. Redwood Material, which is not far from Tesla Super Factory, is founded by Tesla Babel, JBstraubel, is not limited to Carsoncity, Carssa, Naja.

The company fell more than 700 million US dollars in July this year, and planned to expand its business. This factory receives waste batteries, extracts valuable materials such as copper and cobalt, and then feeds the refined metal back battery supply chain. However, in the case of recycling into important trends, it is still facing a large technical challenge.

One challenge is that the battery design is complex, which allows the recycler to detect valuable components. British battery manufacturing startups Aceleron's joint founder CarltonCummins said that lithium-ion batteries rarely take into account recyclability. "This is a problem with the recycler.

They can only know if they get the product, they can not recycle. "Cummins and Joint founders Armrit Qantan is aimed at a design defect: the way components are connected. Cummins said that most components are welded, which is conducive to electrical connections, but it is not conducive to recycling.

Aceleron's battery can be pressed together with a fastener connection assembly. These components that are connected together can be restored, and the fasteners can also be disassembled, thereby achieving the battery components completely disassembled, or disassembles a single fault component. More convenient disassembly also helps reduce safety hazards.

If the lithium ion battery is improper, it may cause fire and explosion. Cummin said, if the battery is removed, it is guaranteed that no person hurts anyone. The recycling industry system reform does not guarantee success even if there is a technical problem.

History shows that the creation of a good recycling industry is difficult. For example, the lead-acid battery has a high recovery, one reason is that the law requires recycling 99% of the lead in the automotive battery. However, when the lead-acid battery finally occurs in inappropriate recycling equipment, harmful substances will occur.

The used batteries are usually sent to an informal recovery, because the formal recycler's operating cost is high, the price gives a lower price. The toxicity of lithium-ion batteries may be small, still need to be recycled in a safe place. Peng Nington said: "The product often flows through the path of resistance, so that the way to resist the way through regular channels is smaller.

"Legislation also has functions. Although the United States has not yet implemented national policies recycled for lithium-ion batteries, the EU and my country asked battery manufacturers to pay for system collecting and recycling systems. Peng Nington said that these funds can be used to subsidize the regular recycling company and improve their competitiveness.

In December 2020, the EU also proposed a comprehensive modification of the battery bill, most of which directed a lithium ion battery, including battery collection rate of 70%, cobalt, copper, lead, and nickel recovery of 95% and lithium recovery. 70%, and the lowest level of the new battery recovery content to the 2030, so that the recycler has market capacity, not affected by the fluctuation of commodity prices or battery chemical changes. Richt said: "These proposals have not yet finalized, but the proposal content is very large.

"Data can also be used. EU and public-private cooperation organizational Global Battery Alliance (GBA) are working hard to create digital "passport", namely a battery's electronic record, including battery overall lifecycle information. "Torstenfreund" Torstenfreund, head of GBA Battery Passport Initiative, "We are considering manufacturing a two-dimensional code or RF identification testing device.

"The device reports battery health and residual capacity to help automake manufacturers manage battery reuse or recycling. Related data of battery materials can help recycles understand various chemical components of lithium-ion batteries. Once the recycling is popular, the passport can also display the recoverable volume in the new battery.

Maya Ben DroenDror, the head of the world economic forum city traffic, said that as the automotive industry began to transform, it is now solving these problems. She said that funds will pour a chance to the industry, "can ensure that these investments will be used for sustainable new ecosystems, not just a new car". Richt said, it is also worth noting that green traffic is not limited to electric cars.

Walking, cycling or riding a public transport, etc. "It is important to remember that we can have a sustainable product in an unsustainable system. She said.

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