The contribution What happens to old electric car batteries? First appeared at the online magazine Basic Thinking. You can start the day well every morning via our newsletter update.
The batteries in electric cars often have a longer lifespan than the vehicles themselves. But what happens afterwards with the batteries? A team of researchers has investigated the most sensible for the use of follow-up use for old electric car batteries.
The electrification of road traffic is a central part of the energy transition. By 2029 the Sales of e-cars predicted worldwide 17.36 million. For the current year, the forecasts provide 13.66 million.
In the coming years, the number of electric cars will increase, which is no longer used. However, their batteries have usually not yet arrived at the end of their performance.
There are two scenarios for your use of follow -up: recycling or second use. A team of researchers has now dealt with the question of which strategy for old batteries made of electric cars is most sensible.
Recycling or second use: This means that old electric car batteries are used sensibly
Old electric car batteries contain valuable raw materials that can be reused after using the vehicle. In addition, enormous amounts of greenhouse gas emissions can be saved. But is the immediate recycling of old batteries from electric cars or are there other options for further use?
A Team from the University of Münster has got to the bottom of this question together with researchers from the Fraunhofer facility research production battery cell and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. There were In the study Using the example of the US state of California, three different scenarios modeled.
The researchers looked at the actual current status in the “Basiszentario”. The “recycling scenario”, on the other hand, was the complete recycling of all batteries without using a second.
In the third scenario, the “second use scenario”, the researchers examined the effects of a prioritized second use. In this scenario, old batteries are only recycled when the need for inpatient energy storage is fully covered by old electric car batteries.
The study comes to these results
The model calculation of the recycling scenario shows that around 61 percent of the need for electric car batteries could be covered in California by 2050 if all old batteries are recycled. In addition, around 48 million tons of carbon dioxide would be saved, for example, since numerous valuable raw materials would not have to be dismantled again in mines.
In the second use scenario, carbon dioxide emissions could even be reduced by 56 million tons. In addition, all lithium iron phosphate batteries alone would be sufficient to meet the need for inpatient energy storage by 2050.
The results underline the importance of systemic planning of the battery delivery chains, including production, recycling and second use.
Based on this calculation, the authors of the study recommend prioritization of second use. Because the use of old electric car batteries in inpatient energy storage contributes more effectively to save greenhouse gas emissions in the long term than direct recycling.
At the same time, however, the development of a recycling infrastructure must also be started early. Countries that would implement this are better positioned in order to benefit from the advantages of the circular economy for electric car batteries.
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As a tech industry expert, I can say that the issue of what happens to old electric car batteries is a pressing concern that needs to be addressed. While electric vehicles are a more environmentally friendly option compared to traditional gasoline-powered cars, the disposal of their batteries can have negative impacts on the environment if not managed properly.
One potential solution to this problem is battery recycling. By reusing the materials in old electric car batteries, we can reduce the demand for new resources and minimize environmental impact. However, the current infrastructure for battery recycling is still underdeveloped and there are challenges in recovering valuable materials from batteries in a cost-effective manner.
Another option is repurposing old electric car batteries for energy storage applications. While the batteries may no longer have enough capacity to power a vehicle, they can still be used to store energy from renewable sources such as solar or wind power. This can help reduce the need for new battery production and support the transition to a more sustainable energy system.
Overall, it is crucial for policymakers, manufacturers, and consumers to work together to find innovative solutions for dealing with old electric car batteries. By implementing effective recycling and repurposing strategies, we can reduce waste, conserve resources, and mitigate the environmental impact of electric vehicles.
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