The use of recycled materials in EV battery production significantly reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions compared to virgin material sourcing. Here’s a breakdown of the impacts:
1. Emission reduction mechanisms
Recycling lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) avoids carbon-intensive mining and refining of raw materials like lithium, cobalt, and nickel. For example, pyrometallurgical recycling methods produce ~86.86 kg CO₂ per battery unit during remanufacturing, but this is still lower than emissions from virgin material production when accounting for avoided upstream emissions.
2. Emission-saving comparisons
Stanford research shows recycling produces 80% fewer emissions than raw material extraction. Ascend Elements forecasts that by 2030, recycled cathode materials could emit just 4.4 kg CO₂ per kilogram (vs. conventional production), representing a 90% reduction compared to traditional methods.
3. Lifecycle benefits
Recycled materials enable:
- Lower energy demand: Remanufacturing uses less energy than mining/refining
- Toxin containment: Prevents leaching of lithium/cobalt into ecosystems
- Supply chain resilience: Reduces reliance on geopolitically sensitive mining
Current data suggests closed-loop recycling is essential for achieving the EV industry’s sustainability goals. However, emissions vary by recycling method – direct physical recycling emits 3.65 kg CO₂-eq/kWh, while newer methods target even lower outputs.
Original article by NenPower, If reposted, please credit the source: https://nenpower.com/blog/how-does-the-use-of-recycled-materials-impact-the-overall-emissions-of-ev-batteries/
