Recent breakthroughs in recycling, together with a spate of technological improvements, mean that within a decade or so most of the global demand for raw materials to build new batteries could be met by recycling old ones. Lithium, manganese and cobalt are widely used to make electrodes called cathodes, the most expensive part of a Li-ion battery.
Despite recent technical progress, recycling won’t meet demand for battery materials anytime soon, says Alissa Kendall, an energy systems researcher at the University of California, Davis. Since demand is still rising exponentially, recycled batteries will at best account for about half the nickel and lithium supply by 2050.
At present battery recycling is mostly confined to recovering raw materials from the scrap produced by gigafactories. A much richer vein will soon present itself, however, as the first wave of EV s reach the end of their lives.
For batteries destined for recycling, the dream is to be able to slice cells open and reuse or remanufacture every component of the battery.
As the demand for batteries continues to rise with the increasing adoption of electric vehicles and renewable energy systems, the development of efficient battery-recycling technology becomes crucial. In addition, alternative batteries are being developed that reduce reliance on rare earth metals.
Advancements in battery technology are increasingly focused on developing clean tech solutions. Improved battery manufacturing processes reduce reliance on scarce raw materials and enhance recyclability of existing batteries.