Lithium-Ion Battery End-of-Life Life Cycle Assessment [supporting dataset]

Lithium-ion batteries are a key technology in decarbonizing the transportation and electricity sectors, yet the use of critical materials, such as cobalt, nickel, and lithium, leads to environmental and social impacts. Reusing, repurposing, and recycling batteries mitigate these impacts by extending their lifespan and reducing reliance on virgin materials. Innovation that reduces demand for these problematic materials and increases battery efficiency also reduces impacts. Two examples of this technological innovation include, (1) the development of energy-dense cathode chemistry containing less cobalt, a material with high social and environmental impacts; and (2) the use of columnar silicon thin film anode, which results in increased energy density compared to the commonly used graphite anode. This research assesses whether these technological innovations change the currently understood waste hierarchy, which prioritizes reuse or repurposing prior to recycling. This is of interest because retired high-cobalt batteries could supply their constituent materials sooner if recycled immediately and be used in low-cobalt, higher-performing batteries. The assessment considers the life cycle environmental impacts of two end-of-life management routes for a high-cobalt lithium-ion battery: first, recycling the battery immediately after the first use life to produce a new, and less material-intensive battery, and second, repurposing the battery for a stationary storage application followed by recycling. Findings show that battery reuse reduces life cycle environmental impacts relative to immediate recycling. Thus, from an environmental perspective, the waste hierarchy holds, and steps to retain the batteries in their highest value use, such as through repurposing, should still be prioritized.

• Record URL:
  • https://doi.org/10.7922/G2BZ64DC
• Dataset URL:
  • https://doi.org/10.25338/B8S92G
• Dataset URL:
  • https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/73545
• Record URL:
  • https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/73528
• Supplemental Notes:
  • The dataset supports report: End of Life EV Battery Policy Simulator: A Dynamic Systems, Mixed-Methods Approach, available at the URL above. This document was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation, University Transportation Centers Program.
• Corporate Authors:

  University of California, Davis

  Institute of Transportation Studies
  Davis, CA  United States  95616

  National Center for Sustainable Transportation

  University of California, Davis
  Davis, CA  United States 

  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

  University Transportation Centers Program
  Department of Transportation
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Dunn, Jessica
  • 0000-0003-0441-2734
  • Kendall, Alissa
  • Ritter, Kabian
  • Velázquez, Jesús
• Publication Date: 2023-4-11

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Dataset
• Dataset publisher:

  Dryad

  ,    

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Cobalt; Data; Electric vehicles; Environmental impacts; Life cycle analysis; Lithium batteries; Recycling
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Energy; Environment; Highways; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01910804
• Record Type: Publication
• Contract Numbers: 69A3551747114
• Files: UTC, NTL, TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Mar 5 2024 8:59AM