New research from Edith Cowan University (ECU) has highlighted the importance of lithium battery recycling in the race to a sustainable future.
The study evaluates tapping into used batteries as a secondary source of lithium, which not only reduces environmental impact but also secures access to this valuable resource, supporting a circular economy and ensuring long-term sustainability in the energy sector.
Lithium-ion batteries: Demand vs capacity
ECU PhD student Sadia Afrin pointed out that the global lithium-ion battery market size is projected to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 13%, reaching $87.5bn by 2027.
Furthermore, lithium consumption is forecast to increase from 390 kilotons in 2020 to approximately 1,600 kilotons by 2026.
However, only around 20% of a lithium-ion battery’s capacity is used before the battery is no longer fit for use in electric vehicles, meaning those batteries ending up in storage or on the landfill retain nearly 80% of their lithium capacity.
The Australian Department of Industry, Science and Resources has previously estimated that by 2035, Australia could be generating 137,000 tonnes of lithium battery waste annually.
Lithium battery recycling is the most viable solution
For the end-of-life batteries, the obvious answer is recycling, said first author Asad Ali, quoting figures from the government, which estimates that the recycling industry could be worth between $603m and $3.1bn annually in just over a decade.
“Through lithium battery recycling, you can access not only the remaining lithium, which is already purified to nearly 99% but you can also retrieve the nickel and the cobalt from these batteries,” he explained.
While the lithium retrieved through the recycling process is unlikely to impact the lithium extraction or downstream sectors, the recycling process offers significant environmental benefits when compared with the mining industry.
Ali said: “Recycling processes can significantly reduce the extensive use of land, soil contamination, ecological footprint, water footprint, carbon footprint and harmful chemical release into the environment, thereby lowering greenhouse gas emissions and minimising waste.”
Environmental benefits of lithium recovery
Australia holds one of the largest hard rock lithium reserves in the world, and the recovery of lithium from end-of-life batteries could provide socio-economic benefits and fulfil environmental sustainability.
“The mining industry actually offers another source of retired and potentially end-of-life batteries, as the electrification of the mining industry gains momentum,” stated ECU lecturer and corresponding author Dr Muhammad Azhar.
While the benefits of lithium battery recycling seem obvious, there are still some challenges to be addressed.
Afrin concluded: “The rate of innovation significantly outstrips policy development, and the chemical make-up of the batteries also continuously evolves, which makes the recycling of these batteries more complicated.
“There is a definite need for investment into the right infrastructure to create this circular economy, but there are several Australian companies that are looking at the best ways to approach this.”
