Battery recycling - How a circular economy is part of a thriving EV sector
With growing demand for EVs, must also come a steady battery recycling ecosystem. India's rapidly growing EV market urgently requires a stabilizing factor to address its future energy demands. This involves not only ramping up the production of lithium-ion battery cells but also ensuring sustainable solutions to meet these needs effectively
As several EV battery gigafactories are being established, it is crucial to develop a strong battery recycling ecosystem, as EV batteries are poised to become the largest source of battery waste. Globally, recycling EV batteries has become imperative for numerous reasons. To begin with, mining critical battery materials such as lithium carbonate, cobalt, and nickel is highly carbon-intensive and demands significant water resources. This has contributed to the depletion of water reserves in the "lithium triangle," comprising Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina—home to the world's largest lithium deposits. However, other urgent concerns also come into play.
Comprehensive legislative measures to promote battery recycling are beginning to take shape. In early 2023, the United States introduced the Inflation Reduction Act, which classifies all batteries recycled within the country as American-made, regardless of their origin. This makes them eligible for the same incentives as domestically manufactured batteries. Similarly, India updated its Battery Waste Management Rules in 2022, requiring OEMs to partner with government-approved recyclers. These recyclers issue certificates ensuring OEMs are accountable for their battery waste. Through the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework, battery pack manufacturers are now held responsible for managing their battery waste.
EV batteries depend on essential raw materials such as lithium, cobalt, and nickel. Adopting a circular approach by recycling used batteries helps recover these materials, decreasing reliance on mining and mitigating supply chain challenges. Circular principles promote designing EV components with durability, reuse, and easy disassembly in mind, reducing waste throughout production and disposal processes. But that’s just one of many ways a circular economy is beneficial to the EV sector.
Waste Management
Recycling and repurposing EV batteries prevent hazardous waste accumulation. For instance, used batteries can be refurbished for secondary applications like energy storage systems. In addition to that, circular economy models emphasize refurbishing and reusing components such as motors, controllers, and other electronic systems, helping to reduce waste.
There’s also the matter of crucial energy and emission savings. A circular economy prioritizes the use of renewable energy in manufacturing and recycling, further lowering the carbon footprint of the EV sector. Recycling materials minimizes the energy-intensive mining and
