EV Battery Recycling Could be Profitable

According to a new report from  recycling is an opportunity for advanced battery stakeholders to integrate responsible, profitable business practices into their go-to-market strategies

With growing demand for grid-scale and electric vehicle battery storage, advanced battery stakeholders are increasingly concerned about mitigating the life cycle impact of these systems. Efforts are underway to better understand the recycling process and to lower the costs and environmental impacts involved.

“Early markets for advanced batteries opened around 2010, and now the industry is seeing its first major wave of retired advanced battery assets,” says Ian McClenny, research analyst with Navigant Research. “In the past, advanced battery manufacturers, integrators, end users, and even legacy battery recycling companies did not factor retirements into their business models, but that is changing as they become more aware of the opportunity to lower total cost of ownership, increase profits, and reduce environmental impact.”

According to the report, recycling presents an opportunity for system owners to increase profit margins and decrease their footprint, in addition to providing benefits to other stakeholders. While second-life use has been a viable option for some in the battery industry, the economical and environmentally friendly recycling of advanced battery systems would benefit all stakeholders.

The report, Novel Recycling Strategies Expand the Value Proposition of Advanced Batteries, examines key recycling methods and strategies for major advanced battery technologies that are commercially available for transportation and grid storage. These methods are classified by their traditional specifications, reported shortcomings, and future roadmap for improvement. Navigant Research outlines the primary battery system components for advanced batteries and how they should be considered when recycling. The study also explores competing end-of-life strategies and provides recommendations on incorporating recycling procedures in the supply chain for governments, manufacturers, and business owners. An Executive Summary of the report is available for free download on the Navigant Research website.