How electric car batteries are recycled sustainably
Mr. Michalowski, how important is it that batteries from electric vehicles are recycled?
Peter Michalowski: From our point of view, this is essential: We have an enormous dependence on raw materials in Germany and Europe, especially on China. We have had bad experiences with such dependencies - just think of Russian gas. It is therefore crucial to recover the raw materials that we already have in the cycle.
Dependencies are one thing, but how environmentally friendly is it to recycle the batteries anyway?
Michalowski: It always depends on the individual materials.We at TU Braunschweig are working on developing new processes and making existing ones more efficient and environmentally friendly. This is also better because in cobalt extraction, for example in the Congo, you have to take into account not only the environmental but also the social consequences.
What framework conditions are crucial for the process to actually be environmentally friendly in the end?
Michalowski: From my point of view, there are three points: On the one hand, we need high recycling rates. The energy mix is also decisive: the whole thing is useless if we generate the energy through coal-fired power plants. Energy should come from renewable energies and the processes should be as energy-efficient as possible. The third point is that the auxiliary materials such as acids, alkalis and water should also be circulated as far as possible.
What are the biggest pitfalls in the recycling process?
Michalowski: In our research project, the biggest challenge is to achieve the recycling quotas set by politics. We are already very good at some substances such as cobalt, but there is still potential for others such as lithium. I am confident that we can do it together.
Which materials are particularly valuable and which are difficult to recycle?
Michalowski: The metals on the side of the cathode active material are particularly valuable, first and foremost cobalt, but also nickel, with manganese and, of course, lithium. And lithium is also the material that is particularly difficult to recover. On the anode side, it would be graphite. Graphite is less critical, but here too you will have to recycle. Currently, the majority of graphite comes from China.
VIDEO: E-cars: How good are the batteries of used cars? (05.04.2023) (4 Min)
And then battery recycling itself is very energy-intensive, isn't it?
Michalowski: Yes, so recycling processes are definitely energy-intensive. That depends on the specific processes. There are different routes here and not yet the one recycling route to commit to. There are processes that work with very high temperatures. In other processes, mechanical processes play a greater role or, in the end, wet-chemical processes. In practice, these are then often combined to achieve optimal yields and purity.
What about water and chemicals in the recycling process?
Michalowski: Many liquids are definitely used in recycling, for example in leaching processes with acids and water. But if you collect this water, treat it and use it again, recycling can also be presented well from an environmental point of view.
When does it really start? In eight years? Or in ten years?
Michalowski: I assume that it will start earlier. I could well imagine that the numbers there will already rise sharply in the next four or five years.
How well does Lower Saxony compare to the rest of Germany?
Michalowski: I definitely see Lower Saxony in a very good starting position to play a leading role in Germany, although certainly not as the only region. There are other countries, especially in the south of the republic, that have the expertise that the corresponding car manufacturers also have behind them. But I don't think a certain amount of competition has to be a bad thing either.
Post a Comment for "How electric car batteries are recycled sustainably"