Reusing Electric Vehicle Batteries For Renewable Energy Storage
Most often, used electrical vehicle batteries will not be recycled due to how they are built and the hazardous materials contained. “Currently, globally, it’s very hard to get detailed figures for what percentage of lithium-ion batteries are recycled, but the value everyone quotes is about 5%,” says Dr Anderson. “In some parts of the world it’s considerably less.” Due to this difficulty, EV suppliers have been urged to manufacture products that can be recycled.
Cornell University Researchers Have Found A Method To Reuse Electric Car Batteries
Cornell University researchers have recently published a study where they have found a method in which old lithium-ion batteries can be repurposed and used for renewable energy storage. The team outlined how the process can decrease the carbon footprint of the batteries by up to 17%. Where batteries have reduced energy storage capacity, they can be repurposed to store wind and solar energy.
These types of batteries require large amounts of raw materials, having a damaging impact on the environment. The materials are mined using huge amounts of water and are produced using high temperatures which use large amounts of energy.
This new method outlined by Cornell researchers has enabled them to develop a process that can manufacture lithium-ion batteries for sustainability rather than just performance.
The Importance Of Recycling & Reusing Batteries
Not only does the production of these materials damage the environment, but also where it is simply dumped into landfills. Despite these batteries being hazardous and likely to catch fire in landfill, much of it still ends up here. The chemicals inside the batteries will never decompose in this environment, and will constantly release toxins into the soil surrounding them. It can take more than 100 years for metal parts of the battery to decompose in landfill.
