IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/rensus/v67y2017icp491-506.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The environmental impact of Li-Ion batteries and the role of key parameters – A review

Author

Listed:
  • Peters, Jens F.
  • Baumann, Manuel
  • Zimmermann, Benedikt
  • Braun, Jessica
  • Weil, Marcel

Abstract

The increasing presence of Li-Ion batteries (LIB) in mobile and stationary energy storage applications has triggered a growing interest in the environmental impacts associated with their production. Numerous studies on the potential environmental impacts of LIB production and LIB-based electric mobility are available, but these are very heterogeneous and the results are therefore difficult to compare. Furthermore, the source of inventory data, which is key to the outcome of any study, is often difficult to trace back. This paper provides a review of LCA studies on Li-Ion batteries, with a focus on the battery production process. All available original studies that explicitly assess LIB production are summarized, the sources of inventory data are traced back and the main assumptions are extracted in order to provide a quick overview of the technical key parameters used in each study. These key parameters are then compared with actual battery data from industry and research institutions. Based on the results from the reviewed studies, average values for the environmental impacts of LIB production are calculated and the relevance of different assumptions for the outcomes of the different studies is pointed out. On average, producing 1Wh of storage capacity is associated with a cumulative energy demand of 328Wh and causes greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of 110 gCO2eq. Although the majority of existing studies focus on GHG emissions or energy demand, it can be shown that impacts in other categories such as toxicity might be even more important. Taking into account the importance of key parameters for the environmental performance of Li-Ion batteries, research efforts should not only focus on energy density but also on maximizing cycle life and charge-discharge efficiency.

Suggested Citation

  • Peters, Jens F. & Baumann, Manuel & Zimmermann, Benedikt & Braun, Jessica & Weil, Marcel, 2017. "The environmental impact of Li-Ion batteries and the role of key parameters – A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 491-506.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:67:y:2017:i:c:p:491-506
    DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2016.08.039
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032116304713
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.rser.2016.08.039?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ren, Guizhou & Ma, Guoqing & Cong, Ning, 2015. "Review of electrical energy storage system for vehicular applications," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 225-236.
    2. Hadjipaschalis, Ioannis & Poullikkas, Andreas & Efthimiou, Venizelos, 2009. "Overview of current and future energy storage technologies for electric power applications," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 13(6-7), pages 1513-1522, August.
    3. Lewis, Anne Marie & Kelly, Jarod C. & Keoleian, Gregory A., 2014. "Vehicle lightweighting vs. electrification: Life cycle energy and GHG emissions results for diverse powertrain vehicles," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 126(C), pages 13-20.
    4. Zhou, Zhibin & Benbouzid, Mohamed & Frédéric Charpentier, Jean & Scuiller, Franck & Tang, Tianhao, 2013. "A review of energy storage technologies for marine current energy systems," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 18(C), pages 390-400.
    5. McManus, M.C., 2012. "Environmental consequences of the use of batteries in low carbon systems: The impact of battery production," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 288-295.
    6. Richard Van Noorden, 2014. "The rechargeable revolution: A better battery," Nature, Nature, vol. 507(7490), pages 26-28, March.
    7. Díaz-González, Francisco & Sumper, Andreas & Gomis-Bellmunt, Oriol & Villafáfila-Robles, Roberto, 2012. "A review of energy storage technologies for wind power applications," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 16(4), pages 2154-2171.
    8. Spanos, Constantine & Turney, Damon E. & Fthenakis, Vasilis, 2015. "Life-cycle analysis of flow-assisted nickel zinc-, manganese dioxide-, and valve-regulated lead-acid batteries designed for demand-charge reduction," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 478-494.
    9. Troy R. Hawkins & Bhawna Singh & Guillaume Majeau‐Bettez & Anders Hammer Strømman, 2013. "Comparative Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of Conventional and Electric Vehicles," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 17(1), pages 53-64, February.
    10. Hammond, Geoffrey P. & Hazeldine, Tom, 2015. "Indicative energy technology assessment of advanced rechargeable batteries," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 138(C), pages 559-571.
    11. Troy, Stefanie & Schreiber, Andrea & Reppert, Thorsten & Gehrke, Hans-Gregor & Finsterbusch, Martin & Uhlenbruck, Sven & Stenzel, Peter, 2016. "Life Cycle Assessment and resource analysis of all-solid-state batteries," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 169(C), pages 757-767.
    12. Schaber, Christopher & Mazza, Patrick & Hammerschlag, Roel, 2004. "Utility-Scale Storage of Renewable Energy," The Electricity Journal, Elsevier, vol. 17(6), pages 21-29, July.
    13. Bauer, Christian & Hofer, Johannes & Althaus, Hans-Jörg & Del Duce, Andrea & Simons, Andrew, 2015. "The environmental performance of current and future passenger vehicles: Life cycle assessment based on a novel scenario analysis framework," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 157(C), pages 871-883.
    14. Baker, John, 2008. "New technology and possible advances in energy storage," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(12), pages 4368-4373, December.
    15. Sanfélix, Javier & Messagie, Maarten & Omar, Noshin & Van Mierlo, Joeri & Hennige, Volker, 2015. "Environmental performance of advanced hybrid energy storage systems for electric vehicle applications," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 137(C), pages 925-930.
    16. Ibrahim, H. & Ilinca, A. & Perron, J., 2008. "Energy storage systems--Characteristics and comparisons," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 12(5), pages 1221-1250, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Dehghani-Sanij, A.R. & Tharumalingam, E. & Dusseault, M.B. & Fraser, R., 2019. "Study of energy storage systems and environmental challenges of batteries," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 192-208.
    2. Hannan, M.A. & Hoque, M.M. & Mohamed, A. & Ayob, A., 2017. "Review of energy storage systems for electric vehicle applications: Issues and challenges," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 771-789.
    3. Luo, Xing & Wang, Jihong & Dooner, Mark & Clarke, Jonathan, 2015. "Overview of current development in electrical energy storage technologies and the application potential in power system operation," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 137(C), pages 511-536.
    4. Zakeri, Behnam & Syri, Sanna, 2015. "Electrical energy storage systems: A comparative life cycle cost analysis," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 569-596.
    5. Zhou, Zhibin & Benbouzid, Mohamed & Frédéric Charpentier, Jean & Scuiller, Franck & Tang, Tianhao, 2013. "A review of energy storage technologies for marine current energy systems," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 18(C), pages 390-400.
    6. Maria Symeonidou & Agis M. Papadopoulos, 2022. "Selection and Dimensioning of Energy Storage Systems for Standalone Communities: A Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(22), pages 1-28, November.
    7. Hoque, M.M. & Hannan, M.A. & Mohamed, A. & Ayob, A., 2017. "Battery charge equalization controller in electric vehicle applications: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 1363-1385.
    8. Poullikkas, Andreas, 2013. "A comparative overview of large-scale battery systems for electricity storage," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 27(C), pages 778-788.
    9. Rosario Tolomeo & Giovanni De Feo & Renata Adami & Libero Sesti Osséo, 2020. "Application of Life Cycle Assessment to Lithium Ion Batteries in the Automotive Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-16, June.
    10. Argyrou, Maria C. & Christodoulides, Paul & Kalogirou, Soteris A., 2018. "Energy storage for electricity generation and related processes: Technologies appraisal and grid scale applications," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 804-821.
    11. Li, Sheying & Cai, Yang-Hui & Schäfer, Andrea I. & Richards, Bryce S., 2019. "Renewable energy powered membrane technology: A review of the reliability of photovoltaic-powered membrane system components for brackish water desalination," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 253(C), pages 1-1.
    12. Yekini Suberu, Mohammed & Wazir Mustafa, Mohd & Bashir, Nouruddeen, 2014. "Energy storage systems for renewable energy power sector integration and mitigation of intermittency," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 499-514.
    13. Berrada, Asmae & Loudiyi, Khalid, 2016. "Operation, sizing, and economic evaluation of storage for solar and wind power plants," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 1117-1129.
    14. Gaurav Chaudhary & Jacob J. Lamb & Odne S. Burheim & Bjørn Austbø, 2021. "Review of Energy Storage and Energy Management System Control Strategies in Microgrids," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-26, August.
    15. Das, Himadry Shekhar & Tan, Chee Wei & Yatim, A.H.M., 2017. "Fuel cell hybrid electric vehicles: A review on power conditioning units and topologies," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 268-291.
    16. Díaz-González, Francisco & Sumper, Andreas & Gomis-Bellmunt, Oriol & Villafáfila-Robles, Roberto, 2012. "A review of energy storage technologies for wind power applications," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 16(4), pages 2154-2171.
    17. Saikia, Papumoni & Das, Nipankumar & Buragohain, Mrinal, 2024. "Robust energy storage system for stable in wind and solar," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    18. Rodrigues, E.M.G. & Godina, R. & Santos, S.F. & Bizuayehu, A.W. & Contreras, J. & Catalão, J.P.S., 2014. "Energy storage systems supporting increased penetration of renewables in islanded systems," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 265-280.
    19. Shkolnikov, E.I. & Zhuk, A.Z. & Vlaskin, M.S., 2011. "Aluminum as energy carrier: Feasibility analysis and current technologies overview," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 15(9), pages 4611-4623.
    20. Wu, Ziyang & Wang, Can & Wolfram, Paul & Zhang, Yaxin & Sun, Xin & Hertwich, Edgar, 2019. "Assessing electric vehicle policy with region-specific carbon footprints," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 256(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:67:y:2017:i:c:p:491-506. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/600126/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.