IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/hal/journl/hal-03727762.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

An assessment of the European regulation on battery recycling for electric vehicles

Author

Listed:
  • Quentin Hoarau

    (SONDRA - Sondra, CentraleSupélec, Université Paris-Saclay - ONERA - CentraleSupélec - Université Paris-Saclay)

  • Etienne Lorang

    (BETA - Bureau d'Économie Théorique et Appliquée - AgroParisTech - UNISTRA - Université de Strasbourg - Université de Haute-Alsace (UHA) - Université de Haute-Alsace (UHA) Mulhouse - Colmar - UL - Université de Lorraine - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement, CEC - Chaire Economie du Climat - Université Paris Dauphine-PSL - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres)

Abstract

This paper investigates the design of a recent regulatory proposal aimed at favoring the emergence of a battery recycling industry in Europe. Electric mobility is deemed necessary to cut CO2 emissions in the transport sector but the industrial and environmental impacts of lithium-ion battery manufacturing are controversial. A recent regulatory proposal from the European Commission introduces the obligation to attain a series of minimum thresholds of recycled materials for the new batteries to be manufactured after 2030. This paper discusses the conditions required for that obligation to be fulfilled. It develops a material flow model that projects battery wastes and their recycling potential. Our findings indicate that the feasibility of proposed thresholds is not very sensitive to changes of material intensities from battery technology shifts, recycling efficiencies, or the faster uptake of demand. On the contrary, battery lifetimes are the most crucial parameters for recycling potential. We believe that this result could jeopardize avenues for extending battery lifetimes such as second-battery usage. Our policy recommendations are twofold. First, we recommend lower thresholds to improve the regulation credibility. Second, the regulation should integrate other objectives that address the lifetime of batteries.

Suggested Citation

  • Quentin Hoarau & Etienne Lorang, 2022. "An assessment of the European regulation on battery recycling for electric vehicles," Post-Print hal-03727762, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-03727762
    DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2021.112770
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-03727762
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-03727762/document
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.enpol.2021.112770?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
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Gondia Sokhna Seck & Emmanuel Hache & Clement Bonnet & Marine Simoën & Samuel Carcanague, 2020. "Copper at the crossroads : Assessment of the interactions between low-carbon energy transition and supply limitations," Post-Print hal-03118509, HAL.
    2. Seck, Gondia Sokhna & Hache, Emmanuel & Barnet, Charlène, 2022. "Potential bottleneck in the energy transition: The case of cobalt in an accelerating electro-mobility world," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    3. Wu, Wei & Lin, Boqiang & Xie, Chunping & Elliott, Robert J.R. & Radcliffe, Jonathan, 2020. "Does energy storage provide a profitable second life for electric vehicle batteries?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    4. Elshkaki, Ayman & van der Voet, Ester & Timmermans, Veerle & Van Holderbeke, Mirja, 2005. "Dynamic stock modelling: A method for the identification and estimation of future waste streams and emissions based on past production and product stock characteristics," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 30(8), pages 1353-1363.
    5. Gur, K. & Chatzikyriakou, D. & Baschet, C. & Salomon, M., 2018. "The reuse of electrified vehicle batteries as a means of integrating renewable energy into the European electricity grid: A policy and market analysis," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 535-545.
    6. Few, Sheridan & Schmidt, Oliver & Offer, Gregory J. & Brandon, Nigel & Nelson, Jenny & Gambhir, Ajay, 2018. "Prospective improvements in cost and cycle life of off-grid lithium-ion battery packs: An analysis informed by expert elicitations," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 578-590.
    7. Spatari, S. & Bertram, M. & Gordon, Robert B. & Henderson, K. & Graedel, T.E., 2005. "Twentieth century copper stocks and flows in North America: A dynamic analysis," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 54(1), pages 37-51, July.
    8. Fernando Enzo Kenta Sato & Toshihiko Nakata, 2019. "Recoverability Analysis of Critical Materials from Electric Vehicle Lithium-Ion Batteries through a Dynamic Fleet-Based Approach for Japan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-18, December.
    9. Hache, Emmanuel & Seck, Gondia Sokhna & Simoen, Marine & Bonnet, Clément & Carcanague, Samuel, 2019. "Critical raw materials and transportation sector electrification: A detailed bottom-up analysis in world transport," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 240(C), pages 6-25.
    10. Ballinger, Benjamin & Stringer, Martin & Schmeda-Lopez, Diego R. & Kefford, Benjamin & Parkinson, Brett & Greig, Chris & Smart, Simon, 2019. "The vulnerability of electric vehicle deployment to critical mineral supply," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 255(C).
    11. Nykvist, Björn & Sprei, Frances & Nilsson, Måns, 2019. "Assessing the progress toward lower priced long range battery electric vehicles," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 144-155.
    12. Martinez-Laserna, E. & Gandiaga, I. & Sarasketa-Zabala, E. & Badeda, J. & Stroe, D.-I. & Swierczynski, M. & Goikoetxea, A., 2018. "Battery second life: Hype, hope or reality? A critical review of the state of the art," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 701-718.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Miaomei Guo & Weilun Huang, 2023. "Consumer Willingness to Recycle The Wasted Batteries of Electric Vehicles in the Era of Circular Economy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-20, February.
    2. Vongdala Noudeng & Nguyen Van Quan & Tran Dang Xuan, 2022. "A Future Perspective on Waste Management of Lithium-Ion Batteries for Electric Vehicles in Lao PDR: Current Status and Challenges," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-22, December.
    3. Teng, Fei & Zhang, Qi & Chen, Siyuan & Wang, Ge & Huang, Zhenyue & Wang, Lu, 2024. "Comprehensive effects of policy mixes on the diffusion of heavy-duty hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks in China considering technology learning," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 185(C).

    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. Gu, Xubo & Bai, Hanyu & Cui, Xiaofan & Zhu, Juner & Zhuang, Weichao & Li, Zhaojian & Hu, Xiaosong & Song, Ziyou, 2024. "Challenges and opportunities for second-life batteries: Key technologies and economy," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 192(C).
    2. Steckel, Tobiah & Kendall, Alissa & Ambrose, Hanjiro, 2021. "Applying levelized cost of storage methodology to utility-scale second-life lithium-ion battery energy storage systems," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 300(C).
    3. Al-Wreikat, Yazan & Attfield, Emily Kate & Sodré, José Ricardo, 2022. "Model for payback time of using retired electric vehicle batteries in residential energy storage systems," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 259(C).
    4. Seck, Gondia S. & Hache, Emmanuel & Sabathier, Jerome & Guedes, Fernanda & Reigstad, Gunhild A. & Straus, Julian & Wolfgang, Ove & Ouassou, Jabir A. & Askeland, Magnus & Hjorth, Ida & Skjelbred, Hans , 2022. "Hydrogen and the decarbonization of the energy system in europe in 2050: A detailed model-based analysis," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    5. Seck, Gondia Sokhna & Hache, Emmanuel & D'Herbemont, Vincent & Guyot, Mathis & Malbec, Louis-Marie, 2023. "Hydrogen development in Europe: Estimating material consumption in net zero emissions scenarios," International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    6. Cagli, Efe Caglar, 2023. "The volatility spillover between battery metals and future mobility stocks: Evidence from the time-varying frequency connectedness approach," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 86(PA).
    7. Le Boulzec, Hugo & Delannoy, Louis & Andrieu, Baptiste & Verzier, François & Vidal, Olivier & Mathy, Sandrine, 2022. "Dynamic modeling of global fossil fuel infrastructure and materials needs: Overcoming a lack of available data," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 326(C).
    8. Emanuele Michelini & Patrick Höschele & Florian Ratz & Michael Stadlbauer & Werner Rom & Christian Ellersdorfer & Jörg Moser, 2023. "Potential and Most Promising Second-Life Applications for Automotive Lithium-Ion Batteries Considering Technical, Economic and Legal Aspects," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(6), pages 1-21, March.
    9. Song, Ziyou & Feng, Shuo & Zhang, Lei & Hu, Zunyan & Hu, Xiaosong & Yao, Rui, 2019. "Economy analysis of second-life battery in wind power systems considering battery degradation in dynamic processes: Real case scenarios," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 251(C), pages 1-1.
    10. Bernhard Faessler, 2021. "Stationary, Second Use Battery Energy Storage Systems and Their Applications: A Research Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-19, April.
    11. Seck, Gondia Sokhna & Hache, Emmanuel & Barnet, Charlène, 2022. "Potential bottleneck in the energy transition: The case of cobalt in an accelerating electro-mobility world," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    12. Zhou, Yucheng & Yang, Ning & Hu, Shanying, 2013. "Industrial metabolism of PVC in China: A dynamic material flow analysis," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 33-40.
    13. repec:hal:wpaper:halshs-04126172 is not listed on IDEAS
    14. Benjamin Jones & Viet Nguyen-Tien & Robert J R Elliott, 2021. "The EV Revolution: Critical Material Supply Chains, Trade, and Development," Discussion Papers 21-15, Department of Economics, University of Birmingham.
    15. Tanguy Bonnet, 2023. "Foreign Direct Investment and Strategic Minerals," EconomiX Working Papers 2023-7, University of Paris Nanterre, EconomiX.
    16. Yana Buravleva & Decai Tang & Brandon J. Bethel, 2021. "Incentivizing Innovation: The Causal Role of Government Subsidies on Lithium-Ion Battery Research and Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-16, July.
    17. Mauler, Lukas & Duffner, Fabian & Leker, Jens, 2021. "Economies of scale in battery cell manufacturing: The impact of material and process innovations," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 286(C).
    18. Gondia Sokhna Seck & Emmanuel Hache & Clement Bonnet & Marine Simoën & Samuel Carcanague, 2020. "Copper at the crossroads : Assessment of the interactions between low-carbon energy transition and supply limitations," Post-Print hal-03118509, HAL.
    19. Elshkaki, Ayman, 2020. "Long-term analysis of critical materials in future vehicles electrification in China and their national and global implications," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 202(C).
    20. Cao, Zhi & Shen, Lei & Liu, Litao & Zhao, Jianan & Zhong, Shuai & Kong, Hanxiao & Sun, Yanzhi, 2017. "Estimating the in-use cement stock in China: 1920–2013," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 21-31.
    21. Jones, Ben & Elliott, Robert J.R. & Nguyen-Tien, Viet, 2020. "The EV revolution: The road ahead for critical raw materials demand," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 280(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Recycling; Lithium-ion batteries; Electric vehicles; Environmental policy;
    All these keywords.

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:hal:journl:hal-03727762. 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: CCSD (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/ .

    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.