Optimising the geospatial configuration of a future lithium ion battery recycling industry in the transition to electric vehicles and a circular economy

Viet Nguyen-Tien, Qiang Dai, Gavin D.J. Harper, Paul A. Anderson and Robert Elliott ()

LSE Research Online Documents on Economics from London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library

Abstract: Rapid electrification of the transport system will generate substantial volumes of Lithium-ion-battery (LiB) waste as batteries reach their end-of-life. Much attention focuses on the recycling processes, neglecting a broader systemic view that considers the concentration of the costs and impacts associated with logistics and transportation. This paper provides an economic, environmental and geospatial analysis of a future LiB recycling industry in the UK. Hitherto, state-of-the-art assessment methods have evaluated life cycle impacts and costs but have not considered the geographical layer of the problem. This paper develops a GSC derived supply chain model for the UK electric vehicle and end-of-life vehicle battery industry. Considering both pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical recycling technologies, the optimisation process takes into account anticipated EV volumes, and, based on anticipated near-term technological evolution of LiBs, the evolution of the mix of battery cathodes in production, and presents a number of scenarios to show where LiB recycling facilities should ideally be geographically located. An economic and environmental assessment based on a customised EverBatt model is provided.

Keywords: lithium-ion-batteries; electric vehicles; circular economy; recycle; life cycle assessment; supply chain; material flow analysis; transitions; transition management; Life cycle assessment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: J01 R14 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022-09-01
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-dem, nep-ene, nep-env, nep-sea and nep-tre
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

Published in Applied Energy, 1, September, 2022, 321. ISSN: 0306-2619

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http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/115263/ Open access version. (application/pdf)

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Journal Article: Optimising the geospatial configuration of a future lithium ion battery recycling industry in the transition to electric vehicles and a circular economy (2022)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ehl:lserod:115263

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