Economic Aspects for Recycling of Used Lithium-Ion Batteries from Electric Vehicles

Maria Cecília Costa Lima, Luana Pereira Pontes, Andrea Sarmento Maia Vasconcelos, Washington de Araujo Silva Junior and Kunlin Wu
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Maria Cecília Costa Lima: Instituto de Tecnologia Edson Mororó Moura—ITEMM, Recife 51020-280, PE, Brazil
Luana Pereira Pontes: Instituto de Tecnologia Edson Mororó Moura—ITEMM, Recife 51020-280, PE, Brazil
Andrea Sarmento Maia Vasconcelos: Instituto de Tecnologia Edson Mororó Moura—ITEMM, Recife 51020-280, PE, Brazil
Washington de Araujo Silva Junior: Instituto de Tecnologia Edson Mororó Moura—ITEMM, Recife 51020-280, PE, Brazil
Kunlin Wu: Companhia Paulista de Força e Luz—CPFL, Campinas 13087-397, SP, Brazil

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 6, 1-19

Abstract: Worldwide, there has been an exponential growth in the production and application of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), driven by the energy transition and the electric vehicle market. The scarcity of raw materials and the circular economy strategy of LIBs encourage the need to reuse components, recycle, and give second life to used batteries. However, one of the obstacles is the insufficient volume of LIBs for recycling, which prevents the economic viability of this industrial process. Thus, this article mainly focuses on the economic aspects of the recycling of LIBs, presenting and analyzing: (i) the advantages and disadvantages of recycling and (ii) a survey of factors that influence the cost and economic feasibility of disposing of batteries. The importance of regulations, the market, and business models regarding the recycling of LIBs in a few countries are also discussed. Finally, a business model is created for recycling LIBs in Brazil. The main factors that influence the economic feasibility of this process are indicated, such as government incentives through regulation, exemption from fees and taxes, and the adequacy of battery technology. Encouraging recycling through tax exemptions or reductions can make the process more economically viable, in addition to contributing to the circular economy. Another essential factor to be considered is the creation of joint ventures, which can facilitate the entire chain of the circular economy, including logistics, transport, and disposal of batteries.

Keywords: lithium-ion batteries; recycling; disposing of; energy transition; economic strategy; business model; electric vehicle; electric mobility (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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