Challenges in lithium-ion battery recycling

Lithium-ion batteries have been an omnipresent part of our daily lives since their introduction in 1991. Today, they are at the heart of the ecological, energy and digital transitions, as they have been identified as one of the key elements in the development of electrochemical storage for intermittently-produced energies (wind turbines, solar panels, etc.) and to ensure the autonomy of electric vehicles. These batteries are also found in cell phones, laptops and tablets, but also in portable tools and, more recently, in electric bikes and scooters. The latter are directly linked to urban mobility, and are revolutionizing modes of travel, making them greener and more environmentally-friendly, and limiting greenhouse gas emissions.

By way of example, 514,000 electric bicycle batteries, 640,000 electric scooter batteries and 83,000 electric skateboard batteries were sold on the French market in 2020. This represents 1,750 tonnes of batteries that will enter the recycling market in a few years' time. Similarly, annual demand for lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles is set to rise from less than 200 GWh in 2020 (the equivalent of 2.8 million lithium-ion batteries in a Tesla Model S) to over 7,000 GWh (the equivalent of 100 million lithium-ion batteries in a Tesla Model S) by 2030. Demand is therefore set to increase 35-fold in just 10 years. Here again, we expect a spectacular number of used lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles to be recycled over the next fifteen years, in addition to defective batteries and production residues from Giga-factories.

Aside from the regulatory aspect of the European Union's directives on recycling, there are three key issues at stake. Firstly, an environmental issue: waste is potentially dangerous for the environment if it is not properly managed, and using materials from recycling instead of resources from mining reduces the environmental impact. Secondly, a safety issue: batteries are dangerous objects that can lead to fires at waste collection sites. Finally, a strategic issue: batteries contain critical and strategic metals, whose recycling can contribute to their supply in our region. For example, a 24 kWh battery contains around 14 kg of lithium carbonate equivalent, giving an electric vehicle a range of 160 km.

To date, only two companies in France are capable of recycling these types of batteries: EURODIEUZE, located in Moselle, and SNAM, Société Nouvelle d'Affinage de Métaux, located in Aveyron. Against this backdrop, consortiums were formed, bringing together: recyclers; extractive metallurgy industries; industries involved in the production of batteries and battery materials; and end-users such as electric vehicle manufacturers. The creation of these consortia structures the lithium-ion...