battery loads in EVs, or in vehicles where speed is not an issue, like golf carts or forklifts. They are still fairly high-powered, inexpensive, and safe. However, both models will require a lot of refining to allow them to power an all-electric vehicle. Because lithium-ion batteries are powerful and cost-effective, there have been efforts to find an alternative to using cobalt and ensure that any cobalt used is mined ethically. Reducing or eliminating cobalt use also lowers overall cost, as it is the most expensive ingredient of an EV battery and its price continues to rise. Tesla’s battery producer, Panasonic Corp, announced a goal to develop an EV battery without using cobalt. They have already produced a battery that significantly reduces cobalt by increasing nickel content while still maintaining thermal stability. Apple and Samsung have joined the Responsible Cobalt Initiative, which pledges to address the environmental and human rights issues associated with using cobalt. Apple has started to purchase cobalt directly from those who mine it to ensure that acceptable safety practices are being followed. The reality is that lithium-ion batteries that contain cobalt are currently the cheapest and most powerful EV battery option on the market. Battery prices are down 85% since 2010, largely due to innovations in lithium-ion batteries. As the demand for EVs grows, it will be difficult to find an alternative that is so cost-effective.
Source: Rocky Mountain Institute
Trends in Batteries Outside of foreign dependence on manufacturers, one of the main issues with batteries is their eventual disposal. Lithium-ion batteries have harmful chemicals that are hazardous to human health and the environment if left in a landfill. Much of the environmental focus on batteries has been on recycling or re-use of batteries in their second life. EV batteries tend to last about ten years before they need to be replaced. Around that point, they have around 70% of their original power potential, which is not enough to reliably run a vehicle. However, this is still enough power to be used for other energy needs. More than 1 million EVs were sold in 2017. Estimates show that those vehicles alone will result in 250,000 tons of discarded battery packs – most of which are made with lithium-ion. In the waste management world, reuse is considered superior to recycling. Because there is so much value in a lithium-ion battery, it should be repurposed to optimize material use and lifecycle impacts. Profitable second use applications can provide a revenue stream that can offset the cost for the eventual recycling of the battery. One of the major trends in reuse is repurposing batteries to provide energy storage and grid services. As solar power becomes more popular, using old EV batteries for battery storage is becoming a more common solution to address energy storage. Lithium-ion car and bus batteries can collect and discharge electricity for another seven to 10 years after being taken out of an EV. Researchers at UC Davis demonstrated this capability by repurposing 15 Nissan Leaf batteries to act as battery storage for a solar array that powers a brewery, winery, and food processing complex. The battery packs collect excess power from the 200 kW solar array and discharge in the evening and at night to offset the facility’s energy use.
EV Battery Benefits, Challenges, & Trends
|
5
