Life cycle assessment integrating the effects of recycling and reuse for battery circulation

The increasing electrification of automobiles and introduction of renewable energy facilities have resulted in a high demand for lithium-ion batteries. Recycling and reuse processes could significantly reduce CO2 2 emissions and resource consumption during the battery life cycle. This paper introduces a method of evaluating CO2 2 emissions over the life cycle of a one-generation battery without double counting the effects of recycling and reuse. The scope of the calculation includes manufacturing, collection/transportation, storage/diagnosis, reuse, recycling, and material synthesis. Horizontal battery-to-battery recycling was assumed to evaluate the effect of recycling, and the performance and lifespan of reused batteries were considered to be inferior to those of new batteries to evaluate the effects of reuse. Parameter studies using the proposed method quantitatively estimated the effectiveness of an efficient recycling process and the effect of reducing CO2 2 emissions by facilitating the complete utilization of long-life batteries through reuse. The proposed method is expected to guide the development of technologies for manufacturing, recycling, and reusing batteries to create a society with battery circularity.