Retired electric vehicle batteries could be used to store renewable energy

 Engineers research recycling and reusing lithium-ion batteries to optimize design.

Researchers recommend reusing old lithium-ion EV batteries to store energy before recycling them.
Credit: Tokumeigakarinoaoshima

Researchers at Cornell University recently published a study that outlines ways to sustainably repurpose used lithium-ion electric vehicle batteries to reduce their carbon footprint. The researchers investigated how battery chemistry, reuse and recycling influence the energy output and environmental impact of lithium-ion EV batteries.

The analysis, published in Science Advances, found that the carbon footprint of a lithium-ion EV battery can be reduced by up to 17% if it is reused before being recycled. Batteries with reduced energy storage capacity can be repurposed to store wind and solar energy. The research is key to manufacturing lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles that are designed for sustainability instead of performance.

"What to do with all these retired electric vehicle batteries is going to be a huge issue," said Fengqi You, one of the authors of the study. The research team considered environmental and economic tradeoffs in how batteries are built, used and recycled.

"Lithium-ion batteries are designed today for performance and not for recycling or second life," said You. Lithium-ion batteries usually last 12 years or less before losing the capacity to power a vehicle. "There's very little discussion right now about the environmental dimensions of improving battery design for recycling or reuse."

Source: NSF.gov