[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":792},["ShallowReactive",2],{"ticker-data":3,"story-article/recycling-is-getting-serious":550},[4,52,82,112,148,186,229,261,297,336,378,419,460,490,520],{"publishedDate":5,"updateFrequency":6,"updateFrequencyText":7,"label":8,"today":9,"last":10,"percentageChange":11,"yearToDate":12,"yearOnYear":13,"oneYearIndexTrend":14,"url":48,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"2026-10-14","2wk","Updated every 2 weeks","Lithium",317.07,322.34,-1.64,35.66,90.62,[15,16,18,21,24,27,30,33,36,39,42,45],{"date":5,"value":9},{"date":17,"value":10},"2026-09-30",{"date":19,"value":20},"2026-09-16",354.99,{"date":22,"value":23},"2026-09-02",385.07,{"date":25,"value":26},"2026-08-19",372.67,{"date":28,"value":29},"2026-08-05",367.54,{"date":31,"value":32},"2026-07-22",388.26,{"date":34,"value":35},"2026-07-08",399.4,{"date":37,"value":38},"2026-06-24",410.62,{"date":40,"value":41},"2026-06-10",427.77,{"date":43,"value":44},"2026-05-27",449.85,{"date":46,"value":47},"2026-05-13",451.12,"/lithium/prices",null,false,true,{"publishedDate":5,"updateFrequency":6,"updateFrequencyText":7,"label":53,"today":54,"last":55,"percentageChange":56,"yearToDate":57,"yearOnYear":58,"oneYearIndexTrend":59,"url":48,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"Lithium Carbonate",256.83,278.71,-7.85,1.12,46.89,[60,61,62,64,66,68,70,72,74,76,78,80],{"date":5,"value":54},{"date":17,"value":55},{"date":19,"value":63},300.39,{"date":22,"value":65},306.07,{"date":25,"value":67},297.22,{"date":28,"value":69},296.63,{"date":31,"value":71},309.38,{"date":34,"value":73},317.2,{"date":37,"value":75},330.54,{"date":40,"value":77},346.5,{"date":43,"value":79},358.35,{"date":46,"value":81},350.28,{"publishedDate":5,"updateFrequency":6,"updateFrequencyText":7,"label":83,"today":84,"last":85,"percentageChange":86,"yearToDate":87,"yearOnYear":88,"oneYearIndexTrend":89,"url":48,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"Lithium Hydroxide",292.05,311.1,-6.12,43.7,92,[90,91,92,94,96,98,100,102,104,106,108,110],{"date":5,"value":84},{"date":17,"value":85},{"date":19,"value":93},339.85,{"date":22,"value":95},352.45,{"date":25,"value":97},341.12,{"date":28,"value":99},337.87,{"date":31,"value":101},354.36,{"date":34,"value":103},364.06,{"date":37,"value":105},376.67,{"date":40,"value":107},393.29,{"date":43,"value":109},411.01,{"date":46,"value":111},408.51,{"publishedDate":5,"updateFrequency":113,"updateFrequencyText":114,"label":115,"today":116,"last":117,"percentageChange":118,"yearToDate":119,"yearOnYear":120,"oneYearIndexTrend":121,"url":147,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"1wk","Updated every week","Cobalt",171.41,173.83,-1.39,-27.13,-1.06,[122,123,125,126,129,131,133,136,138,141,142,145],{"date":5,"value":116},{"date":124,"value":117},"2026-10-07",{"date":17,"value":117},{"date":127,"value":128},"2026-09-23",175.44,{"date":19,"value":130},178.66,{"date":22,"value":132},189.92,{"date":134,"value":135},"2026-08-26",192.6,{"date":25,"value":137},199.83,{"date":139,"value":140},"2026-08-12",217.25,{"date":28,"value":140},{"date":143,"value":144},"2026-07-29",221.25,{"date":31,"value":146},224.44,"/cobalt/prices",{"publishedDate":149,"updateFrequency":6,"updateFrequencyText":7,"label":150,"today":151,"last":152,"percentageChange":153,"yearToDate":154,"yearOnYear":155,"oneYearIndexTrend":156,"url":185,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"2026-10-21","Nickel",107.13,114.04,-6.06,-11.27,-0.65,[157,158,159,161,164,166,168,170,173,176,179,182],{"date":149,"value":151},{"date":124,"value":152},{"date":127,"value":160},116.1,{"date":162,"value":163},"2026-09-09",119.13,{"date":134,"value":165},119.61,{"date":139,"value":167},121.04,{"date":143,"value":169},121.19,{"date":171,"value":172},"2026-07-15",122.66,{"date":174,"value":175},"2026-07-01",125.61,{"date":177,"value":178},"2026-06-17",131.5,{"date":180,"value":181},"2026-06-03",134.65,{"date":183,"value":184},"2026-05-20",135.83,"/nickel/prices",{"publishedDate":17,"updateFrequency":187,"updateFrequencyText":188,"label":189,"today":190,"last":191,"percentageChange":192,"yearToDate":193,"yearOnYear":194,"oneYearIndexTrend":195,"url":228,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"1mo","Updated every month","Natural Graphite",78.45,80.18,-2.16,-3.84,-4.03,[196,197,199,202,205,208,211,214,217,220,223,226],{"date":17,"value":190},{"date":198,"value":191},"2026-08-28",{"date":200,"value":201},"2026-07-31",80.66,{"date":203,"value":204},"2026-06-30",82.87,{"date":206,"value":207},"2026-05-29",82.99,{"date":209,"value":210},"2026-04-30",82.93,{"date":212,"value":213},"2026-03-31",82.39,{"date":215,"value":216},"2026-02-27",81.92,{"date":218,"value":219},"2026-01-30",81.69,{"date":221,"value":222},"2025-12-31",81.58,{"date":224,"value":225},"2025-11-28",81.35,{"date":227,"value":225},"2025-10-31","/natural-graphite/prices",{"publishedDate":17,"updateFrequency":187,"updateFrequencyText":188,"label":230,"today":231,"last":232,"percentageChange":233,"yearToDate":234,"yearOnYear":235,"oneYearIndexTrend":236,"url":260,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"Anode Coke",86.15,81.86,5.24,15.73,19.78,[237,238,239,241,242,244,246,248,250,252,254,257],{"date":17,"value":231},{"date":200,"value":232},{"date":203,"value":240},80.54,{"date":206,"value":240},{"date":209,"value":243},84.01,{"date":212,"value":245},79.79,{"date":215,"value":247},75.72,{"date":218,"value":249},74.61,{"date":221,"value":251},74.44,{"date":227,"value":253},72.75,{"date":255,"value":256},"2025-09-30",71.92,{"date":258,"value":259},"2025-08-29",71.46,"/synthetic-graphite/prices",{"publishedDate":262,"updateFrequency":187,"updateFrequencyText":188,"label":263,"today":264,"last":265,"percentageChange":266,"yearToDate":267,"yearOnYear":268,"oneYearIndexTrend":269,"url":296,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"2026-10-15","Anode",80.45,80.24,0.27,1.81,3.2,[270,271,273,275,276,278,281,284,287,289,291,293],{"date":262,"value":264},{"date":272,"value":265},"2026-09-15",{"date":274,"value":265},"2026-08-17",{"date":171,"value":265},{"date":277,"value":265},"2026-06-15",{"date":279,"value":280},"2026-05-15",79.16,{"date":282,"value":283},"2026-04-15",81.98,{"date":285,"value":286},"2026-03-16",79.03,{"date":288,"value":286},"2026-02-16",{"date":290,"value":286},"2026-01-15",{"date":292,"value":286},"2025-12-15",{"date":294,"value":295},"2025-11-17",77.79,"/anode/prices",{"publishedDate":298,"updateFrequency":187,"updateFrequencyText":188,"label":299,"today":300,"last":301,"percentageChange":302,"yearToDate":303,"yearOnYear":304,"oneYearIndexTrend":305,"url":335,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"2026-08-01","Cathode",73.32,77.21,-5.04,14.41,55.07,[306,307,308,311,314,317,320,323,325,327,329,332],{"date":298,"value":300},{"date":174,"value":301},{"date":309,"value":310},"2026-06-01",80.32,{"date":312,"value":313},"2026-05-01",81.71,{"date":315,"value":316},"2026-04-01",77.27,{"date":318,"value":319},"2026-03-01",81.99,{"date":321,"value":322},"2026-02-01",80.5,{"date":290,"value":324},72.79,{"date":292,"value":326},64.08,{"date":294,"value":328},62.01,{"date":330,"value":331},"2025-10-15",53.51,{"date":333,"value":334},"2025-09-15",49.5,"/cathode/prices",{"publishedDate":337,"updateFrequency":187,"updateFrequencyText":188,"label":338,"today":339,"last":340,"percentageChange":341,"yearToDate":342,"yearOnYear":343,"oneYearIndexTrend":344,"url":377,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"2025-03-31","Lithium ion Batteries",74.53,71.3,4.53,-1.6,-20.88,[345,346,348,351,354,357,360,363,366,368,371,374],{"date":337,"value":339},{"date":347,"value":340},"2025-02-28",{"date":349,"value":350},"2025-01-31",71.45,{"date":352,"value":353},"2024-12-31",75.74,{"date":355,"value":356},"2024-11-29",76.98,{"date":358,"value":359},"2024-10-31",77.34,{"date":361,"value":362},"2024-09-30",77.43,{"date":364,"value":365},"2024-08-30",80.56,{"date":367,"value":207},"2024-07-31",{"date":369,"value":370},"2024-06-28",87.2,{"date":372,"value":373},"2024-05-31",90.7,{"date":375,"value":376},"2024-04-30",93.2,"/battery-gigafactory/prices",{"publishedDate":379,"updateFrequency":6,"updateFrequencyText":7,"label":380,"today":381,"last":382,"percentageChange":383,"yearToDate":384,"yearOnYear":385,"oneYearIndexTrend":386,"url":418,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"2026-10-08","Black Mass",37.11,38.95,-4.72,-14,18.31,[387,388,390,393,396,399,402,405,408,411,414,416],{"date":379,"value":381},{"date":389,"value":382},"2026-09-24",{"date":391,"value":392},"2026-09-10",42.03,{"date":394,"value":395},"2026-08-27",43.88,{"date":397,"value":398},"2026-08-13",42.33,{"date":400,"value":401},"2026-07-30",43.42,{"date":403,"value":404},"2026-07-16",46.74,{"date":406,"value":407},"2026-07-02",46.01,{"date":409,"value":410},"2026-06-18",49.57,{"date":412,"value":413},"2026-02-12",47.34,{"date":415,"value":410},"2026-01-29",{"date":290,"value":417},43.15,"/recycling/black-mass-prices",{"publishedDate":262,"updateFrequency":187,"updateFrequencyText":188,"label":420,"today":421,"last":422,"percentageChange":423,"yearToDate":424,"yearOnYear":425,"oneYearIndexTrend":426,"url":459,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"Rare Earths",172.08,171.72,0.21,20.59,30.21,[427,428,430,433,436,439,442,445,448,451,454,457],{"date":262,"value":421},{"date":429,"value":422},"2026-10-01",{"date":431,"value":432},"2026-09-03",170.83,{"date":434,"value":435},"2026-08-20",169.63,{"date":437,"value":438},"2026-08-06",172.28,{"date":440,"value":441},"2026-07-23",173.94,{"date":443,"value":444},"2026-07-09",171.69,{"date":446,"value":447},"2026-06-25",168.55,{"date":449,"value":450},"2026-06-11",165,{"date":452,"value":453},"2026-05-28",163.89,{"date":455,"value":456},"2026-05-14",172.63,{"date":209,"value":458},175.6,"/rare-earths/prices",{"publishedDate":198,"updateFrequency":187,"updateFrequencyText":188,"label":461,"today":462,"last":463,"percentageChange":464,"yearToDate":465,"yearOnYear":466,"oneYearIndexTrend":467,"url":377,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"NCM Mid-Nickel",152.7,162.48,-6.02,17.38,53.11,[468,469,470,472,474,476,478,480,482,484,486,488],{"date":198,"value":462},{"date":200,"value":463},{"date":203,"value":471},171.08,{"date":206,"value":473},173.65,{"date":209,"value":475},164.53,{"date":212,"value":477},157.28,{"date":215,"value":479},151.44,{"date":218,"value":481},144.5,{"date":221,"value":483},130.09,{"date":224,"value":485},124.6,{"date":227,"value":487},122.35,{"date":255,"value":489},103.5,{"publishedDate":198,"updateFrequency":187,"updateFrequencyText":188,"label":491,"today":492,"last":493,"percentageChange":494,"yearToDate":495,"yearOnYear":496,"oneYearIndexTrend":497,"url":377,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"NCM High-Nickel",144.45,149.67,-3.49,26.69,49.06,[498,499,500,502,504,506,508,510,512,514,516,518],{"date":198,"value":492},{"date":200,"value":493},{"date":203,"value":501},157.37,{"date":206,"value":503},160,{"date":209,"value":505},149.53,{"date":212,"value":507},141.97,{"date":215,"value":509},136.99,{"date":218,"value":511},129.81,{"date":221,"value":513},114.02,{"date":224,"value":515},109.17,{"date":227,"value":517},109.02,{"date":255,"value":519},99.44,{"publishedDate":198,"updateFrequency":187,"updateFrequencyText":188,"label":521,"today":522,"last":523,"percentageChange":524,"yearToDate":525,"yearOnYear":526,"oneYearIndexTrend":527,"url":377,"subscription":49,"isProtected":50,"hasAccess":51},"LFP",229.17,218.34,4.96,49.35,83.44,[528,529,530,532,534,536,538,540,542,544,546,548],{"date":198,"value":522},{"date":200,"value":523},{"date":203,"value":531},239.1,{"date":206,"value":533},258.32,{"date":209,"value":535},239.37,{"date":212,"value":537},213.01,{"date":215,"value":539},204.49,{"date":218,"value":541},218.06,{"date":221,"value":543},153.45,{"date":224,"value":545},134.02,{"date":227,"value":547},118.22,{"date":255,"value":549},111.93,{"id":551,"uuid":552,"name":553,"slug":554,"full_slug":555,"content":556,"relatedArticles":790,"relatedVideos":791},112474456992693,"3010c56a-7e4a-46e3-89a5-7460259e8b01","Recycling is Getting Serious","recycling-is-getting-serious","article/recycling-is-getting-serious",{"_uid":557,"date":558,"tags":559,"editor":560,"content":570,"excerpt":762,"featured":50,"reporter":763,"_editable":767,"component":768,"seo_title":553,"categories":769,"visibility":782,"author_company":49,"featured_image":783,"seo_description":762,"author_full_name":49,"author_job_title":49,"formattedDate":788,"formattedArticleDate":789},"cb1038a3-7cae-4d56-a7bf-425e162a9895","2018-10-19 00:00",[],[561],{"slug":562,"name":563,"content":564},"didi-bostock","Didi Bostock",{"job_title":565,"image":566,"bio":568,"linkedin":569},"Editor - Energy Transition & Economics",{"filename":567},"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/512x512/2c5ca5c1a3/didi-bostock.jpeg","Didi is the Energy Transition & Economics Editor at Benchmark, covering a broad range of markets across the energy transition. His remit spans from downstream sectors such as BESS and EVs, through to midstream such as new technologies and battery production, to upstream critical minerals mining. He also leads on financial analysis across these supply chains, alongside in-depth policy analysis.\n","https://www.linkedin.com/in/didi-bostock-656342198/",{"type":571,"content":572},"doc",[573,581,587,592,597,602,607,612,617,622,627,632,637,644,649,654,659,664,669,676,681,686,691,696,701,706,713,718,723,728,735,740,745,752,757],{"type":574,"attrs":575,"content":577},"heading",{"level":576,"textAlign":49},3,[578],{"text":579,"type":580},"The battery recycling industry is becoming increasingly relevant. In this feature Hans Eric Melin explores the global market and its regional variations","text",{"type":582,"attrs":583,"content":584},"paragraph",{"textAlign":49},[585],{"text":586,"type":580},"Compared to the rapidly increasing volume of lithium-ion batteries that exist in the market the proportion that are recycled remains very small. Yet, recycled materials are becoming increasingly important for the lithium-ion battery supply chain and for some material producers recycling is a key component in their supply chain strategy.",{"type":582,"attrs":588,"content":589},{"textAlign":49},[590],{"text":591,"type":580},"And it’s Asia that’s taken the lead.",{"type":582,"attrs":593,"content":594},{"textAlign":49},[595],{"text":596,"type":580},"Circular Energy Storage concludes that 179,000 tonnes of lithium-ion batteries (at the cell level) will reach end-of-life in 2018. 83 per cent of this will be batteries from portable devices such as laptops, smartphones and power tools.",{"type":582,"attrs":598,"content":599},{"textAlign":49},[600],{"text":601,"type":580},"Only 20,000 tonnes will come from electric vehicles, primarily from buses in China. The main reason for the low tonnage is that electric vehicles have been on the market for less than 10 years and the batteries have proven to last much longer than many expected.",{"type":582,"attrs":603,"content":604},{"textAlign":49},[605],{"text":606,"type":580},"However, that batteries reach end-of-life does not necessarily mean that they will be available for recycling. Both batteries used in electronics and industrial batteries used in vehicles will in fact often be used again, either in similar applications or repurposed in so-called second life applications. For example, electric vehicle (EV) batteries are often used for stationary energy storage or backup power solutions.",{"type":582,"attrs":608,"content":609},{"textAlign":49},[610],{"text":611,"type":580},"China & South Korea lead the way",{"type":582,"attrs":613,"content":614},{"textAlign":49},[615],{"text":616,"type":580},"Compared to the 179,000 tonnes that reach end-of-life, 97,000 tonnes of lithium-ion batteries will be recycled in 2018. More than 90 per cent will come from portable devices. Many of these batteries have been circulating in several devices before they end up in the recycling bin.",{"type":582,"attrs":618,"content":619},{"textAlign":49},[620],{"text":621,"type":580},"Lithium-ion batteries today are built-in and rarely removed by the user but by professional repair or refurbishment companies. Together these companies form a fast-growing industry which is centred in Southeast China to where smartphones, tablets and laptops are shipped from the rest of the world and then back to new users. However, components, including batteries, that are not fit for purpose will be sold to recyclers.",{"type":582,"attrs":623,"content":624},{"textAlign":49},[625],{"text":626,"type":580},"This flow of batteries has benefited the Chinese recycling industry for many years. Not only are the volumes larger than anywhere else but the batteries are usually well sorted into different shapes and chemistries. This has made it worthwhile to use recycling methods that elsewhere haven’t been used due to the difficult pre-processing and sorting required. These methods, which are often hydrometallurgical and similar to what is already used in the mining industry, have made it possible to produce significantly better end-products.",{"type":582,"attrs":628,"content":629},{"textAlign":49},[630],{"text":631,"type":580},"China has a long tradition in recycling. When Shenzhen became a free economic zone in the early eighties scrap and waste materials were sometimes the only raw materials available for the new industries that didn’t have the scale of the state-owned giants. For many years scrap from cars and electronics in Europe and North America was used to produce copper, steel and brass.",{"type":582,"attrs":633,"content":634},{"textAlign":49},[635],{"text":636,"type":580},"Many battery material companies have started in a similar way. GEM, which today is one of the leading cathode manufacturers in the world, started as a collector and processor of waste electronics and batteries. The company could obtain much higher value for its recycled material but also achieved a position in the materials industry that would be hard if they were to source only virgin material.",{"type":582,"attrs":638,"content":639},{"textAlign":49},[640,642],{"text":641,"type":580},"Since GEM, Guangdong Brunp (which now is partly owned by CATL) and a few other companies started to recycle lithium-ion batteries there has been a veritable boom inthe industry. Circular Energy Storage follows 25 companies that either operate or plan to operate lithium-ion battery recycling plants today. About half of these are material producers that can use the recycling processes to process their own production scrap, but also secure an alternative source",{"text":643,"type":580},"of raw material for their production. The other half can benefit from China’s leading position in cells and battery materials, which both creates an important feedstock of production scrap and obsolete products but also constitutes an end-market ready to pay for high grade materials.",{"type":582,"attrs":645,"content":646},{"textAlign":49},[647],{"text":648,"type":580},"Similar conditions, and access to a production scrap and a profitable end-market, have also helped several South Korean recyclers to obtain a similar position. Through close cooperation with the recycler Sung Eel, the steelmaker Posco has become an important player in the lithium market. While South Korea lacks the position as a hub for refurbishment and remanufacturing of electronic devices the country has less strict regulations around the import of waste. This has enabled imports of waste batteries from the whole world, driven by better prices downstream for the recyclers.",{"type":582,"attrs":650,"content":651},{"textAlign":49},[652],{"text":653,"type":580},"All together this has made China and South Korea the leading countries in battery recycling. Of the 97,000 tonnes, to be recycled this year we estimate that more than 67,000 tonnes will be recycled in China while 18,000 tonnes will be recycled in South Korea. It’s equivalent to 86 per cent of the global market.",{"type":582,"attrs":655,"content":656},{"textAlign":49},[657],{"text":658,"type":580},"And it’s a market that is becoming fairly sizeable. In 2018 the value of the end-of-life market for lithium-ion batteries is expected to exceed $1.3 billion USD, of which $1.1 billion will come from recovery of materials while around $230 million from repair, refurbishment and preparations for reuse of industrial batteries.",{"type":582,"attrs":660,"content":661},{"textAlign":49},[662],{"text":663,"type":580},"Raw materials markets affected",{"type":582,"attrs":665,"content":666},{"textAlign":49},[667],{"text":668,"type":580},"The market is also having an impact on the raw materials market. In 2018 the amount of cobalt extracted from recycled material is expected to exceed 14,000 tonnes which will be refined into both industrial and battery grade material. Most of this material will be used in processors’ own material production, hence it will not be available to the wider market and not only visible in trade data.",{"type":582,"attrs":670,"content":671},{"textAlign":49},[672,674],{"text":673,"type":580},"There will be more than 12,000 tonnes",{"text":675,"type":580},"of lithium (converted to lithium carbonate equivalents) available for recyclers. However, only around 5,000 tonnes of this is expected to be extracted due to low efficiencies and processes incapable of lithium recovery. But the number is a significant increase from 2017 and is expected to increase further as more lithium recovery processes are coming online.",{"type":582,"attrs":677,"content":678},{"textAlign":49},[679],{"text":680,"type":580},"Still this is only the beginning. With the explosive growth in the battery market the end-of-life volumes and the amounts that will become available for recycling is expected to grow at a similar pace. In 2025, the market for recycling is expected to grow to $3.5 billion USD.",{"type":582,"attrs":682,"content":683},{"textAlign":49},[684],{"text":685,"type":580},"By this time the market is expected to generate more than 30,000 tonnes of lithium LCE (lithium carbonate equivalent) and 34,000 tonnes of cobalt. And like now, more than 87 per cent is expected to be generated in China and South Korea.",{"type":582,"attrs":687,"content":688},{"textAlign":49},[689],{"text":690,"type":580},"However, not all value is attributed to the end-market. A not insignificant amount of this value will be distributed down to companies involved in collection, sorting, transportation and preparations for recycling and reuse in Europe, North America and Japan from where as much as half of the processed batteries are imported.",{"type":582,"attrs":692,"content":693},{"textAlign":49},[694],{"text":695,"type":580},"Challenges outside of Asia",{"type":582,"attrs":697,"content":698},{"textAlign":49},[699],{"text":700,"type":580},"The players that face the biggest challenge are the recyclers, especially in Europe and North America. Although both the volumes of batteries and local production capacity will increase, recyclers in Europe and North America will have to compete with Asian companies with positive cash flow, economies of scale, experience and proximity to buyers which might be a difficult task.",{"type":582,"attrs":702,"content":703},{"textAlign":49},[704],{"text":705,"type":580},"Both Europe and North America have better prerequisites for second life solutions. Batteries that have been used in electric vehicles will still be usable in both backup and energy storage solutions. Some of the companies that sold early electric cars to the market, such as Nissan, Renault and BMW, have built up energy storage capacity which exceeds the amount of batteries that have reached end-of-life and have proven scaleable business models. This not only enables them to secure additional value from the batteries but it will help them build positions in completely new markets, generating new revenue streams.",{"type":582,"attrs":707,"content":708},{"textAlign":49},[709,711],{"text":710,"type":580},"Also, the second life market will be dominated by China. This is because China has provided more than half of the world’s lithium-ion capacity, not least through",{"text":712,"type":580},"the ambitious roll out of electric buses. In 2025 the installed capacity of second life applications is expected to reach 42 GWh, of which 80 per cent will be in China.",{"type":582,"attrs":714,"content":715},{"textAlign":49},[716],{"text":717,"type":580},"Compared to forecasts of energy storage, second life installations could represent only a little less than 50 per cent of the total installed capacity. However, the market for second life batteries is much larger than only energy storage. In China, most second life batteries are modified to serve as backup power in base stations, replacing lead-acid batteries.",{"type":582,"attrs":719,"content":720},{"textAlign":49},[721],{"text":722,"type":580},"Other segments that are expected to use second life batteries are EV-charging stations and various back-up solutions that previously have been served by lead-acid batteries.",{"type":582,"attrs":724,"content":725},{"textAlign":49},[726],{"text":727,"type":580},"The profitability of the second life sector is expected to increase as more products and service concepts, which already at launch are prepared for second life, are reaching the market. Companies like CATL, BAIC and Proterra are some of the companies that have come a long way and which are expected to profit from circular models where money is made from the batteries several times during their lifetime.",{"type":582,"attrs":729,"content":730},{"textAlign":49},[731,733],{"text":732,"type":580},"Improved technology for monitoring, diagnostics and management of battery packs, and increased standardisation of",{"text":734,"type":580},"module and pack design, will further increase the lifecycle of the battery packs. It will also spark new business models based on more efficient use of the batteries.",{"type":582,"attrs":736,"content":737},{"textAlign":49},[738],{"text":739,"type":580},"The biggest challenge for companies involved in second life is to control the return flows of the batteries. As lithium-ion batteries have proved to be a valuable asset, instead of an expected liability, many car companies lack the mechanisms to get hold of the batteries that now are owned by the users, or by insurance companies if the vehicles have been involved in a crash.",{"type":582,"attrs":741,"content":742},{"textAlign":49},[743],{"text":744,"type":580},"Here technology will play its part. Intelligent battery management systems that can remotely determine the state of health of the batteries might be used to propose earlier upgrades, enabling the car companies to both secure the access to batteries and sell new ones.",{"type":582,"attrs":746,"content":747},{"textAlign":49},[748,750],{"text":749,"type":580},"For the recycling industry, the biggest challenge will be to scale up recycling of lithium iron phosphate or LFP batteries. Until 2015 basically all EV batteries in China placed on the market were LFP. Stationary energy storage systems worldwide, like industrial automation and lithium-ion based backup systems, are also large sources of LFP batteries. In a first wave the packs will be",{"text":751,"type":580},"used in second life solutions. But eventually they need to be recycled. A few specialised companies in China are currently building up capacity and there is also some appetite for the batteries from lithium specialists like Ganfeng and Tianqi. In the rest of the world there is, however, no know initiative to target this chemistry.",{"type":582,"attrs":753,"content":754},{"textAlign":49},[755],{"text":756,"type":580},"What definitely can be concluded is that the mountain of battery waste that researchers and the media have warned of is nothing to worry about. With volume comes knowledge about the value, treatment routes and application alternatives. Like in the mining industry this might also attract businesses that don’t follow safety procedures or offer a state-of-the-art working environment. Also, transportation of batteries will be, or already is, an issue.",{"type":582,"attrs":758,"content":759},{"textAlign":49},[760],{"text":761,"type":580},"But there are very few issues that can’t be solved. Lithium-ion battery recycling is already an important activity and several material companies rely on it for their own production. It will only become more important.","The battery recycling industry is becoming increasingly relevant. In this feature Hans Eric Melin explores the global market and its regional variations Compared to the rapidly increasing volume of lithium-ion batteries that exist in the market the proportion that are recycled remains very small. Yet, recycled materials are becoming increasingly important for the lithium-ion battery […]",[764],{"slug":562,"name":563,"content":765},{"job_title":565,"image":766,"bio":568,"linkedin":569},{"filename":567},"\u003C!--#storyblok#{\"name\": \"article\", \"space\": \"\", \"uid\": \"cb1038a3-7cae-4d56-a7bf-425e162a9895\", \"id\": \"\"}-->","article",[770,773,776,779],{"slug":771,"name":772},"batteries","Batteries",{"slug":774,"name":775},"critical-minerals","Critical Minerals",{"slug":777,"name":778},"recycling","Recycling",{"slug":780,"name":781},"sustainability","Sustainability","private",{"id":49,"alt":784,"name":784,"focus":784,"title":784,"source":784,"filename":785,"copyright":784,"fieldtype":786,"meta_data":787,"is_external_url":51},"","https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/d6746d1523/bm-screen-shot-2018-10-19-at-023942.png","asset",{"alt":784,"title":784,"source":784,"copyright":784},"Oct 19, 2018","19th October 2018",[],[],1792769841591]