High performing circular battery flows

Research Project, 2021 – 2025

Demand for batteries for vehicle and stationary applications is fast-growing and research is ongoing on battery development, 2nd life, and recycling techniques. However, there is limited focus on battery supply chains. Collection systems and supply chain set-ups will not only influence the collection rates achieved, but also the possibilities for reuse and recycling including quality, costs, performance, and virgin material needs in production. This project will assess how supply chain set-ups affect the performance of batteries in terms of costs and environmental impact over the whole lifecycle (including reuse and recycling) and identifies critical features for reaching their performance potential. Hence, it will provide important knowledge for actors along the battery value chain for developing supply chains that make best use of batteries during their whole life and provide a much-needed integrated view on the performance and interaction of collection, reuse, and recycling.