Prospective Life Cycle Assessment of Lithium-Sulfur Batteries for Stationary Energy Storage
Journal article, 2023

The lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery represents a promisingnext-generationbattery technology because it can reach high energy densities withoutcontaining any rare metals besides lithium. These aspects could giveLi-S batteries a vantage point from an environmental and resourceperspective as compared to lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Whereas LIBsare currently produced at a large scale, Li-S batteries are not. Therefore,prospective life cycle assessment (LCA) was used to assess the environmentaland resource scarcity impacts of Li-S batteries produced at a largescale for both a cradle-to-gate and a cradle-to-grave scope. Six scenarioswere constructed to account for potential developments, with the overallaim of identifying parameters that reduce (future) environmental andresource impacts. The specific energy density and the type of electrolytesalt are the two most important parameters for reducing cradle-to-gateimpacts, whereas for the cradle-to-grave scope, the electricity source,the cycle life, and, again, the specific energy density, are the mostimportant. Additionally, we find that hydrometallurgical recyclingof Li-S batteries could be beneficial for lowering mineral resourceimpacts but not necessarily for lowering other environmental impacts. Life cycle assessment of lithium-sulfurbatteries indicatesa similar environmental impact but a potentially lower mineral resourceimpact compared to lithium-ion batteries.

large-scale energy storage

climate change

recycling

lithium-sulfur batteries

life cycle assessment

Author

Sanna Wickerts

Chalmers, Technology Management and Economics, Environmental Systems Analysis

Rickard Arvidsson

Chalmers, Technology Management and Economics, Environmental Systems Analysis

Anders Nordelöf

Chalmers, Technology Management and Economics, Environmental Systems Analysis

Magdalena Svanström

Chalmers, Technology Management and Economics, Environmental Systems Analysis

Patrik Johansson

Alistore - European Research Institute

Chalmers, Physics, Materials Physics

ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering

2168-0485 (eISSN)

Vol. 11 26 9553-9563

Subject Categories

Other Environmental Engineering

Materials Chemistry

Energy Systems

DOI

10.1021/acssuschemeng.3c00141

More information

Latest update

7/7/2023 9