Developing the Lithium-ion Battery Value Chain for Recycling in Austria - LIBRAT

The current government programme 2020-2024 aims, among other things, to develop and implement suitable measures for CO2 emissions mitigation with respect to achieving climate neutrality by 2040. Electromobility and circular economy strategies are inter alia mentioned as distinct examples. The importance of electric vehicles and thus the demand for lithium-ion batteries (LIB) will hence increase significantly. In Austria, a sizable upsurge in the share of electrically driven vehicles is expected. Measures to keep the scarce and valuable materials of electromobility, and especially of lithium-ion batteries (LIB), in a circular economy are required at an early stage as well as sound decisions regarding recycling, re-use, technology mix, system design and economic policy framework. The aim of the study is to develop a value chain for the recycling of LIBs. The framework conditions for a complete recycling process in Austria will be identified, evaluated and a technology roadmap for a holistic system – from second-life approaches to take-back or collection systems and innovative recycling technologies – is developed. Finally, this roadmap is analysed in terms of economic effects based on a low-carbon energy scenario of the Austrian economy with circular resource use.