Recycling of Lithium-ion Batteries

The transformation to a low-carbon economy based on renewable energy technologies will lead to a significant increase in demand for raw materials. On a global level, a concerted implementation of the Paris climate targets would mean a quadrupling of material demand for clean energy technologies by 2040 according to estimates by the International Energy Agency. Austria has set a goal to be climate neutral by 2040, which has a direct impact on the demand for battery-powered vehicles. Accordingly, the stock of battery-powered vehicles would have to increase substantially to decarbonise transport. For passenger cars, this could mean an increase to over 5 million electrically powered vehicles in a maximum scenario. Due to the limited lifetime of batteries, this could result in a growing flow of end-of-life lithium-ion-batteries (EoL-LIB) of up to 144,000 tons per year in Austria, which would have to be treated. The study analyses the economic impact of a domestic collection, treatment and recycling of LIB. The evaluation of the necessary investments and the operating costs show that the profitability of recycling plants depends on the sales price, i.e., on the international raw material prices. In case of low-price development, the profitability of domestic recycling plants has to be ensured by charging disposal costs at the rate of 0.185 € per kg EoL-LIB. The overall economic effect is positive in each of the three price developments examined. Last but not least, the recycling of LIB contributes to public goods such as climate protection and resource security.