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How Recycled Batteries are Helping to Fuel Electric Vehicles

How Recycled Batteries are Helping to Fuel Electric Vehicles
Shaun M Jooste

Shaun M Jooste

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The future is green. Going green refers to taking action or implementing policies that are sustainable and environmentally friendly. Through actions such as using renewable energy sources, reducing energy consumption, recycling, and conserving natural resources, you can start your own green initiative. The goal of going green is to minimize the negative impact of human activities on the environment and promote sustainable living. Today, recycled batteries are aiding in that dream.

Old battery recycling can help power electric vehicles (EVs) by providing a source of lithium and other materials for new battery production. Recycling used batteries also helps to reduce the environmental impact of mining for new materials and can lower the cost of producing new batteries. Additionally, recycling used batteries can help to ensure a steady supply of materials for the growing EV market, which is expected to continue to expand in the coming years.

Recycled Batteries are Helping to Fuel Electric Vehicles

Organizations such as Redwood Materials are part of a growing number of recycling companies that seek to find an alternative to lithium-ion batteries that are used in EVs. I actually discovered that most battery materials that are discarded are valuable raw materials for meeting the great demand for EVs. Through its facility, Redwood is expected to produce materials for 1 million lithium-ion batteries by 2025 for EVs, with a possibility of reaching 5 million batteries by 2030. 

There’s also another Canadian firm known as Li-cycle that already has four commercial facilities that recycle about 30,000 tons of batteries annually. These recycling facilities have proven to be a great incentive for the EV industry.

Recycled Batteries are Helping to Fuel Electric Vehicles

The process used by these recycling centers is known as hydrometallurgy. The materials in the batteries are dissolved and separated using different types of acids and solvents. That’s where materials such as graphite, copper, nickel, and cobalt are obtained. Recently the process of hydrometallurgy also allows for the recovery of lithium at high rates. 

Considering the growth of the EV industry, more than 200 new mines might be needed by 2035 to provide more raw materials such as cobalt,  nickel, and lithium for EV batteries. So recycling materials could come in handy in reducing the number of materials needed to construct a battery. 

When the construction of Redwood has been completed, they plan on focusing on producing two major products, which are the mixture of lithium, cobalt, and nickel, as well as the copper foil for anodes. Redwood forecasts that they could produce enough batteries for more than a million EVs every year. 

Recycling batteries projects the potential for a quicker way to create EV batteries. Critics are worried that setting up a new mine could take decades. The question is, what will happen to the EV battery industry when recyclable material is in high demand and low supply? The major challenge that most recyclers will be faced with is unpredictable input. 

I believe battery recycling is important when it comes to fulfilling the promise of EVs. With EVs being cheaper than the standard vehicle in some countries, the recycling process is definitely a step in the right direction towards turning the world green.

Shaun M Jooste

Shaun M Jooste

I live in South Africa, Cape town, as a father of two children. I've been gaming almost all my life, with plenty of experience writing reviews and articles on the latest titles. With 15 years of experience in local government performing Facilities Management functions, I moved towards becoming CEO of my own company, Celenic Earth Publications, which serves to publish author's books, including my own. I'm a published author of horror and fantasy novels, while I also dabble in game and movie scriptwriting.

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