Reuse and Recycling : Environmental Sustainability of Lithium-Ion Battery Energy Storage Systems

The call for urgent action to address climate change and develop more sustainable modes of energy delivery is generally recognized. It is also apparent that batteries, both in the transportation and the power sectors, need to play a predominant role if the global community is to limit global warming to two degrees Celsius. Simply put, nations’ efforts will focus largely on electrifying transportation systems to be supported by power systems that deliver low carbon energy, using a range of renewable technologies. Stationary batteries will play a critical role in not only providing direct energy services, but also in acting as backup providers when renewable resources are only able to provide intermittent services, dependent on local climatic and other circumstances. The objective of this report is to provide an overview of the state of affairs with regards to reuse and recycling of lithium-ion or Li-ion batteries, in order to assess if and to what extent developing countries can and should play a larger role in this burgeoning area.