Summary
- Recovered materials from end-of-life batteries and gigafactory scrap could build up to 2.4 million EVs in Europe by 2030
- Recycling could provide a significant percentage of the lithium, nickel, manganese, and cobalt needed for electric cars in Europe
- Recycling could replace the need for 12 new mines globally by 2040, reducing negative environmental effects
- Recycling in Europe could cut the carbon footprint of sourcing lithium by 19% due to a cleaner electricity grid
- Europe needs to scale up its recycling industry and secure projects to harness the potential benefits of recycling for EV production.
Article
A study by Transport & Environment (T&E) has found that materials recovered from end-of-life batteries and gigafactory scrap in Europe have the potential to build up to 2.4 million electric vehicles (EVs) by the end of the decade. This could significantly reduce the continent’s reliance on mineral imports, with recycling offering 14% of the lithium, 16% of the nickel, 17% of the manganese, and 25% of the cobalt needed for EV production by 2030. In addition, Europe could become nearly self-sufficient in supplying cobalt for EVs by 2040 through recycling.
Recycling these materials could eliminate the need for primary ores and the construction of 12 new mines globally by 2040, including lithium, nickel, cobalt, and manganese mines. This would help decrease the potential negative environmental impacts associated with mining activities on water, soil, and biodiversity. Furthermore, recycling within Europe could reduce the carbon footprint of sourcing lithium by around 19% compared to extracting it in Australia and refining it in China, due to the continent’s cleaner electricity grid.
To fully realize the economic and sustainability benefits of recycling, Europe needs to scale up its recycling industry. T&E emphasized the importance of securing recycling projects that are currently at risk of being cancelled, as nearly half of the planned recycling capacity in the region is uncertain. The organization urged the EU and the UK to prioritize support for recycling across their policies and funding programs to ensure that Europe can take advantage of this potential.
T&E called for urgent action from the EU and the UK to prioritize recycling in their upcoming Circular Economy Act proposal. They recommended supporting the scaling of local recycling factories while restricting exports of battery waste and simplifying the shipment of end-of-life battery materials within Europe. The organization emphasized the importance of treating battery recycling as a crucial clean technology and prioritizing it in policy and grant-making efforts to capture the recycling opportunity.
Julia Poliscanova, Senior Director at T&E, highlighted the potential for Europe to reduce its reliance on imported critical metals through successful implementation of recycling plans. She mentioned that with the expected volumes of locally recovered materials, Europe can build millions of clean electric vehicles domestically. However, Poliscanova also noted that neither the EU nor the UK are currently ready to seize the recycling opportunity, as many planned recycling projects are at risk due to factors like high energy costs, a shortage of technical expertise, or lack of financial support. It is essential to prioritize battery recycling in policy and grant-making initiatives to ensure successful implementation and long-term sustainability.
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