Battery sustainability
A battery is a technology that converts electrical energy into other forms of energy and stores it so that it can be converted back to electrical energy when needed. There are many applications of batteries, which can be mainly divided into power storage, communication energy storage, household storage and Portable Energy Storage. There are also many types of batteries, such as lithium-ion batteries, lead-acid batteries, sodium-ion batteries, zinc batteries and so on. The sustainable development of the battery refers to the impact and contribution of the production, use and recycling of the battery on the environment, economy and society, and is one of the important indicators for the evaluation of the battery.
The sustainability of batteries is affected by many factors, mainly including the following aspects:
Availability and environmental impact of raw materials: Raw materials for batteries are mainly metallic and non-metallic elements, such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, lead, zinc, carbon, sulfur, oxygen, etc. The reserves, distribution, mining, processing and transportation of these elements will affect the sustainability of the battery. On the one hand, whether the supply of raw materials is stable, adequate and economic determines the cost, performance and market competitiveness of the battery. On the other hand, whether the mining and processing of raw materials is environmentally friendly, efficient and safe determines the environmental load, resource consumption and social responsibility of the battery. Therefore, when selecting raw materials, their availability and environmental impact should be considered, giving priority to the use of abundant, low-cost, low-pollution elements, or the development of new alternative materials to improve the sustainability of batteries.
• Battery design and manufacturing: The design and manufacturing of batteries is a key link affecting their sustainability, involving the battery's structure, chemical, physical, thermal and other factors. The design and manufacturing of batteries should follow the following principles: First, improve the energy density, power density, cycle life, safety and reliability of the battery to meet the needs of different application scenarios, reduce the use cost and maintenance cost of the battery, and extend the service life of the battery. The second is to reduce the weight, volume, cost and environmental load of the battery to reduce the resource consumption and waste of the battery, and improve the efficiency and environmental protection of the battery. The third is to optimize the structure and materials of the battery in order to facilitate the recycling and reuse of the battery, reduce the waste and pollution of the battery, and realize the recycling and recycling of the battery.
• Battery application and management: The application and management of the battery is an important link affecting its sustainable development, involving the battery charge and discharge, monitoring, control, maintenance and troubleshooting factors. The application and management of batteries should follow the following principles: First, the type, specifications, quantity and configuration of batteries should be reasonably selected and matched to adapt to different loads, environments and scenarios, and improve the use effect and satisfaction of batteries. The second is to scientifically develop and implement battery charging and discharging strategies, monitoring programs, control methods and maintenance measures to ensure the performance, safety and stability of the battery, delay the aging and decline of the battery, and prevent the battery from overcharging, overdischarging, overheating, short circuit and other faults. The third is to establish and improve the battery management system, standard system, policy mechanism and market environment, in order to regulate and promote the production, use and recycling of batteries, and improve the management level and service quality of batteries.
• Battery recycling and reuse: The recycling and reuse of batteries is a key link affecting their sustainable development, involving the collection, sorting, dismantling, extraction, regeneration and recycling of batteries. The recycling and reuse of batteries should follow the following principles: First, establish and improve the battery recycling network, channels and systems to achieve efficient, timely, safe and convenient recycling of batteries, reduce battery loss and waste, and improve the recovery rate and utilization rate of batteries. The second is to adopt and develop technologies such as battery disassembly, extraction, regeneration and recycling to achieve high-quality, efficient, low-consumption and low-pollution reuse of batteries, recycle and reuse valuable metals and non-metallic elements in batteries, reduce dependence on raw materials and environmental impact, and improve the resource efficiency and environmental benefits of batteries. The third is to formulate and implement battery recycling policies, regulations and standards to regulate and guide the recycling behavior of batteries, encourage and support the recycling body of batteries, cultivate and strengthen the recycling industry of batteries, and improve the recycling level and value of batteries.
