28 April, Berlin, Germany – The Recirculate project, the EU-funded initiative aimed at developing new technologies for more efficient battery end-of-life management, has completed a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for a baseline scenario of an electric vehicle (EV) battery This baseline assessment defines the environmental impacts associated with conventional practices at dismantling, transporting and disposing plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) batteries. This milestone sets the stage for more sustainable battery reuse and recycling solutions.
Eurecat, a leading European research and technology center based in Spain and a partner in the Recirculate consortium, contributed to defining the baseline scenario assessment, defining a business-as-usual framework that will be used for comparison with the innovative Recirculate scenario. Early findings indicate that while battery end-of-life stages account for approximately 4-5% of the total environmental impact of a battery’s lifecycle, they are critical to enabling more circular and sustainable approaches Within this, data exchange among supply chain participants contributes 46%, end-of-life transportation 43%, and recycling 11%.
By integrating advanced technologies, including AI and blockchain-based Digital Battery Passports, the project aims to reduce environmental impact, extend battery lifespan, enhance the efficiency of material recovery, and support second-life battery applications. By implementing Recirculate’s safer and more efficient transport methods, coupled with automated dismantling and blockchain-based data management, the project aims to significantly reduce the aforementioned impacts. The blockchain technology component, in particular Digital Battery Passports, will streamline data organization and exchange, making it easier for end-of-life handlers to ensure batteries are reused or recycled in the most efficient and sustainable way possible.
“One of the most challenging aspects of the project (and almost all LCAs) is data collection. While companies often have the necessary inventory data, it’s rarely structured in a way that aligns with LCA needs,” explained Violeta Vargas, an Advanced Researcher from Eurecat. “Significant work has been done and is yet to be done. There is very little publicly available data on automated dismantling, safe transportation, and blockchain tech’s role in the circular battery economy. Our findings will not only contribute to sustainability but also provide a valuable knowledge base for industry-wide improvements in circular and sustainable battery management.”
Moving forward, the team will gather further information for the Recirculate battery end-of-life scenario, working closely with various project partners. The next steps involve refining the baseline scenario and integrating real-world data from project developments to further enhance accuracy. The results of the Recirculate project are expected to set new industry standards, particularly in the areas of second-life battery applications and sustainable material recovery, supporting EU goals for resource efficiency and circularity in the battery value chain.
Media Contact:
Anastasia Popova, anastasia@minespider.com
About Recirculate
The Recirculate project is a EU-funded collaborative effort among leading industry and academic partners to develop more efficient technologies for batteries end-of-life. By leveraging cutting-edge technologies, including AI and blockchain, Recirculate aims to make second-life battery solutions cheaper, safer, and more efficient.