The Powerful Possibilities of Recycling the World's Batteries | Emma Nehrenheim | TED

Summary

The speaker emphasizes the importance of transitioning to electric energy and the role of batteries in this shift, akin to the impact of the refrigerator on food preservation. They warn against repeating past mistakes in resource extraction and advocate for sustainable practices in battery manufacturing and mineral sourcing. The script highlights the environmental and economic benefits of a circular battery economy, emphasizing the need for recycling and traceability systems to reduce carbon footprints and ensure material value retention.

Takeaways

• 🔋 The world's shift to electric power is akin to the impact of the refrigerator on food preservation, with batteries enabling the storage and movement of clean energy across time and space.
• 🌍 Energy availability is not the issue; the challenge lies in delivering energy to the required locations and times effectively.
• 🚫 Historically, the extraction and use of fossil fuels have been conducted with little consideration for long-term environmental impacts, leading to the current climate crisis.
• 🔧 As we transition to new energy technologies, it's crucial to learn from past mistakes and adopt sustainable practices in battery manufacturing.
• ⚡ Batteries require significant energy for production, highlighting the importance of using renewable energy sources to minimize their carbon footprint.
• 🌿 The production process of batteries involves multiple stages, including chemical plants, coating machines, and clean electronics assembly, all of which can be powered by renewable energy.
• 📉 By utilizing renewable energy in battery manufacturing, the carbon footprint can be reduced by approximately 67% compared to fossil fuel-based grids.
• 💎 Batteries are composed of minerals such as nickel, cobalt, and lithium, which necessitate responsible mining, refining, and processing to avoid repeating past environmental errors.
• ♻️ A circular battery economy can be established through sustainable mining practices and extensive recycling, significantly reducing the environmental impact.
• 🔄 The recycling process at Northvolt involves disassembling used batteries, shredding them, and separating materials through hydrometallurgy to reintroduce them into production.
• 🌳 The transition to electric vehicles and renewable energy sources requires responsible mining and a commitment to reusing materials to ensure long-term sustainability.
• 📈 Implementing recycling and traceability systems not only benefits the environment but also provides economic incentives by maintaining material value over time.

Q & A

What is the significance of batteries in the electrification of the world according to the speaker?

Batteries are crucial for electrification as they allow for the storage and movement of clean energy through time and space, addressing the issue of energy availability and distribution.

What mistakes from the past does the speaker warn against repeating in battery manufacturing?

The speaker warns against the linear model of 'extract, use, and discard' that has been used in the fossil fuel industry, which has contributed to the climate and environmental crisis.

How does the speaker suggest we should approach battery manufacturing differently?

The speaker suggests that we should manufacture batteries with a focus on sustainability, using renewable energy grids, sustainable mining, and recycling to reduce the carbon footprint.

What are the two main aspects of batteries that need to be considered according to the script?

The two main aspects are the large amount of energy required to produce batteries and the minerals used in their construction, which necessitate global mining, refining, and processing.

How much carbon dioxide is produced per kilowatt-hour of a battery manufactured under a fossil fuel grid?

Under a fossil fuel grid, the carbon footprint is around 100 kilograms of carbon dioxide per kilowatt-hour of produced battery.

What is the potential environmental impact of battery manufacturing over 20 to 30 years if it continues under a fossil fuel grid?

The total carbon footprint from battery manufacturing over this period could be about half the size of Germany's, which would be a significant environmental mistake.

How can the carbon footprint of battery manufacturing be reduced significantly?

The carbon footprint can be reduced by about 67% by using renewable energy grids for battery manufacturing, as exemplified by operations in northern Sweden.

What is the role of minerals in the production and sustainability of batteries?

Minerals such as nickel, cobalt, and lithium are essential for battery production. Sustainable mining and recycling of these minerals can significantly reduce the carbon footprint and contribute to a circular battery economy.

What is the fundamental difference between the combustion-engine history and the new electric vehicle industry in terms of material use?

The fundamental difference is that metals used in electric vehicles can be recycled and reused, maintaining their elemental form and value, unlike the one-way process of burning fossil fuels.

Can you describe the recycling process developed by Northvolt as mentioned in the script?

Northvolt's recycling process involves taking batteries from the market, discharging them, removing casing and cabling, shredding the cells and modules, separating materials, and then using hydrometallurgy to refine the metals for reuse in production.

Why is it important to build accounting and traceability systems for batteries?

Accounting and traceability systems are important to ensure that materials are used responsibly and can be traced back for recycling, reducing the carbon footprint and maintaining the material's value over its lifetime.

What is the speaker's view on the role of the younger generation of engineers in this transition to a more sustainable battery industry?

The speaker believes that the younger generation of engineers understands the importance of sustainability and is committed to making this transition happen, expecting nothing less from the industry.

Outlines

00:00

🔋 The Transition to Clean Energy and Battery Manufacturing

This paragraph discusses the global shift towards electrification and the pivotal role of batteries in enabling the movement of clean energy both temporally and spatially. It emphasizes the importance of correct battery manufacturing to avoid repeating past mistakes that have led to environmental crises. The speaker, a former environmental engineering professor, highlights the historical approach of extracting, using, and discarding fossil fuels and stresses the need for a more sustainable and circular approach to battery production, including energy-intensive manufacturing processes and the sourcing of minerals from global mining operations.

05:02

♻️ Sustainable Battery Production and the Circular Economy

The second paragraph focuses on the sustainable production of batteries and the concept of a circular economy. It contrasts the linear model of the combustion-engine era with the potential for recycling and reusing materials in the electric vehicle industry. The speaker introduces Northvolt's recycling process, which involves recovering batteries, disassembling them, and using hydrometallurgy to separate and refine the valuable materials for reuse in new batteries. This process not only reduces environmental impact but also maintains material value, making it economically viable. The speaker calls for a broader application of this approach to other renewable energy technologies and stresses the importance of responsible mining, recycling, and traceability to ensure a sustainable future for the next generations.

Keywords

💡Electrification

Electrification refers to the process of converting systems or devices to use electricity as the primary source of power. In the context of the video, electrification is the shift towards using electric power for various applications, such as transportation, which batteries enable. The script emphasizes the role of batteries in this transition, comparing their impact to the transformative effect the refrigerator had on food preservation.

💡Clean Energy

Clean energy is derived from renewable resources like solar, wind, and hydro, which produce little to no greenhouse gas emissions. The video discusses the importance of clean energy in the context of battery storage, which allows for the efficient distribution of this energy over time and space, addressing the problem of energy availability and its accessibility when and where needed.

💡Carbon Footprint

A carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases, primarily carbon dioxide, emitted directly or indirectly by human activities. The script highlights the significant carbon footprint associated with traditional battery manufacturing under a fossil fuel grid, and how it can be reduced by utilizing renewable energy sources, thus minimizing the environmental impact of battery production.

💡Minerals

Minerals are naturally occurring substances, often required for the production of batteries, such as nickel, cobalt, and lithium. The video explains that the way these minerals are sourced and processed is crucial for reducing the carbon footprint of batteries. It also underscores the importance of recycling these minerals to create a more sustainable supply chain.

💡Supply Chain

A supply chain is the network of organizations, people, activities, information, and resources involved in producing and delivering a product or service. The script discusses the complexity of the battery supply chain, which includes mining, refining, processing, and the environmental impact of these processes. It also emphasizes the need for a sustainable and responsible supply chain to mitigate the environmental crisis.

💡Renewable Energy Grid

A renewable energy grid is an electrical grid powered primarily by renewable energy sources. The video mentions that placing battery manufacturing operations on a renewable energy grid can significantly reduce the carbon footprint associated with battery production, illustrating the importance of clean energy infrastructure in supporting sustainable industrial practices.

💡Sustainable Mining

Sustainable mining refers to the practice of extracting minerals in an environmentally responsible manner, minimizing harm to the ecosystem and communities. The script advocates for sustainable mining practices in the context of battery production, as part of a broader effort to reduce the environmental impact of sourcing the necessary minerals.

💡Recycling

Recycling is the process of converting waste materials into new materials and objects. The video discusses the importance of recycling in the context of battery production, where the recovered materials can be reintegrated into the manufacturing process, thus creating a circular economy and reducing the need for new raw materials.

💡Hydrometallurgy

Hydrometallurgy is a method of extracting metals from ores using aqueous solutions. In the script, hydrometallurgy is used in the recycling process to separate and refine metals from used batteries, turning them back into usable materials for new battery production, demonstrating a key component of the circular battery economy.

💡Circular Economy

A circular economy is an economic system aimed at eliminating waste and the continual use of resources. The video describes the concept of a circular battery economy, where materials are recycled and reused, reducing the need for new mining and contributing to a more sustainable production model.

💡Traceability

Traceability is the ability to track a product or material throughout its life cycle. The script mentions the importance of building traceability systems for batteries, allowing manufacturers to monitor and reduce their environmental footprint by ensuring that batteries are recycled at the end of their life cycle.

Highlights

The world is transitioning to electrification, with batteries playing a crucial role in moving clean energy through time and space.

A potential issue with battery manufacturing is repeating past mistakes from the fossil fuel industry, which contribute to the climate crisis.

Traditional energy extraction, such as oil mining, has been done with little concern for long-term environmental effects.

The speaker emphasizes the importance of learning from past mistakes and doing things right in the transition to new energy technologies.

Batteries require large amounts of energy to produce and are made from globally mined minerals, which have significant environmental impacts.

A battery factory's carbon footprint can be substantial, comparable to the size of Germany if not managed properly.

Switching to a renewable energy grid for battery manufacturing can reduce the carbon footprint by about 67%.

The remaining carbon footprint comes from the supply chain, highlighting the need for sustainable mining and recycling practices.

Batteries are made from minerals like nickel, cobalt, and lithium, which require substantial mining and processing.

Sustainable mining and recycling can significantly reduce the carbon footprint associated with battery production.

The speaker introduces Northvolt's recycling process, which involves disassembling and shredding used batteries to recover materials.

Hydrometallurgical processes are used to refine and separate materials from the 'black mass' obtained from recycled batteries.

A circular battery economy is proposed, where materials are reused and recycled, contrasting with the linear model of the combustion-engine industry.

The need for responsible mining and the development of accounting and traceability systems for materials is emphasized.

The economic benefits of recycling and reusing materials in a circular economy are highlighted, as they help sustain material value.

The speaker calls for the adoption of sustainable practices not only for batteries but also for other industries like wind turbines and solar panels.

The importance of the younger generation's understanding and commitment to sustainable practices in the energy transition is acknowledged.

A call to action for the audience and the people working towards a sustainable energy future, emphasizing the collective effort required.

Transcripts

So the world is going electric.

And batteries will do for electrification what the refrigerator did for food,

because batteries will allow us to move clean energy

through time and through space.

And we don't have a problem with the availability of energy

on this planet.

We have a problem with getting this energy to where we need it,

and when we need it.

But if we approach battery manufacturing the wrong way,

we will end up repeating mistakes from the past,

mistakes that are at the heart of the climate environmental crisis

that we see today.

And that's what I'm here to explain.

It's all about the way we are using the Earth's resources.

So historically, and today,

we have been mining oil from the Earth's crust

with little concern for the long-term effect.

And this example of how we’ve been approaching the fossil fuel industry

and how we've been dependent on it,

how we have been extracting oil where it's economically possible,

refined it, burned it, and it ends up in the atmosphere --

that's the perfect illustration

of the fundamental, simple and linear model

that we are working with:

extract, use and discard.

When I was a professor in environmental engineering,

I used to teach my students that mistakes are OK,

as long as you learn from your mistakes,

and as long as you take action.

So now, when we are evolving,

when we are changing,

when we are building things from scratch,

we should think twice, and we should do it right this time.

And what does this mean for batteries?

There are two things we need to know about batteries.

One is they require enormous amounts of energy to produce,

and the second is that they are made from minerals,

minerals that require global mining, refining and processing,

and long and complex supply chains.

So if we start with energy,

a battery factory is a very large and complex operation.

It requires large amounts of heat and electricity to produce.

It starts with a chemical plant;

then follow long coating machines.

After that, we have cell assembly,

which is fine electronics equipment that require clean and dry rooms.

Now at the end of this process,

each and every battery cell

needs to be charged and discharged in certain patterns

to gain its properties.

And if we put this kind of factory under a fossil fuel grid,

we will end up with a carbon footprint,

which is the benchmark today,

which is around 100 kilograms of carbon dioxide

per kilowatt-hour of produced battery.

And how much is that?

If we take it at scale,

20, 30 years ... of battery manufacturing

will give the total footprint of about half the size of Germany's.

Now that would be a big mistake.

Luckily, you can slash that footprint by some 67 percent --

that's two-thirds --

if you put the same operation on the renewable energy grid,

which we do, in northern Sweden.

That, on the other hand, leaves us with the remaining footprint,

the last third,

coming entirely from everything that is outside the factory,

and the lion's part from the supply chain.

And that leads us to the second topic we have to talk about,

which is the minerals.

So batteries are made from minerals --

for example, nickel, cobalt and lithium --

and the way we approach this is going to determine

how much we can further slash that carbon footprint.

Luckily, if we put it under this renewable grid,

if we approach it the right way,

with sustainable mining and a lot of recycling,

we can significantly reduce the footprint.

One tonne of battery-grade lithium

requires 750 tonnes of brine

or 250 tonnes of lithium ore.

Same with cobalt --

if you need one tonne of battery-grade cobalt,

you have to mine 300 tonnes of cobalt ore.

So does this give us a similar situation to the oil history we have?

No, because the difference is that when we mine metals,

they are elements.

And if you can get elements back to their elemental form,

they are just as good as new.

And this is the fundamental difference

between the combustion-engine history that we're living now

and the new electric vehicle industry.

Because at the end of the life cycle,

you can bring the metals back from the market,

and you can use them again and again.

So what we have developed at Northvolt is a recycling process,

where we take the batteries back from the market,

we discharge them fully,

we take away the aluminum casing,

we take away all the cabling,

and then, we take out the cells and the modules.

We take those cells and modules,

together with some waste material we have from the production,

and we throw it into a big shredder.

We chop it up.

We take out the copper foil, aluminum foil, some plastics.

And then, we are left with something that we call the black mass.

And this black mass is a fine black powder.

This fine black powder

consists of everything that we had coated on the electrodes in the factory.

It's the graphite from the anode,

and it's the nickel, cobalt, manganese and lithium

from the cathode.

We take this fine powder, the black mass,

we pass it on into the hydrometallurgical process ...

Hydrometallurgy means treating metal in liquid.

And what we do

is that we use different pressure changes, temperature changes and pH

to separate them from one another.

We refine them, so we get them into the form that we need

for the production --

salts for nickel, cobalt and manganese,

or hydroxides for lithium.

And then, we do like this.

We send them across site, straight into production.

So what we have is a circular battery economy.

And this is the fundamental difference between the combustion-engine industry

and what we are building now.

We should do this not only for batteries.

We should do it for wind turbines, we should do it for solar panels,

we should do it for all the new industries that we need for this transformation.

(Applause)

Thank you.

(Applause continues)

And we're going to have to accept mining as part of this transition, absolutely.

But when we are taking things from the Earth's crust,

when we are borrowing from the future generations,

we have to do it responsibly,

and we have to make sure that we can use these materials

over and over, and over again,

because fundamentally, we can.

And we should not only build recycling processes

and a port for the materials when they come to their end of life --

we should also build accounting and traceability systems

so that each carmaker can follow up and trace

how much they can further slash their footprint

by sending the batteries back at the end of their life.

And why we are doing this --

I'm sure you've already figured this out --

it's not only environmentally beneficial,

it's also, of course, economically profitable,

because by doing this,

the material sustains its value through the lifetime.

And this altogether may sound a little bit hard,

it may sound a little bit complex,

but if we get this right,

it will be rewarding on so many levels.

And I can tell you that the young generation

of talented engineers that we hire today,

they understand all this,

and they ask nothing less from us.

So with that said,

I just want to say to all of you who listened,

and I also want to say to all the people

who packed their bags and moved up to the Nordics,

who are fighting every day to make this happen,

thank you.

(Cheers and applause)