The US Department of Energy has officially taken the initial step in establishing new programs for lithium-ion recycling batteries. It launched a Request for Information (RFI) Wednesday. The purpose is to get public feedback on how and where to allocate $335 million in federal funding to recycle lithium batteries. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law included it last year.
What is the Lithium-ion Battery?
Lithium-ion batteries are a vital component of a clean-energy economy since they are employed to retain renewable energies. Recycling lithium batteries could help alleviate the upcoming shortage of components. They are required to meet the rapidly expanding demand for those discoveries. Mainly as the Biden administration works to keep the US on pace, it must fulfill its commitments under the Paris Climate Agreement to reduce pollution.
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill allocates nearly $7 billion over five years toward developing a domestic battery distribution network. Included in that are $335 million for initiatives to recycle lithium batteries. The Department of Energy (DOE) released the RFI to help direct the development of such recycling initiatives. It aims to accept public statements through October 14th.
Recycle Battery
The apps make it simpler to collect power batteries at the end of their useful lives and recover valuable materials. The programs aim to lessen the environmental risks of disposing and recycling old batteries, raising the popularity of recycling batteries and producing new workers for the recycling industry.
Developing reusable second uses for used batteries for electric vehicles will also use the money. Once an EV battery has lost around 20% of its energy, it may be necessary to change. But that indicates that it might still have up to 80% of its capacity available for other uses. For example, the battery and solar panels can store extra energy absorbed throughout the day and it is to ensure that clean electricity is readily available at night-time. Nissan is one of the automakers looking at the possibility of recycling lithium batteries to conserve renewable energy for power networks.
Can you Recycle Lithium-ion Batteries?
The lawmakers are frantically working to figure out how the country will have sufficient power to meet its climate targets. Biden expects the power industry to run on carbon-free electricity by 2035 to decrease greenhouse gas emissions. However, it will be nearly impossible without significantly additional battery energy storage. Additionally, last year, Biden issued an executive order. By the end of this decade, 50% of all new cars sold in the US will be electric or hybrid. By 2035, plug-in hybrid and battery-electric vehicles will progressively replace gas-guzzlers in one of California’s most important auto markets.
Comparable reforms must take place globally to avert the worst effects of climate change. Examples of Climate change are significantly strong thunderstorms, droughts, and heat waves. To meet the Paris Climate Agreement’s aims for a more sustainable world, greenhouse gas emissions must reach zero by 2050. According to the International Energy Agency, producing essential minerals in 2040 will have to increase six-fold from 2021.
The DOE published a “national framework” for producing lithium-ion batteries last year to minimize US reliance on minerals extracted in those places. In March, the Biden administration also used the Defense Production Act to increase domestic mining and material refining. Environmental organizations and Native American tribes are concerned about the harm that domestic mining could do to their communities. If the US emphasized recycling lithium batteries more than mining brand-new components, it would address many issues.
