January 30, 2020: The World Economic Forum at its annual meeting in Davos on January 14-24 gave stark warnings about lithium batteries and lead battery recycling if the industry is to be sustainable.
The Global Battery Alliance has more than 60 members from battery firms such as Saft and Amara Raja; public and international organizations such as the African Development Bank and the Faraday Institution; associations such as the ILA and Pure Earth; and academic partners from institutes across the world.
It is part of the WEF’s ‘Shaping the Future of Energy and Materials’, ‘Shaping the Future of Global Public Goods’ and ‘Shaping the Future of Mobility’ platforms.
“Mobile technology and a low-carbon future are unthinkable without batteries, a core technological enabler of the Fourth Industrial Revolution,” the WEF says.
“The lithium-ion battery market — the strongest growing battery market segment — increased by 15% CAGR between 2005 and 2015 and the global battery market is estimated to see continued growth from $65 billion to $100 billion by 2025.”
But the GBA also warns that the enormous costs, such as the toll on the environment and child labour issues when exploiting raw materials, needed to be solved to sustain the industry.
It stresses the need to solve a looming lithium battery crisis, with “11 million tonnes of spent lithium-ion batteries forecast to be discarded by 2030, with few systems in place to enable reuse and recycling in a circular economy for batteries”.
“Meanwhile,” it says, “inappropriate lead-acid battery recycling causes severe health risks to millions globally.
“Third, significant innovation potential remains unexploited along the value chain to ensure that batteries fulfil their promise for sustainable development.”
The Global Battery Alliance says it seeks to address these challenges for a “sustainable battery value chain by 2030”, as follows:
- Maximize battery first life productivity
- Enable productive and safe second life use
- Ensure circular recovery of battery materials
- Ensure transparency and progressively reduce greenhouse gas emissions
- Prioritize energy efficiency measures, increase use of renewables
- Foster battery-enabled renewable energy integration, focusing on developing countries
- Support job creation and skills development
- Immediately eliminate child and forced labour
- Foster protection of public health and environment
- Support responsible trade and anti-corruption practices
