Today, the increasing number of vehicles has led to rapid depletion of petroleum resources and worsening air pollution. The rise in air pollution, which causes serious environmental problems, has driven interest toward alternative energy sources in the automotive sector.
In this context, “electric vehicles,” which are recognized as environmentally friendly and emit significantly less pollution compared to traditional vehicles, have become a new trend in the industry. As electric vehicles gradually enter traffic, reliance on petroleum has decreased, and the effects of digital transformation have begun to emerge.
This article aims to examine the battery structure and lifespan of electric vehicles and to address the concept of “renewable energy” in the context of reusing end-of-life batteries.
In today’s world, the concept of “reuse” contributes, at least to some extent, to reducing environmental and climate issues. From this perspective, the increasing number of motor vehicles, the transition from traditional fossil fuel-powered vehicles to electric vehicles, and the recycling of end-of-life batteries are crucial.
The lifespan of an electric vehicle battery is typically considered to be 8–15 years. As a result, we are entering a period in which all parameters affecting battery life and usage are evaluated. The most critical aspect here is the environmental management and recovery of end-of-life electric vehicle batteries.
Electric vehicle batteries primarily consist of elements such as lithium, nickel, cobalt, manganese, and iron. Since the extraction and processing of these materials can have significant environmental impacts, studies on their “recycling” are prioritized.
Innovations for longer-lasting batteries, the use of recyclable materials, and the integration of “renewable energies” are essential for solving these issues. During the production of these battery cells, utilizing renewable energy sources such as solar and wind energy can significantly reduce harmful emissions.
Safe recycling of electric vehicle batteries involves specific procedures, including:
- Safe Storage of Batteries: Electric vehicle batteries contain strong chemicals and can be flammable or explosive. Proper storage requires special measures, such as fire suppression systems, air circulation, and fire extinguishers in storage areas. Additionally, smoke detectors should be installed, and factors like temperature and humidity should be controlled.
- Discharging Batteries: Before recycling, batteries must be fully discharged to safely dispose of hazardous substances. This process involves specialized equipment, and liquids within the batteries are transported in special tanks for processing at designated facilities.
- Dismantling Batteries: Dismantling batteries into their components makes it easier to separate recyclable materials. This is done using mechanical and chemical methods, such as crushing, cutting, and processing battery materials.
- Recovering Valuable Materials: Valuable metals like lithium, cobalt, and nickel can be extracted from electric vehicle batteries and reused. Recovery involves specialized chemical processes that prepare these materials for re-production.
- Post-Recycling Waste Management: Proper disposal of recycling byproducts prevents environmental harm. These wastes are processed in specialized facilities to avoid soil and water contamination.
Turkey has made a significant and successful entry into this field with the domestically produced TOGG electric vehicle. It is projected that within 20 years, the number of electric vehicles in Turkey will reach 1 million. Research indicates that meeting the daily electricity consumption of 1 million vehicles with solar energy would require approximately 5 million solar panels with a total capacity of 1,000 kW or 1,390 wind turbines with a total capacity of 2,159 MW.
Globally, China leads in electric vehicle battery production, accounting for more than half of the world’s output, followed by Hungary, Poland, and Germany. These countries are also working on recycling end-of-life batteries and sourcing electricity from “renewable energy” categories like solar and wind energy.
Turkey has made a rapid and successful entry into this field with TOGG domestic electric vehicle, and depending on the developments in the world, it is expected that the number of electric vehicles will reach 1 million within 20 years. At this point, the daily electricity consumption of 1 million vehicles has been calculated in the studies, and it is thought that approximately 5 million solar panels with a power of 1000 kW are needed to meet the entire electricity consumption with potential solar energy, and approximately 1390 wind turbines with a power of 2,159 MW are needed to meet the potential wind energy.
When we look at the countries of the world, China is at the forefront of electric vehicle battery production with almost half of the world percentage, followed by Hungary, Poland and Germany. World countries are also trying to provide the electricity consumption spent by “recycling” the batteries that will end their life in electric vehicles from “renewable energy” categories such as “solar and wind energy”.
At this point, considering the cost of batteries and environmental impacts of electric vehicles, which are considered environmentally friendly both in our country and around the world, it is necessary to develop low-cost battery technology, to initiate awareness studies on “recycling” and “waste management” issues, and to provide the necessary support and incentives to obtain the energy consumed in electric vehicles by utilizing “renewable energies” such as “wind or solar energy” and to increase sensitivity on this issue.
Sources
Dunn, J. B., Gaines, L., Kelly, J. C., James, C., & Gallagher, K. G. (2015). The significance of Li-ion batteries in electric vehicle life-cycle energy and emissions and recycling’s role in its reduction. Energy & Environmental Science, 8(1), 158-168.
Faria R, Marquesb P, Garciab R, Mouraa P, Freireb F, Delgadoa J, de Almeidaa AT, 2014. Primary and Secondary Use of Electric Mobility Batteries From a Life Cycle Perspective. Journal of Power Sources, 262: 169-177.
TOGG. (2020). TOGG. Retrieved March 30, 2020, from https://www.togg.com.tr/content/otomobil
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