Batteries

The batteries sector in the ecoinvent database comprises over 600 datasets, covering the production of various battery technologies and components.

8th November 2024

The content in this article has been updated to reflect the latest data included in version 3.11 of the ecoinvent database (to be released mid-November 2024).

This sector overlaps significantly with the Metals, Chemicals, Electricity, and Infrastructure sectors.

Batteries are utilized in a wide range of applications, from laptops and computers to e-bikes and electric vehicles. They also play a crucial role in stationary applications, such as grid support and integration with renewable energy sources in off-grid settings. The market for batteries is experiencing rapid growth, particularly driven by the surge in electric vehicle sales in China. According to the Global EV Outlook 2024 by the International Energy Agency (IEA, 2024), the demand for Li-ion batteries reached 750 GWh in 2023, with China accounting for 60% of electric vehicle sales.

While batteries are often viewed as part of the solution to mitigate climate change, their production can lead to environmental damage. Manufacturing batteries and their components involves various metals, the mining of which can have severe environmental consequences. Additionally, the production processes can be energy-intensive, raising concerns about their overall sustainability.

Sector Overview

The batteries sector comprises several technologies of batteries and covers the complete supply chain: from various chemicals and metals to the assembly of the cathode, anode, cell, and pack. Many raw materials are available to users to also model other types of batteries or adapt existing ones. The geographies covered in the sector are Global (GLO), and China (CN) for most of the datasets. United States (US), East Asia (UN-EASIA), and Europe (RER) are covered for a few specific datasets.

Sector Highlights

The batteries sector encompasses a variety of battery technologies, including lithium-ion types such as NMC622 (nickel manganese cobalt), NMC532, NMC111, NMC811, NCA (nickel cobalt aluminium), LFP (lithium iron phosphate), and LMO (lithium manganese oxide), as well as lead-acid, sodium-ion, and nickel-metal hybrid batteries.

The entire value chain is available and includes components like Cathode Active Material (CAM) precursors, CAMs, current collectors, Anode Active Material (AAM) precursors, AAMs, Battery Management System (BMS), electrolytes, and separators, which are assembled to create the cathode, anode, cell, and battery pack. Additionally, the necessary salts and solvents for producing electrolytes are available to users.

Several anode-active materials are available, including natural graphite, synthetic graphite, and lithium titanate spinel (LTO). Graphite (mix share of synthetic and natural) is then used in the anode production. Note that the user can choose to modify the inventories to include a different share of natural/synthetic graphite or lithium titanate spinel in the anode production.

Data Providers

Editors

  • Jens Peters (Main Editor), RyC Research Professor, University of Alcalá, Madrid 
  • Robert Istrate (Co-Editor), Assistant Professor of Industrial Ecology, Leiden University 

Relevant sources

da Silva Lima, L., Wu, J., Cadena, E., Groombridge, A. S., & Dewulf, J. (2023). Towards environmentally sustainable battery anode materials: Life cycle assessment of mixed niobium oxide (XNOTM) and lithium-titanium-oxide (LTO). Sustainable Materials and Technologies, 37, e00654. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.susmat.2023.e00654 

Dai, Q., Kelly, J. C., Gaines, L., & Wang, M. (2019). Life Cycle Analysis of Lithium-Ion Batteries for Automotive Applications. Batteries, 5(2), 48. https://doi.org/10.3390/batteries5020048 

Carrère, T., Khalid, U., Baumann, M., Bouzidi, M., & Allard, B. (2024). Carbon footprint assessment of manufacturing of synthetic graphite battery anode material for electric mobility applications. Journal of Energy Storage, 94, 112356. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.est.2024.112356