Charging towards a circular battery economy
Battery recycling has emerged as a critical solution to mitigate the environmental impact associated with the disposal of used batteries. Future electrification ambitions rely on a supply of essential minerals and raw materials and innovation in battery chemistry to create better batteries that are fit for the future.
A report published in May 2024 by the International Energy Agency revealed that the anticipated critical mineral mine supply from currently announced projects will only meet 50% of future demand for lithium if EV battery demand continues at its predicted pace. This makes the need for a globally viable circular battery economy even more apparent.
Effective battery recycling protects the future of the battery economy through:
Environmental Conservation: All batteries, and EV batteries, in particular, contain hazardous materials such as lead, cadmium, and mercury. Improper disposal can lead to severe environmental risks, and recycling batteries ensures the responsible management of these dangerous materials.
Resource Conservation: Recycling batteries can recover and reuse Finite mineral resources, reducing the need for extensive mining and extraction. Recycling conserves natural resources and reduces the energy consumption associated with extracting and processing raw materials.
Waste Reduction: Battery recycling helps minimise the amount of electronic waste in landfills, providing a sustainable solution for managing the increasing volume of used batteries.
Circular Economy: Battery recycling plays a crucial role in establishing a circular economy by closing the loop on the battery life cycle. Instead of a linear "take-make-dispose" model, recycling allows for the recovery of valuable materials, which can be used to manufacture new batteries.
How does XNO® fit into a circular economy model?
Our niobium-based anode material, XNO®, can enable the mass electrification of heavy-duty vehicles by delivering long cycle life, superfast charging capabilities and market-leading safety in lithium-ion batteries. Throughout XNO®’s development journey, Echion has meticulously analysed and reviewed its manufacturing processes and supply chain to ensure they align with its environmental protection standards. Its’ teams are also constantly pursuing further ways to ensure that XNO® is as sustainable as possible.
Some of the sustainable and circular benefits of using XNO®
Niobium is not rare and doesn’t require destructive or expensive mining techniques
Echion’s 2,000-tonne-per-year manufacturing facility (due to open in November 2024) is co-located with the largest niobium mine in the world. This reduces transportation emissions, costs, and wait times
We’re developing a process for extracting electrodes from scrap materials to allow them to be reused effectively and efficiently in production. This will significantly increase material yield and reduce waste
Echion is also consulting with the University of Bath to improve the recycling process of reverting materials into their oxide state and reduce the amount of energy and chemicals required to achieve this
Because of XNO®’s exceptionally long cycle life, it has high potential as a viable material for second-life battery applications such as energy storage. This will provide end users with the opportunity to sell or donate their used batteries, even after 10,000+ cycles
The creation of a circular economy in battery manufacturing is crucial for the long-term ambitions of the industry, which is why Echion has taken steps to ensure that its materials fit into a circular economy model. XNO® is able to deliver market-leading performance, ease of use and sustainability credentials and is available at scale, today.
Learn more about Echion’s XNO® battery materials or how our team can act as a consultancy to ensure your products fit into a circular economy model.
Safe, fast-charging, long-life Li-ion batteries with XNO® anode materials >
