2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Global resource circularity of lithium-ion battery based on life cycle thinking
Project/Area Number |
20K20013
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Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
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Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
Review Section |
Basic Section 64050:Sound material-cycle social systems-related
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Research Institution | Ritsumeikan University |
Principal Investigator |
Kosai Shoki 立命館大学, 立命館グローバル・イノベーション研究機構, 准教授 (80845826)
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Project Period (FY) |
2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
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Keywords | ライフサイクルアセスメント / 循環経済 / リチウムイオン電池 / リサイクル / リパーパス |
Outline of Final Research Achievements |
The use of the lithium-ion battery (LIB) in both traction and stationary applications has become ubiquitous. It is essential that retired LIBs are wisely treated based on the concept of circular economy to mitigate the primary resource use. A closed-loop repurposing and recycling treatment is required. Thus, using the concept of total material requirement as an indicator of natural resource use based on mining activity, a dynamic material flow analysis was executed considering the degradation of the battery, its lifespan, and demand patterns. Then, the effect of circularity on the saving of global natural resource use involved in the entire life cycle of LIBs was evaluated. It was shown that the global resource use of LIBs would increase to between 10 and 48 Gt in 2050. Circularity has the potential to contribute to an 8-44% reduction of the global resource use associated with LIBs in 2050.
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Free Research Field |
産業エコロジー
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Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements |
そもそもリチウムイオンバッテリー(LIB)に関わる分析科学のほとんどは温室効果ガス排出量など環境影響評価が主要なトピックであった.その一方,LIBと資源に関わる研究は使用される金属の枯渇性に限定されており,どの程度の天然資源が採掘されるかという点ではこれまで議論されてこなかった.本研究では関与物質総量を用いることにより,この課題解決の一助となった.従来の内燃機関自動車に比べ電気自動車はその2.3倍の天然資源が投入されており,その大半がリチウムイオン電池であることがわかった.気候変動対策による安易な技術転換がより多くの資源を搾取することになりかねないということを明白とした.
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