Insights into Circular Economy Potential of Lithium by System Dynamic Modelling of Material Streams

Seppo Lähdesmäki; Jyri Hanski; Elina Huttunen-Saarivirta

doi:10.1002/batt.202300231

Insights into Circular Economy Potential of Lithium by System Dynamic Modelling of Material Streams

Seppo Lähdesmäki, Jyri Hanski (Corresponding Author), Elina Huttunen-Saarivirta

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Lithium is a key raw material for producing lithium-ion batteries. This study applies system dynamics modelling to demonstrate the (1) global lithium demand in specific lithium applications from 2005to 2050, (2) the adequacy of lithium reserves for future lithium demand, (3) lithium content of waste streams throughout lithium value chain and (4) potential of various circular strategies for answering to the rising lithium demand. According to the modelling results, the main lithium application is battery electric vehicle batteries (almost 60% in 2023 to 80-90% by 2050) with current battery chemistries. Without circular strategies, 75-85% of lithium is wasted throughout the value chain.Circular strategies may reduce the waste considerably (7-47%), but to maintain sustainable supply of lithium a stacking of multiple complementary circular strategies over the lithium value chain is required.

Original language	English
Article number	e202300231
Journal	Batteries & Supercaps
Volume	6
Issue number	12
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/batt.202300231
Publication status	Published - Dec 2023
MoE publication type	A1 Journal article-refereed

Funding

The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support obtained from the Academy of Finland via the Romulus programme (decision 346722). Parallel financial support from VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd is also acknowledged.

Keywords

batteries
circularity
lithium
material flow analysis
materials science
system dynamics

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1002/batt.202300231

Cite this

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title = "Insights into Circular Economy Potential of Lithium by System Dynamic Modelling of Material Streams",

abstract = "Lithium is a key raw material for producing lithium-ion batteries. This study applies system dynamics modelling to demonstrate the (1) global lithium demand in specific lithium applications from 2005to 2050, (2) the adequacy of lithium reserves for future lithium demand, (3) lithium content of waste streams throughout lithium value chain and (4) potential of various circular strategies for answering to the rising lithium demand. According to the modelling results, the main lithium application is battery electric vehicle batteries (almost 60% in 2023 to 80-90% by 2050) with current battery chemistries. Without circular strategies, 75-85% of lithium is wasted throughout the value chain.Circular strategies may reduce the waste considerably (7-47%), but to maintain sustainable supply of lithium a stacking of multiple complementary circular strategies over the lithium value chain is required. ",

keywords = "batteries, circularity, lithium, material flow analysis, materials science, system dynamics",

author = "Seppo L{\"a}hdesm{\"a}ki and Jyri Hanski and Elina Huttunen-Saarivirta",

year = "2023",

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doi = "10.1002/batt.202300231",

language = "English",

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journal = "Batteries & Supercaps",

issn = "2566-6223",

publisher = "Wiley-VCH Verlag",

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T1 - Insights into Circular Economy Potential of Lithium by System Dynamic Modelling of Material Streams

AU - Lähdesmäki, Seppo

AU - Hanski, Jyri

AU - Huttunen-Saarivirta, Elina

PY - 2023/12

Y1 - 2023/12

N2 - Lithium is a key raw material for producing lithium-ion batteries. This study applies system dynamics modelling to demonstrate the (1) global lithium demand in specific lithium applications from 2005to 2050, (2) the adequacy of lithium reserves for future lithium demand, (3) lithium content of waste streams throughout lithium value chain and (4) potential of various circular strategies for answering to the rising lithium demand. According to the modelling results, the main lithium application is battery electric vehicle batteries (almost 60% in 2023 to 80-90% by 2050) with current battery chemistries. Without circular strategies, 75-85% of lithium is wasted throughout the value chain.Circular strategies may reduce the waste considerably (7-47%), but to maintain sustainable supply of lithium a stacking of multiple complementary circular strategies over the lithium value chain is required.

AB - Lithium is a key raw material for producing lithium-ion batteries. This study applies system dynamics modelling to demonstrate the (1) global lithium demand in specific lithium applications from 2005to 2050, (2) the adequacy of lithium reserves for future lithium demand, (3) lithium content of waste streams throughout lithium value chain and (4) potential of various circular strategies for answering to the rising lithium demand. According to the modelling results, the main lithium application is battery electric vehicle batteries (almost 60% in 2023 to 80-90% by 2050) with current battery chemistries. Without circular strategies, 75-85% of lithium is wasted throughout the value chain.Circular strategies may reduce the waste considerably (7-47%), but to maintain sustainable supply of lithium a stacking of multiple complementary circular strategies over the lithium value chain is required.

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Insights into Circular Economy Potential of Lithium by System Dynamic Modelling of Material Streams

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

UN SDGs

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GoverMat: Multi-level governance of critical materials for future electric mobility

Cite this

Insights into Circular Economy Potential of Lithium by System Dynamic Modelling of Material Streams

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Projects

GoverMat: Multi-level governance of critical materials for future electric mobility

Cite this