Speaker
Description
In a context of mobility electrification, the number of lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries is increasing rapidly. As Li-ion batteries depend on a variety of critical and strategical materials, it is essential to assess their environmental impacts. The literature has shown that there is a significant heterogeneity in the methods, software, indicators, functional units, scope, data used and definition of LCA studies. As the ISO 14040 [1] specifies, "the results of various life cycle analyses or inventories can only be compared when the assumptions and context of each study are the same". Furthermore, it has been shown that there is a lack of link regarding the battery use and its impact on battery lifetime. The variety of studies cannot be used to draw conclusions on how to make the batteries’ lifecycle more virtuous because of the lack of systemic approach. Moreover, the opacity of the data and methodologies used contradicts the fundament principle of ISO 14044, which “requires total transparency" [1]. This is an obstacle to the use of LCA as a decision-making tool.
This work presents the development of an open-source Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) tool for evaluating a battery’s sustainability from cradle to grave.
To address the lack of link between LCA and battery use, a battery model has been integrated. It is based on Vehlib [2] and has been translated to Python to make the project more accessible and freer. It is composed of an electrical model, a thermal model and an aging model. To automate the identification of the coefficients quantifying battery aging, a Python module was developed. This project, named Battery Aging Analysis and Estimation (BANANES), is used to simulate the battery aging depending on the conditions in which it is used (external temperature and use cycle). Indeed, the use case of the battery will have a significant impact on its lifetime and the energy required for its recharge. Those outputs are linked to an LCA model developed using Brightway 25 [3].
In order to have as much transparency as possible, the code is open-source and can be customized according to the user need. Key parameters such as functional unit, reference flux, database, battery under study, country and cycle of use and assessment method can be changed. The battery model can also be replaced to be more suitable to the user requirements.
As the ONU Sustainable Development Goals [5] specified, to make our planet a better place to live, it is also required to account for social and economic impacts. To assess the economic impacts of the battery, the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) method has been used. Battery cost estimation is performed using the BatPac software [6], which takes into account battery chemistry and power.
Social impacts will be integrated using SOCA database [7]. This database will be implemented in Brightway as it is crucial to assess those impacts, as highlighted by Amnesty International, which has proved that more than 4,000 children are working in Cobalt mines in Democratic Republic of Congo (producing 75% of the Cobalt used worldwide) [8].
The ultimate objective of this work is to develop an open-source tool to assess the comprehensive sustainability of a battery based on its specific use case. This tool is available for the community for collaborative improvement: https://gitlab.in2p3.fr/morgane.gillet/vieillissement. A graphical interface has been developed and will be presented. Future developments could include the integration of battery models that account for more detailed physico-chemical phenomena. Additionally, further efforts are required to improve data accessibility in order to build more accurate life cycle inventories.
AKNOWLEDGMENTS
This work is part of project EDLB of the program CMA and received government funding managed by the « Caisse des dépots et Consigantions » and the Agence Nationale de la Recherche under the France 2030 program.
REFERENCES
[1] AFNOR, « NF EN ISO 14040 : Management environnemental, Analyse du cycle de vie », oct. 2006.
[2] B. Jeanneret, B. Kabalan, E. Redondo, R. Trigui, E. Vinot, « Vehlib », GitLab. Consulté le: 10 janvier 2025. [En ligne]. Disponible sur: https://gitlab.univ-eiffel.fr/eco7/vehlib
[3] « Brightway LCA Software Framework — Brightway documentation ». Consulté le: 20 janvier 2025. [En ligne]. Disponible sur: https://docs.brightway.dev/en/latest/
[4] « Database », ecoinvent. Consulté le: 20 janvier 2025. [En ligne]. Disponible sur: https://ecoinvent.org/database/
[5] « THE 17 GOALS | Sustainable Development ». Consulté le: 12 juillet 2024. [En ligne]. Disponible sur: https://sdgs.un.org/goals
[6] « BatPaC: Battery Manufacturing Cost Estimation », Argonne National Laboratory. Consulté le: 20 janvier 2025. [En ligne]. Disponible sur: https://www.anl.gov/partnerships/batpac-battery-manufacturing-cost-estimation
[7] « New SOCA V3.0 release – social add-on to ecoinvent | openLCA.org ». Consulté le: 17 juillet 2025. [En ligne]. Disponible sur: https://www.openlca.org/new-soca-v3-0-release-social-add-on-to-ecoinvent/
[8] « République démocratique du Congo : les petits forçats du cobalt », Amnesty France. Consulté le: 30 avril 2025. [En ligne]. Disponible sur: https://www.amnesty.fr/actualites/republique-democratique-du-congo-enfants-cobalt-face-cachee-de-nos-batterie
| How much time do you ideally wish for your contribution? | 15 minutes |
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