Norway the world leader in EVs
Norway has stood out as the world leader in the acceptance of electric cars. In 2024 nine out of every ten cars sold in the country was an electric vehicle. Prominent dealers have now all but eliminated fossil fuel powered cars from their inventory. Many feel it’s wrong to have customers buying internal combustion engine […]
EV sales improve across the country with recharging networks
Improving EV sales across the country and the environmental opportunities they offer is now being more fully embraced by Australians. As more councils and businesses develop and establish recharging networks, focus is now on day-to-day recharging. Whilst there is an underlying perception of increased risk associated with lithium-ion batteries it’s important to understand how to […]
Lithium Battery fires incidence becoming a daily occurrence.
The incidence of fires caused by overheating of lithium batteries is becoming a daily occurrence. Currently Australia lacks a dedicated lithium recycling facility. Just 10% of Australia’s lithium battery waste is being recycled. Transporting lithium batteries overseas is a dangerous business. In 2023 a cargo ship containing lithium batteries for recycling caught fire off the […]
Recycling car batteries still a challenge.
Despite the wide variety of demand estimates, the future growth of EV vehicles is assured. More economies are now transitioning to renewable energy. In Australia economic conditions have seen the demand slow for new vehicles as families battle with cost-of-living pressures. In Europe the market has seen an excess of stock of imported Chinese EVs. […]
Use of Lithium-ion batteries booming.
Undoubtedly use of Lithium-ion batteries(LIBs) is booming in Australia. A recent paper by the CSIRO highlighted the importance of managing the growing waste stream. Currently Australia is producing 3,300 tonnes of lithium-ion battery waste each year. Only 10% of Australia’s lithium-ion battery waste was recycled in 2021. This compares with 99% of lead acid battery […]
Lithium-ion batteries, safety and peace of mind are paramount.
When it comes to Lithium-ion batteries safety and peace of mind are paramount. The growing popularity of e-scooters and e-bikes as a form of urban transport has taken off around Australia. Micro or urban mobility is the new catchcry for the under 35’s who have embraced it as a major source of transport. A recent […]
Battery Stewardship Council Announces Early Review of B-cycle Scheme.
The Battery Stewardship Council (BSC) has announced an early review of the current B-cycle battery scheme. Initially set for reauthorisation by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) in September 2025. Due to economic pressures and mounting frustration from collectors and recyclers, this review is being expedited to before the end of 2024. A reduction […]
Growth of battery recycling being realised
In Australia the growth of the fledgling battery recycling industry is starting to be realised. Currently the national recycling rate of household batteries is estimated at 12%. This compares with Europe which is currently running at over 60%. Whilst our industry is in its infancy the global challenges of recycling lithium-ion batteries is only now […]
Growing concern at the number of Lithium-ion fires.
Throughout Australia there is growing concern at the number of lithium-ion fires being caused by e-bikes and scooters. In NSW alone the number of fires tripled last year. The number of reports on fires becomes almost a weekly occurrence. E-bikes and scooters utilise lithium-ion batteries that can cause fires when they overheat. What happens is […]
The transition to renewables falls behind.
The transition to renewables through wind and solar builds is not progressing as rapidly as the government would like. Big batteries are emerging as the primary source of power to help avoid blackouts, balance supply and demand, and smooth out volatile prices. According to consultancy, Rystad Energy, 2024 is set to be the start of […]
Sand Batteries could transform clean energy.
Four young Finnish engineers have developed a sand battery that could transform clean energy storage. Their company has evolved into a start-up, Polar Night Energy. The growing demand for sustainable energy storage and the ethical and environmental issues associated with lithium-ion batteries have intensified the search for alternatives. Among the emerging technologies aiming to revolutionize […]
Demand for Lithium-ion Batteries grows
As the demand for lithium-ion batteries grows managing their end-of-life recycling is an increasingly important issue for manufacturers, and suppliers. Particularly, sectors such as electric vehicles, stationary energy storage, and consumer electronics who are all experiencing dramatic growth. Recyclers are turning their attention to extracting valuable metals with the prospects of re-using those materials in […]
Australian Vanadium and Technology Metals look to merge
With the opportunity to better exploit their jointly owned high-purity vanadium, Australian Vanadium and Technology Metals are looking to merge. This is a by-product of the rapid take-up of batteries that use vanadium as an electrolyte. Indeed, vanadium is the raw material for vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFB) . Importantly, it is also on critical […]
The importance of recycling EV batteries is slowly being recognised
The importance of recycling EV batteries is slowly being recognised throughout the world. Companies along the battery supply chain are investing billions of dollars in recycling capabilities. Furthermore, they are confronting projected shortages of the raw materials that will power the next generation of electric vehicles. Importantly, a recent article in the Financial Review outlined […]
The BSC calls for a national plan.
The Battery Stewardship Council has called for a national plan on used EV Batteries. Libby Chaplin, CEO of the BSC, has outlined the need for a national stewardship plan. This will complement the take back schemes that some EV car brands have adopted. The national Electric Vehicle Strategy released in April, identified the importance of battery […]
Australia needs recycling of lithium-ion.
“Recycling of lithium-ion batteries is one of the most important technologies to decarbonise future society”, says Melbourne University researcher Junnan Lu. Recent research conducted by Lu aims to recycle all materials in these batteries. Importantly mitigating the negative environmental impact associated with the disposal of end-of-life batteries. Indeed, the manufacture of lithium-ion batteries requires a […]
Lithium demand set to quadruple.
Lithium demand is expected to quadruple in the next decade. Electric vehicle demand as well as Gigafactories, grid storage and e-scooters are all contributing to a fast-growing lithium battery market. Traditional methods of producing lithium are regarded as inefficient and expensive mainly due to the low recoveries of lithium from brines which can bring associated […]
Expired electric-car batteries set to be a major problem.
Expired electric-car batteries are set to be a major problem from 2030. New research by the University of Technology Sydney has revealed 30,000 tonnes of used electric vehicle batteries will enter the waste stream in Australia by 2030; Just seven years from now. Their work commissioned by Battery Stewardship Council found that: There are an […]
New supply chains to handle battery recycling.
New supply chains to handle battery recycling are the subject of a recent report by the McKinsey group. With the growth of electric vehicles and the resulting growth in battery production new ways to provide more stable resilient and efficient recycling over fossil fuel internal combustion engines need to be developed. The attached graph shows […]
More innovation to accelerate EV rollout.
More innovation to accelerate the EV rollout will be required if Australians are to successfully make the transition to electric cars. Undoubtedly, the fact that our cars are right hand drive compared with Europe, and the US, means supply is an issue. EV Australian Sales In the first quarter of 2023 sales of EV’s increased […]
Delivering what they say
Delivering what they say is not something that many organizations do. In an era of social media, it’s easy to jump on the bandwagon. Especially making statements about your commitment to decarbonisation and recycling, without backing it up with a sound operating philosophy. Indeed, Ecobatt, and the Recycal group of companies are specialist recyclers who […]
Prices of Critical Metals impede penetration of EV vehicles in China
Prices of Critical Metals will impede the penetration of EV vehicles in China. An academic paper has highlighted the challenges with a sobering market analysis. The world-wide demand for the critical metals of lithium, cobalt, nickel, and manganese will put pressure both on production and pricing. Getting buy in from the world’s largest market of […]
Recycling Lithium-ion Batteries
Recycling Lithium-ion batteries is becoming a more important initiative for many of the world’s largest companies. The increasing usage of mobile phones, laptops and wireless technology means that efficiently recycling of lithium-ion is all important. New research shows that grinding up old batteries might lead to a low-energy way to recycle the lithium and other […]
Recycling old batteries to work as new
Recycling old batteries to work as new might sound unrealistic but new independent tests show it can be done. Redwood Materials, a US specialist recycling company believes that using cathodes can revolutionise the process. How much power a battery holds, and how long it lasts, depends on its lattice of metallic atoms-how well it can […]
Can Battery Recycling for Electric cars keep pace
Battery recycling for electric cars is not an easy business model. Whilst more US companies are interested in recycling of electric car batteries, a recent article in the New York Times exposed the pitfalls. Also, according to their research, it could be a decade or more before enough used lithium -ion batteries become available to […]
New research into recycling lithium-ion batteries
New research into recycling lithium-ion batteries is being conducted by James Cook University (JCU) PhD Candidate, Emenike Okonkwo. “The method I’ve developed through my research is more eco-friendly and cost effective because it reduces the quantity of toxic chemicals in the overall process of recycling lithium-ion batteries”. Okonkwo said. Okonkwo moved from Nigeria to complete […]
Decarbonizing Transportation Effectively
Decarbonizing transportation through greater use of electric vehicles is a major trend around the world. Lithium -ion batteries are also a critical component in developing a reliable renewable energy grid. Importantly, both sectors have a responsibility to increase the sustainability of batteries and to create a circular economy. Furthermore, according to an article in the […]
Ecobatt’s Battery Collection Service works
Ecobatt’s Battery Collection Service has almost 5,000 collection bins nationally with Australian retailers. Clearly it has never been more convenient for the public to recycle batteries. Importantly, we must let people know how their batteries are collected, and the measures used to safely transport them for reprocessing. Ecobatt, part of the Ecocycle group of companies, […]
New Software for Bin Management
Ecobatt has visited and looked at the various technologies utilised by leading recycling companies in Europe and the US. The company has a policy of utilising technology to ensure recycling solutions are world’s best practice. One of the key platforms Ecobatt has developed in the last twelve months is the introduction of a custom built […]