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Lien De Brouckere
The Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) members gathered in February 2024 for the Electric Vehicle (EV) Battery Repair, Reuse and Repurpose Teach-In, to learn more about the electric vehicles (E V) battery supply chain, how they are recycled, and why design for repair, reuse, and repurpose is so important. Discussing Solution Pathways To Effective Repair, Reuse & Repurposing, Lien De Brouckere GAIA’s Global EV Waste Strategist & Advocate, made a presentation on how digital labeling for batteries can provide information crucial for their repair and repurposing.
What is a battery passeport
The battery passport is a digital identifier in the form of a QR code or barcode supporting traceability throughout a battery’s lifecycle. It contains information on battery health, environmental, social, governance performance, manufacturing history, and origin details. Created at the time of manufacture of the battery, passports are important as they enable repair, reuse, and recycling. However, under EU battery regulation for example, the battery passport has limited data. The passport includes key informations on label, dismantling, composition and the state of health of the battery, but this later is not publicly available.
Watch the video : Panel 3 – Solution Pathways To Effective Repair, Reuse & Repurposing
Various initiatives are underway at different levels to define the necessary information. In US, lawmakers are advocating for federal-level transparency in battery supply chains. In Europe, the EU Commission requires passports since 2024 for all sold batteries. Concerning manufacturers, Ford and the Global Battery Alliance are developing tracking systems, but access to state of health data remains limited through proprietary software, making very difficult for vehicle owners and third parties to access important information, such as the level of degradation and remaining capacity of the battery. Yet these data are important for users, especially when making decisions about repair, reuse, conversion and recycling, as shown in the figure below.
Ensuring access to information for more responsible batteries
As batteries are generally taken out of use at 70 or 80% of its original capacity, it is essential that companies ensure they are repurposed for a second life and then disposed of in a responsible manner. This can be done by making available all information about environmental risks throughout the life cycle of batteries, such as detailed composition, disassembly and replacement instructions, history of use and any negative events that may have occurred during the use of the battery.
Manufacturers can go further, by supporting recycling and reuse efforts, distributing tools, repair training and guides. However, it will be crucial to avoid global inequalities, where wealthier nations dominate data collection while others are left out. The social and environmental responsibility of manufacturers must be assessed independently, in consultation with communities and according to strict verification standards. A fair system ensures transparency and universal access to data for all.
