With the rapid development of the new energy vehicle industry, the recycling of power batteries, as its core component, has gradually become the focus of attention in the industry. The recycling of power batteries not only helps to reduce resource waste and environmental pollution, but also brings huge market potential and economic value to the industrial chain. With the support of policy support and the promotion of technological progress, the field of power battery recycling is gradually maturing and showing huge development space.
Power battery recycling technology: improve the efficiency of resource reuse
Power battery recycling technology mainly includes two ways: cascade utilization and recycling. Cascade utilization refers to the use of retired batteries in other fields, such as emergency power supply, energy storage equipment, etc., while recycling refers to the extraction of high-value metal materials such as lithium, cobalt, and nickel in batteries, and re-commissioning them into battery production to extend their life cycle.
In the recycling process, pretreatment is first required, including discharge deactivation, battery dismantling, cell crushing and material separation. Among them, the recycling of cathode materials has become the focus of recycling because of its high economic benefits, and technical means such as pyrometallurgy, hydrometallurgy and direct regeneration of electrode materials are often used. These technologies not only effectively recover metal resources, but also further improve the environmental and economic efficiency of the recycling process.
Market potential: the vigorous development of power battery recycling
With the increasing number of new energy vehicles in the world, the retirement problem of power batteries is becoming increasingly serious. According to the forecast of relevant market research institutions, by 2030, China's power battery retirement will exceed 3 million tons, and the scale of the power battery recycling market is expected to exceed 140 billion yuan, compared with the market size in 2022, this increase is expected to be more than 9 times.
Power batteries are usually recycled when their capacity is attenuated to less than 80% of their rated capacity, which means that with the popularity of new energy vehicles and the expiration of battery life, the demand for recycling will gradually increase. Based on this market demand, the power battery recycling industry not only provides a reliable resource guarantee for the battery material supply chain, but also brings important economic opportunities to the field of environmental protection.
Policy support: Build a sound recycling system
The Chinese government has introduced a series of policies in the recycling of power batteries to promote environmental protection and recycling standardization in the battery industry. Under the guidance of the policy, vehicle companies and battery manufacturers have begun to consider environmental protection and recycling requirements in the product development stage to reduce the environmental pollution of waste batteries.
At present, the recycling method supported by the policy first emphasizes cascade utilization, and then dismantles and recycles. Through this multi-stage recycling mode, the reuse rate of batteries can be increased, and the recycling process can be ensured to be efficient and environmentally friendly. In recent years, with the continuous improvement of the policy system, the standardization level of the battery recycling industry has been significantly improved, and the overall development of the industry has also shown a rapid growth trend.
Figure: The power battery recycling market has great potential
Industry trend: The recycling model is maturing
According to the data of the "China New Energy Battery Recycling Industry Development Report (2024)", China's power battery recycling industry is gradually showing a large-scale and diversified development trend, and the industrial maturity is constantly improving. The report pointed out that at present, China's power battery recycling field has gradually formed a recycling model with automobile manufacturers, battery manufacturers, and comprehensive utilization enterprises as the main body, and the recycling system is constantly improving.
With the innovation of recycling technology and the gradual integration of the industrial chain, the power battery recycling market will usher in a more standardized and efficient development. At the same time, more and more enterprises and capital have begun to pay attention to the potential of the battery recycling market, which has further promoted the rapid development of the industry.
Conclusion: The market has broad prospects, and opportunities and challenges coexist
Power battery recycling is not only an important part of the sustainable development of the new energy vehicle industry, but also a key force to promote the transformation of a green and low-carbon economy. With the continuous progress of technology and the strong support of policies, the power battery recycling industry will usher in a broader market space. It is expected that by 2030, with the increase in the number of retired batteries, the recycling market will achieve explosive growth, bringing rich economic returns and environmental benefits to the entire industry chain.
However, to realize this potential, there are also challenges in terms of technology, finance, and policy. How to improve the efficiency of recycling technology, how to improve the recycling system, and how to attract more market participants are the key issues that need to be solved in the development of the industry. Only with the joint efforts of all parties can the power battery recycling market truly release its huge potential and promote the green development of the new energy vehicle industry.
