Lithium-ion Battery Recycling : From a Manufacturing Strategy Perspective

Sammanfattning: The electrification of the transport sector in combination with an increased demand for storage solutions for renewable energy is contributing to a rapid growth of the battery market. Lithium-ion batteries have shown to be a promising technology for efficient energy storage the last two decades. A rapidly increasing battery production will however cause challenges within waste management and put pressure on current recycling infrastructures. Within research, insufficient attention has been given to how traditional manufacturing strategy is applied within recycling environments. The objective of this study was, therefore, to investigate if and how the unique characteristics of battery recycling affect its manufacturing strategy. A case study of the planning of a battery recycling unit was conducted in collaboration with Northvolt AB to detect challenges and unique characteristics for battery recycling. A framework within manufacturing strategy was applied on the contextual study to identify underlying factors to be considered when building a large scale recycling. Based on multiple interviews with industry expert’s, critical factors were identified and classified according to the literature framework. Our research concludes that the main categories within traditional manufacturing strategy are valid within a recycling environment. On an operational level, however, it was implied that the specific characteristics for recycling have to be considered when formulating a manufacturing strategy. To concretize, it is suggested that attention is given to uncertainties in inflow, of both timing and amount of discarded products. It is important to carefully consider the variety in battery chemistry fed into the recycling process and to design a flexible process, to be prepared for future disruption. Furthermore, managerial implications for battery producers are to facilitate recycling through three key aspects; simplifying the disassembly of battery systems, developing intelligent labelling systems and to push for industry standards.