Charting Cost Optimized Decarbonization Routes for Battery Systems (amid the Evolving Landscape of Carbon Markets)

Sammanfattning

Battery energy storage systems (BESS) are fundamental components in the advancement of sustainable energy generation systems. However, to fully obtain their environmental benefits, it is essential that these systems are sustainable themselves. In literature, there has been extensive research about the benefits of batteries and about their recycling processes. However, there are limited studies about their environmental impact -apart from the cells- and the way to decarbonize them. The objective of this project is to investigate the main contributors to the carbon footprint of the non-cell components of an NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt) battery pack used for energy storage. This research was conducted in collaboration with Northvolt, an industry leader in sustainable battery manufacturing. Through a hot-spot analysis, it was determined that the main contributors were the steel and the aluminium that compose the structure of the system. Due to the scarcity of consistent data on the sustainable production of these materials, a tool was developed using Excel and Python to address this issue. The research is based on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology to calculate the carbon footprint of the new sustainable materials. Later on, these materials are plotted in a Marginal Abatement Cost Curve (MACC), where they are ordered in ascending cost. Additionally, a key performance indicator (KPI) is subsequently used to identify the most cost-effective configuration for decarbonizing the battery pack. The results demonstrate that it is possible to reduce the carbon footprint of a battery pack by 20%, with an associated cost increase of 18.15$ by 2034. This work provides insights about the future trends of aluminium and steel industry, the effect of carbon markets and how it will affect downstream industries such as battery manufacturers.