🔋 Improved Batteries for a Sustainable Future

The Battery Passport is a program initiated by the European Union (EU) to advance the usage and development of energy storage systems. Its goal is to promote a more sustainable energy system and increase the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) by providing information and resources to consumers, businesses, and public authorities. The Battery Passport is a web-based platform that offers information on the performance, environmental impact, and safety of batteries used in EVs, stationary energy storage systems, and portable electronic devices. It also provides tools and services to help users compare the performance of different battery types, evaluate the suitability of different batteries for specific applications, and assess the environmental and economic benefits of using energy storage systems. It is intended to provide a complete record of the battery's history and to help ensure that it is used and maintained properly.

Battery industry supply chain. Illustration: Global Battery Alliance

🫡 Human Rights and Child Labor Protection

Children gather along the principal highway linking Kolwezi and Lubumbashi | Washington Post

Unfortunately, the battery industry has been linked to human rights issues, including the use of child labor in the production of batteries for products such as cell phones, laptops, and electric vehicles. Some of the raw materials used in battery production, such as cobalt, are mined in countries where child labor is prevalent, and there have been instances of children being exploited for these purposes. In addition to child labor, poor working conditions also pose a problem in the battery industry. The manufacturing process can be hazardous and workers may be exposed to toxic substances and other risks. The extraction and processing of raw materials for batteries, such as cobalt and lithium, can also have negative impacts on the environment and local communities, including air and water pollution and land degradation. The development of battery manufacturing facilities can also have significant social and economic impacts on local communities, including changes in land use patterns and the displacement of traditional communities. It is important for the industry to prioritize respect for human rights and eliminate child labor in order to ensure a more ethical and sustainable future.

📗 EU Regulation: New Requirements for Batteries

The new EU Battery Regulation has been agreed on by the Council of the EU and the European Parliement on 9th December 2022

• Applies to all kind of batteries.

• Minimum recycling content for industrial, SLI batteries and EV batteries of initially 16% for cobalt, 85% for lead, 6% for lithium and 6% for nickel

• Stricter targets for recycling efficiency. Material recovery targets for lithium will be 50% by 2027 and 80% by 2032

• More transparency through labelling and information requirements, a digital battery passport and a QR code.

• Due diligence rules for operators who must verify the source of raw materials used for batteries with and exemption of SMEs