The calculation model is designed to help recycling companies, technology providers and battery manufacturers evaluate different recycling processes on a uniform basis – both economically and ecologically.
A recent study by the EU research project Safeloop highlighted the significant economic challenges in battery recycling. According to the findings, recycling lithium-ion batteries in Europe under the examined conditions currently results in an average loss of around €1.90 per kilogram of battery pack. The researchers identified hazardous goods transport, disassembly and uncertainties in material recovery as key cost drivers.
The new Fraunhofer model focuses on evaluating individual recycling processes. Available methods differ not only in terms of energy consumption and recovery rates but also in how early-stage decisions impact the quality of recovered materials and the effort required in subsequent stages. To capture these relationships, the tool divides the entire recycling chain into individual areas, process steps and technologies using a modular principle. For example, different shredding processes can be compared, and their effects on the further recycling process can be analysed.
Fraunhofer model considers location & utilisation
The tool is based on a database containing information about individual process steps. Users can specify parameters such as material throughput and the composition of the batteries to be recycled, then compile customised process chains.
The model tracks material flows throughout the entire recycling chain and links them to economic and ecological key performance indicators. Factors such as energy consumption, CO₂ emissions, operating and investment costs, and revenue from recovered raw materials are taken into account. Disposal costs, the regional electricity mix, labour costs and plant utilisation can also be incorporated into the calculations.
If individual parameters such as throughput, separation efficiency or recovery rate change, the tool displays the impact on downstream process steps, costs and emissions. This enables the identification of particularly cost- or emission-intensive areas and the examination of various scenarios for scaling up battery recycling industrially.
“With this tool, we aim to make different recycling concepts comparable on a common basis and thereby create a robust foundation for technological and strategic decisions,” explains Benedikt Gruber, a research associate at Fraunhofer FFB. The model can be used both to optimise existing recycling processes and to evaluate new technologies.
The Modular Lifecycle Tool was developed as part of a consortium study involving partners from the recycling industry, plant engineering and consulting. In the future, the evaluation framework is set to be expanded to include additional battery chemistries, regionally differentiated datasets and regulatory scenarios.
