Part 5
Journey to a
net zero battery
The ambition of a net zero battery is an important one: powerful, affordable and more sustainable. But the path to achieving it won't be straightforward.
In this webinar with three industry pioneers – Minviro, CarbonScape and Nano One – we discussed pathways and technologies to move us a step closer to a net zero battery, while staying focused on cost and efficiency.
Key insights from the webinar
In certain parts of the world, the battery materials supply chain is fragmented, plagued with bottlenecks. At the same time, engineers are being asked to compress schedules beyond industry norms and scale up technologies that aren’t quite ready. All while achieving cost and product performance outcomes that build on initial successes and continue momentum.
But the industry can’t lose sight of its longer-term objective to electrify and decarbonize our energy storage and mobility sectors.
“It would be unfortunate if, a decade or two from now, we look back on this industrial transformation and realize we caused more harm than progress,” says Greg Pitt, Vice President, Battery Materials, Growth. “We recognize the path to a net zero future is both essential and challenging. Which is why we’re collaborating with leaders in the battery sector to move forward responsibly and effectively.”
Here’s what we discussed in the webinar.
1. Net zero batteries are tough, but not impossible
Achieving a true net zero battery will be difficult without the groundbreaking technology to capture or store carbon within the supply chain. The realistic short-term goal? Near-zero emissions through smarter sourcing, transparency and innovation.
Minviro shared how lifecycle assessments don’t allow for the easy use of carbon credits or offsets. This means genuine reductions need to come from how materials are made, processed and sourced. Near-zero – by pulling every lever from renewable energy to smart process innovation – is the pragmatic target for now.
2. Not all carbon footprints are created equal
Most emissions in the battery supply chain come from mining and refining, not transportation or assembly. Nickel, cobalt and graphite production dominate the carbon footprint, especially where coal-powered grids fuel processing. Focusing on more sustainable, lower-impact material is a practical way to start making progress towards this goal.
Impacts can be reduced by understanding where the environmental hotspots are. Minviro explained how its work with a major automotive manufacturer showed transportation emissions are relatively minor compared to the chemical processing and refining stages, which are the real emissions hotspots. Understanding these nuances can help supply chain professionals make smarter sourcing decisions.
3. Innovation drives competitive edge
Breakthrough technologies are proving that more sustainable solutions can also be cost competitive. For example, companies like CarbonScape are cutting costs and emissions by turning biomass into graphite. And Nano One’s One-pot™ process is eliminating wastewater and reducing energy use in cathode production with simpler process steps.
CarbonScape’s goal is to produce bio-graphite using biomass such as wood chips, reducing carbon footprints, lowering costs and avoiding reliance on fossil fuel feedstocks. This approach can match the performance of high-grade synthetic graphite while offering fast charging capabilities.
Meanwhile, Nano One has rethought the cathode production process entirely. Cathode active material is the most complex, expensive and environmentally intensive parts of the battery. Nano One’s One-pot process eliminates wastewater and reduces energy consumption compared to traditional methods.
By cutting out unnecessary steps and rethinking the fundamentals, Nano One is proving that cathodes can be made more sustainably and cost-effectively.
4. Recycling helps, but raw materials are still critical
Battery recycling is improving in scale and recovery rates but won’t meet materials demand alone. We still need investment in mining and refining, with sustainability ‘designed in’ from the start.
Even with the forecast ramp up of recycling capability, raw material demand remains significant. And producing the raw materials needed for net zero is still a major challenge.
The mining and refining industries must continue to decarbonize and go beyond their social license to operate and expand their environmental, social and governmental (ESG) credentials to create demand for more sustainable metals.
5. Collaboration is non-negotiable
To get there, governments, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and material producers must align on vision, working with experienced partners. Without stronger collaboration across the industry, scaling sustainable technology won’t meet our targets.
The industry won’t see progress without clear data, traceability and shared standards. And without investors willing to back first-of-a-kind projects, breakthrough technologies risk never leaving the lab. Public-private collaboration will be fundamental to accelerating progress alongside mature risk mitigation strategies.
The journey to a net zero battery future is paved with incremental improvements – smarter sourcing, process innovation, transparent data and policy support – woven together by tighter industry collaboration.
It’s a long road, but we’re up for the challenge.
Speak to an expert today
Despite numerous gigafactory announcements over the past five years, the infrastructure for battery materials has lagged, resulting in a significant shortage of active materials. In this paper we discuss how the commercial success of projects will depend on the speed at which facilities are built and reach steady-state operation, while remaining adaptable to advances in cell chemistry.
Missed parts one to four in our ‘Journey to a net zero battery’ series? Click on the tiles below to read them now.
