“Sustainability studies and analysis seek to identify battery technologies that can deliver the energy and performance we need while minimizing their impact on the environment and society”
INTERVIEW WITH SARA MANUELA PINTO, SUSTAINABILITY AND RESOURCE EFFICIENCY RESEARCHER AT INEGI
What are the sustainability studies and analysis in terms of battery technology assessment? Under which variables are environmental hotspots identified in order to provide information for effective improvement measures to reduce environmental impacts?
Sustainability studies and analysis in terms of battery technology assessment typically focus on several key areas, including in first place the environmental impact, that refers to the overall impact that battery production, use and disposal have on the environment. Factors such as carbon emissions, water usage, and land use are considered, along with the potential for toxic substances and other pollutants that are released during the manufacturing and disposal processes are also relevant information for the environmental impact studies.
In other hand, resource availability focus on battery production that requires a variety of resources, such as lithium, cobalt, and nickel. Sustainability studies and analysis in this area focus on understanding the availability of these resources and their impact on the environment and society, as well as potential alternatives to traditional battery materials. Also, another key on the analysis is the end-of-life management, this refers to the management of batteries at the end of their useful life.
Last but not least, life cycle sustainably assessment, that is a comprehensive life cycle assessment takes into account all of the above factors, as well as others, such as the impact of battery production and uses on social and economic factors. This allows for a more complete understanding of the sustainability of different battery technologies and can help inform decision-making around their use and development.
Overall, sustainability studies and analysis in terms of battery technology assessment seek to identify battery technologies that can deliver the energy and performance we need while minimizing their impact on the environment and society. On the other hand, it is important to consider environmental hotspots are typically identified based on a life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology of a product or process. During an LCA, those are identified as the stages of the life cycle with the highest environmental impacts. These hotspots can be recognised based on a range of variables, including, raw materials extraction, manufacturing, transportation, use phase, or end-of-life disposal.
