In the view of industry insiders, as the first batch of large-scale power batteries enter the elimination period, dredging formal channels and strengthening the main responsibility need to be further implemented.
According to the latest data released by the China New Energy Vehicle Power Battery ** Utilization Industry Collaborative Development Alliance, from January to December 2023, a total of 16 retired power batteries will be produced across the country80,000 tons, a year-on-year increase of 783%。Among them, the deactivation of new energy vehicles produces 14 retired power batteries50,000 tons, vehicle maintenance produces 2 retired power batteries30,000 tons. From the perspective of material type, lithium iron phosphate batteries account for 501%, ternary batteries accounted for 469%。
The average life of power batteries is usually 5-8 years, in the view of industry insiders, with the first batch of large-scale power batteries into the elimination period, the growth of battery retirement is expected to alleviate the industry "more monks and less porridge" situation, but dredging formal channels, strengthening the main responsibility and so on need to be further implemented.
Alleviate resource constraints and drive cost reductions
Battery** is an important way to realize green and low-carbon batteries and improve economic benefits. It is understood that the utilization of retired power batteries is divided into two forms: cascade utilization and recycling. Among them, the retired ternary lithium battery has a rapid decay trend with the increase of cycles, and the safety is relatively poor, so it will generally be crushed, dismantled and smelted to realize the recycling of nickel, cobalt, manganese, lithium and other resources; The retired lithium iron phosphate batteries still have good circularity and safety, so they are first used in echelons and then recycled.
From a global perspective, the market potential for the utilization of waste batteries is huge. According to SNE Research, the number of end-of-life electric vehicles in the world will increase from 560,000 in 2025 to 42.27 million in 2040, and the global market for waste battery recycling is expected to grow to 70 trillion won (1 won is about 0.) in 20300,054 won), which will increase to 230 trillion won in 2040 and 600 trillion won in 2050.
It is worth noting that industry insiders generally believe that the use of waste batteries is one of the ways to make up for the above-mentioned shortage of minerals, alleviate foreign dependence, and reduce battery costs.
According to the "Global Mineral Resources Reserve Assessment Report 2023" released by the Global Mineral Resources Strategy Research Center of the China Geological Survey of the Ministry of Natural Resources, China's reserves of nickel, cobalt, lithium and other mineral resources account for a relatively low proportion in the world and are in short supply. Ji Xuehong, director of the Automotive Industry Innovation Research Center of North China University of Technology, told the China Energy News: "At present, the amount of lithium batteries produced in China accounts for nearly 70% of the world, but the reserves of related resources are far from reaching this level. ”
Only by recycling the main raw materials of lithium batteries can we achieve recycling cost reduction, and the cost of electric vehicles can be further reduced in the future, which is conducive to the promotion and rapid development of electric vehicles. Cao Guangping, a partner of Chefu Consulting, said.
Channel technical issues to be solved
However, compared with the competitive situation of "one super and many strong" in the power battery manufacturing industry, although the number of power battery retirements has increased significantly, the large-scale retirement tide has not yet arrived, so the competition pattern of the power battery industry presents a "small, scattered and chaotic" situation. At the same time, at present, most of the retired batteries cannot flow into the regular battery enterprises, and the channels are not smooth, so that the non-compliant small workshops squeeze out the living space of formal enterprises.
National and local policies are generally vigorously promoting the positive development of the new energy vehicle industry, and the retirement of power batteries has become one of the hot spots in the industrial chain. On the whole, the competition of power batteries has entered a white-hot stage, and the situation of "more monks and less porridge" has been formed. A battery company told the China Energy News.
Ji Xuehong said that at present, the power battery industry is still in the early stage of development, although there are many enterprise layouts, but the overall amount of power batteries is still small. "At the same time, there are many enterprises engaged in the first class and mixed, in the stage of urgent need for standardization, the need for benign market competition. ”
At present, there is actually a dual-track system in China's power battery industry, and the formal whitelist enterprises occupy the qualifications, but it is difficult to make a profit because of its more formal and environmentally friendly process equipment. Although the black workshop enterprise has no qualifications and the process is not environmentally friendly, the benefits are better. Cao Guangping said.
In addition, in recent years, the rapid iteration of power battery technology, the continuous innovation of battery system structure design, and the continuous maturity and productization of new technologies such as CTP and CTC. "At present, new technologies such as CTP and CTC are used to improve the level of battery technology, but the more integrated the design, the more difficult it is to disassemble the battery, and the efficiency will be reduced. Cao Guangping said.
Improve traceability and implement responsibilities
At present, the utilization of domestic waste batteries can be carried out through the power battery enterprises' own service networks, battery manufacturers and car companies, and third-party enterprises. In the eyes of industry insiders, the power battery market from chaos to governance, first of all, to solve the problem of circulation traceability.
It is necessary to strengthen the supervision of enterprises, and implement the extension of production responsibility, focusing on starting from the source, strengthening the extended producer responsibility system of car companies and battery enterprises, and tracing the source from the time of sales. The above-mentioned battery ** business person said.
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology issued the Administrative Measures for the Comprehensive Utilization of Power Batteries for New Energy Vehicles (Draft for Comments) issued in December 2023, which clearly states that automobile manufacturers should bear the main responsibility for the installed power batteries, battery manufacturers should bear the responsibility for power batteries sold directly to the market (such as battery leasing and operation institutions, etc.), and echelon utilization enterprises should bear the responsibility for the echelon utilization products produced.
Power battery companies and vehicle companies can play a key role in the battery, and have the economic and technical strength to participate in the battery, to further strengthen their obligations in the regulations, and at the same time to regulate the third-party enterprises. Ji Xuehong thinks.
The reporter of China Energy News noted that with the recent announcement of the list of enterprises (the fifth batch) of the "Industry Standard Conditions for the Comprehensive Utilization of Waste Power Batteries for New Energy Vehicles", the list of enterprises for the comprehensive utilization of waste power batteries in China has been expanded to 156. Ji Xuehong thinks. In the future, the competition pattern of the industry will gradually concentrate on enterprises with strong planning and large scale, and it is recommended to give more subsidy funds and policy support to formal enterprises based on the closed loop of the industrial chain from production to formal **.
Text丨Reporter Yang Zi.
Welcome to share it with your friends! Editor丨Yang Xiaoran.