The recycling of lithium-ion batteries is a key component of a resource-efficient and competitive battery value chain. However, it has so far been difficult to evaluate different recycling processes in a consistent manner. The brochure on the “Modular Lifecycle Tool” presents a modular approach that allows for the comparison of different recycling routes based on uniform assumptions regarding costs and CO₂ emissions. It examines technological decisions throughout the entire recycling chain and their impact on the overall economic and environmental balance.

Recycling concepts differ, among other things, in their process structures, energy requirements, recovery rates, and costs. At the same time, decisions made in individual process steps influence material flows and downstream processes. The “Modular Lifecycle Tool” therefore maps the entire recycling chain in a modular fashion and links material flows to economic and environmental metrics. Factors taken into account include energy requirements and emissions, consumables, operating and capital costs, revenues from recovered materials, and disposal costs. Factors such as plant utilization, scaling, electricity mix, and labor costs can also be incorporated into the assessment.

The brochure explains the structure and functionality of the assessment approach and highlights potential areas of application. These include comparing different recycling concepts, identifying cost and emission hotspots, evaluating scaling strategies and site-specific conditions, and conducting sensitivity analyses of technical and economic parameters. In this way, the tool provides a transparent foundation for the evaluation and further development of recycling strategies and technologies.