Life cycle assessment (LCA) of a battery home storage system based on primary data. (15th September 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jasper, Friedrich B.; Späthe, Jana; Baumann, Manuel; Peters, Jens F.; Ruhland, Janna; Weil, Marcel
• Is Part Of: Journal of cleaner production. Volume 366(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-09-15
• Subjects: Factory and trade waste -- Management -- Periodicals; Manufactures -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Déchets industriels -- Gestion -- Périodiques; Usines -- Aspect de l'environnement -- Périodiques; 628.5
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.132899
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0959-6526

Abstract

Abstract: While the market for battery home storage systems (HSS) is growing rapidly, there are still few well-modelled life cycle assessment (LCA) studies available for quantifying their potential environmental benefits and impacts. Existing studies mainly rely on data for electric vehicles and often lack a thorough modelling approach, especially regarding the peripheral components. This paper presents a full cradle to grave LCA of a Lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery HSS based on primary data obtained by part-to-part dismantling of an existing commercial system with a focus on the impact of the peripheral components. Additionally, alternative battery chemistries (Sodium ion battery (SIB) and two lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxides, (NMC 811, and NMC 622 ) are investigated under the consideration of the same periphery. This approach allows a comprehensive comparison between present and emerging cell chemistries that can be potentially considered for an HSS. The total greenhouse gas emissions of the HSS are 84 g CO2 eq/KWh of electricity delivered over its lifetime in a residential PV application, or 31 g CO2 eq/KWh over lifetime when excluding the use-phase impact. The peripheral components contribute between 37% and 85% to the total gross manufacturing impacts of the HSS, depending on the considered cell chemistry and the impact category. Especially the inverter plays an important role, and its impacts are significantly higher than those obtained when using the standard ecoinvent dataset, indicating that the contribution of power electronics might often be underestimated when using this dataset. In terms of cell chemistries, the considered SIB turns out to be not yet competitive with LIB chemistries due to its lower energy density and lifetime, but might become so when reaching similar lifetimes. Graphical abstract: Image 1 Highlights: Full life cycle assessment of a PV home battery storage system. Use and provision of primary data for battery system periphery. Three lithium and one sodium-ion battery type considered and compared. Peripheral components contribute 37 and 85% to manufacturing impacts of the HSS. Recycling can reduce GWP impacts between 8% and 16%.