Prof. Dr. Simon Lux

Managing Director
Fraunhofer Research Institution for Battery Cell Production FFB

Lux, Simon_Unterseite

Themenbeitrag

Energy Demand in Europe: A Comprehensive Study on the Impacts of Automotive Elec-trification, Energy Storage Solutions, Circular Economy Initiatives, and Imported/Exported Emissions

This study indicates that while LFP cells exhibit the lowest energy consumption from primary materials in the production process, NMC cells have significantly higher energy demands. The emissions and energy intensity of NMC-based batteries could be alleviat-ed through effective recycling and circular economy strategies, particularly in the long term. Sodium batteries, as an alternative to LIB batteries, show lower energy demands across all electrification scenarios; however, all scenarios highlight a substantial reliance on mining and refining processes, underscoring the necessity for enhanced recycling capacities to reduce energy consumption.

Overall, a primary raw material cycle results in imported emissions, whereas a circular economy approach in the 2050s leads to localized European emissions, necessitating additional energy sources within.