How much phosphorus is in an electric battery?

This equates to about 25.5 kg phosphorus per electric battery (i.e., (0.72 Mt lithium per year/126 M batteries per year) × 4.46). Most countries are reliant on phosphorus imports to meet their food demands.

Can phosphorus be a problem for the battery industry?

We agree with Spears et al. 2 that, if not managed properly, this could result in short term supply chain challenges and competition for phosphorous between food and non-food applications with potentially negative consequences for the battery industry.

Should lithium iron phosphate batteries be recycled?

In recent years, the penetration rate of lithium iron phosphate batteries in the energy storage field has surged, underscoring the pressing need to recycle retired LiFePO 4 (LFP) batteries within the framework of low carbon and sustainable development.

What is the phosphorus demand for light-duty EV batteries?

The cumulative phosphorus demand for light-duty EV batteries from 2020 to 2050 is in the range of 28–35 Mt in the SD scenario (Fig. 1c ). However, there are considerable uncertainties related to this phosphorus demand.

Can phosphate minerals be used to refine cathode batteries?

Only about 3 percent of the total supply of phosphate minerals is currently usable for refinement to cathode battery materials. It is also beneficial to do PPA refining near the battery plant that will use the material to produce LFP cells.

Will lithium-iron-phosphate batteries supply phosphorus in 2050?

They conclude that by 2050, demands for lithium, cobalt and nickel to supply the projected >200 million LEVs per year will increase by a factor of 15–20. However, their analysis for lithium-iron-phosphate batteries (LFP) fails to include phosphorus, listed by the Europen Commission as a “Critical Raw Material” with a high supply risk 2.