The main body of power battery recovery is not in place yet

In accordance with the life cycle of new energy vehicles and the marketization process of China's new energy vehicles, this year will be the beginning year for the large-scale scrapping and recycling of new energy vehicle power batteries. In the recycling process of power batteries, both cascade utilization and raw material recycling need the support of the recycling body. However, the current situation is not ideal.

On the one hand, the main body of power battery recovery is still absent, and the relevant management is not in place in time. On the other hand, established recycling enterprises have to seek other businesses because they are "underfed". What kind of market test is the main body of power battery recycling going through? What about the future?

The power battery recycling body is not in place

Although the peak period of power battery scrap recycling has not yet come, the earliest demonstration vehicles have entered the scrap recycling stage.

In accordance with the characteristics of power batteries and the principle of recycling, China currently advocates the principle of using decommissioned power batteries in stages before scrapping and recycling, and requires vehicle enterprises to be the main body of power battery recycling and assume the responsibility of power battery recycling. However, since most vehicle enterprises are only "assembly plants" of electric vehicles, and batteries are provided by specialized battery enterprises, there are three main types of recycling of power batteries. The second category is battery manufacturers; The third category is power battery scrap recycling enterprises and raw material enterprises.

"Only the vehicle manufacturers as the main body to ensure that all power batteries can go to the formal recycling channels, to avoid like lead-acid batteries into the black market. As a power battery scrap recycling enterprise at the end of scrap recycling, ganzhou city, jiangxi province, haopeng technology co., LTD., general manager of the district han cheng believes that the vehicle enterprises must be the first responsibility, to ensure that the power battery into the formal recycling channels, so as to improve its life cycle utilization efficiency. At present, in the power battery recycling, baic new energy and byd as China's early engaged in new energy vehicle demonstration and promotion of enterprises have long had action.

"We have made a lot of attempts in the recycling and utilization of retired power batteries. We have not only launched the power changing mode, but also put forward the 'optimus prime plan' to use the retired power batteries in a cascade of using up the power station. In addition, a power battery recycling company has been set up to recycle retired power batteries. As early as 2016, baic new energy, together with henan xinxiang battery research institute, established Beijing jiangxin battery technology co., ltd. in Beijing, which is dedicated to the cascade utilization of power batteries, the development of new battery systems and the exploration of new business models.

Byd set up a battery recovery point in the 4S store. "We rely on byd 4S store to temporarily collect and store used power batteries, and then uniformly recycle them to byd recycling point, and recycle batteries in different states to the corresponding factory for processing. Among them, we will define the taxi as a big customer, maintenance, repair and so on have a special concentration point, at the same time the concentration point has the duty of battery temporary storage. Byd relevant person in charge of the introduction.

In addition to vehicle enterprises, battery manufacturers have also actively explored this issue. Ningde times, avic lithium battery, bick battery, guoxuan high-tech and other enterprises have established battery recycling networks, started to lay out the business of power battery recycling, and carried out cascade utilization or scrap recycling treatment for recycled batteries.

In addition, independent battery scrap recycling enterprises are also actively carrying out related layout. Last year, they recycled 6, 000 tons of lithium batteries, including 200 tons of car batteries, Mr. Au said. Since the beginning of this year, with the increase of the market size of power battery scrap recycling, scrap recycling enterprises' relevant business volume has also been greatly improved. "Take our company as an example. In the first quarter of this year, the business volume of b-class batteries (power batteries for secondary use) was almost the same as that of the whole year of last year." Affected by the market demand fluctuation and other factors, the power battery secondary utilization market did appear a small peak at the beginning of this year. "We handled nearly 100 tons of power batteries in the first quarter, almost half of what we did last year." Qu hancheng also said.

In general, the current large-scale waste reporting period of power batteries has not yet come, and it is difficult to form a large-scale effect for the dismantling and recycling of power batteries. Most of the recycling subjects are still in the state of "not enough to eat". In addition, although there are all kinds of recycling subjects in the market, they are still a drop in the ocean compared with the total amount of scrapped power batteries that will enter the market. In general, recycling subjects are still in a state of absence.

"Late arrival" of recycling qualification due to lack of management

In addition to the absence of recycling bodies and the problem of "not having enough to eat", the reporter also found in the investigation that the existing recycling bodies also face the awkward situation of being unqualified. At present, although the existing recycling bodies in the market have begun to enter the business of power battery recycling, but in fact, they did not get the "identity card" to carry out this business.

According to the investigation by China automotive news, the recycling business of power batteries needs the approval of related departments according to the normal operation procedures, but there is no official list of the list. The enterprises interviewed by the reporter, such as greenmay and ganzhou haopeng, do not have the relevant qualification, although they have carried out the business of scrapping and recycling of power batteries. At present, they only have the qualification of recycling and processing of lead-acid batteries, not the qualification of processing power batteries.

"As far as we know, the ministry of industry and information technology has not yet decided on the approval of the qualification of power battery scrapping and recycling enterprises.

At the same time, it is not clear whether the power battery recycling (not scrapping) cascade utilization enterprises need special qualifications, but the reality is that the vehicle enterprises, battery production enterprises and battery trading companies are all engaged in related businesses. "There is a saying that the qualification approval of the ministry of industry and information technology is also required for the secondary recycling of batteries. However, there is no clear provision on what conditions should be met and how to apply. There are still many blind spots in the recycling field of power batteries, and most of the cascade utilization projects that have been promoted are pilot projects." At present, there are still some deficiencies in the management regulations on the recycling of power batteries. The interim measures for the management of the recycling and utilization of new energy vehicle power batteries stipulates relevant technologies and standards, but detailed implementation rules still need to be formulated.

Power battery recovery requires joint operations

Scale is not yet in place, and management is not yet in place. "It is widely believed in the industry that by 2020, there will be a period of large-scale growth in the recycling of power batteries." That is why, in addition to car companies, battery companies and raw material recycling companies, capital is also moving aggressively into the sector, and they are also looking for new opportunities in the sector, Mr Au said. In particular, some powerful enterprises are still expanding the industrial chain, to the power battery recycling downstream extension. However, although the external enthusiasm is very high, but from the perspective of the development of the industry itself, what kind of model can more effectively promote the recycling of power battery scrap still needs to be discussed.

Some experts said that with the current development trend, joint operation may be the most effective mode of power battery scrap recycling, and it is also a mode that all recycling bodies are exploring. For example, byd realizes the construction of recycling chain within the internal system: through the cooperation between baolong factory and dealers, the acquisition, testing and reuse of retired power batteries are completed. Then through the guangdong huizhou material factory for scrap battery materials dismantling and recycling; As early as 2015, ningde times, through its subsidiary ningde hesheng, gained the control of guangdong bangpu, whose main business is disassembly of used lithium batteries, and incorporated it into the scope of merger to carry out power battery scrap recycling business. Grimm has built a city-centered power battery recycling and dismantling system, and cooperated with more than 20 enterprises, including byd and saic Volkswagen, to promote the construction of power battery recycling industrial chain. Dongfang jinggong carries out business strategic cooperation with baic group, ningde times and other companies in research and development, manufacturing, recycling and cascade utilization of power batteries.

Yu haijun, vice President and general manager of the automotive recycling division of bangpu group, believes that most of the vehicle manufacturers and battery factories have problems in the process of power battery recycling, such as lack of experience, lack of professional ability, and lack of professional processing equipment for battery recycling. "Compared with the whole vehicle and battery industry, the power battery recycling and processing industry is only a low-profit industry. Therefore, most vehicle manufacturers and battery companies will choose to cooperate with third-party professional recycling and processing organizations like bomp to professionally recycle used batteries." As yu haijun said, the recycling of power batteries still needs professional people to promote, and at present, under the premise that vehicle enterprises are ordered to assume the main responsibility of the recycling of power batteries, it is a better choice for all parties to jointly tackle problems.

Zhang bin also said that no matter what kind of recycling subject and what kind of operation mode, it is necessary to further explore a business model with market vitality to ensure the recycling of power batteries into a normal market-oriented development track. Baic relevant person in charge of new energy also said that due to a lack of business model innovation, sustainable power battery recycling model, it is hard to start to industry, enterprises in carrying out technical and economic analysis and evaluation to develop innovative business model on the basis of the pilot, accumulate experience, circular economy development mode of promotion value for replication, avoid the rush.

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