LCA-SESS — A new standard methodology for assessing the environmental impact of stationary energy storage systems

Solutions that favor increased flexibility, resilience and robustness in the energy system, and that can help to avoid volatilities in the electricity market so that variable supply can be matched to a varying demand at competitive prices, are needed. A key potential solution is the installation of stationary energy storage systems (SESS). The installation of SESS can enhance the resiliency of the system by providing ancillary services in support of the transmission system operation (e.g. frequency regulation and black start services). SESS can also be used for investment deferral, such as for energy shifting, and for transmission and distribution congestion relief. Furthermore, when co-located with wind or solar power installations (both centralized or distributed), SESS can help in reducing curtailment, as well as for capacity firming. With Lithium-Ion Batteries (LIBs) being the most commercially used technology, their environmental impact resulting from the usage of the LIB for SESS has not been widely studied via LCA. Furthermore, there are no standard methodologies or guidelines for performing LCA of LIB SESS, with most studies available excluding end-of-life considerations.

Aim and objectives

Develop, verify and assess a new cradle-to-grave LCA methodology tailored for environmental impact assessment of stationary energy storage systems (SESS) based on lithium-ion batteries (LIB) technology.
Produce eco-design recommendations for manufacturers
Support different regulatory and policy stakeholder, from policy-makers to project developers and clients with recommendations for most sustainable energy storage system installation and operation

The overall aim of this project is to develop, verify and assess a new cradle-to-grave LCA methodology tailored for environmental impact assessment of stationary energy storage systems (SESS) based on lithium-ion batteries (LIB) technology, comprising steps tailored to the specific SESS use-stages and end-of-life alternatives. The latter including recycling.

This in turn, will enable to deliver eco-design recommendations for manufacturers, and ultimately to provide sound recommendations for the scientific and industrial communities, as well as for policy makers in Sweden and in EU. In doing so, the project aims to engage all relevant stakeholders in the LIB and SESS value chains, strengthening the long-term competitiveness of Swedish industry in the battery area, and to thereby represent a stepping-stone towards the adoption of SESS in support of the global climate agenda. For this purpose, methodological aspects are paramount in order to have the closest assessment to the real life cycle of the LIB SESS. This will be realized by carrying out comparisons between the existing standards and the new proposed methodology, together with direct input from one of the key LIB SESS manufacturers.