Assessing the global sustainability implications of China’s lithium-ion battery sector using value chain analysis

IF 11.2 1区环境科学与生态学 Q1 ENGINEERING, ENVIRONMENTAL

Resources Conservation and Recycling Pub Date : 2025-06-12 DOI:10.1016/j.resconrec.2025.108452

Haoning Liu, Teresa Domenech Aparisi

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) of critical raw materials (CRMs) is instrumental for the low-carbon transitions. Recent literature has emerged mapping CRMs’ physical flows and analysing their current degree of circularity. However, limited research has focused on the understanding of the patterns of value-added creation along the supply chain, as a critical step in assessing long-term sustainability through rethinking how value is retained and created in circular loops. This paper develops a value chain analysis (VCA) model, with a consideration of value retaining processes (VRPs), which combines physical and monetary value flows of lithium (Li) for China’s lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) sector. The results indicate that the largest stages of value creation in China’s LIBs supply chain are Li chemicals refining and LIBs-powered products production, while an estimated economic loss happens at end-of-life (EOL). Results also highlight three main issues that affect value addition in the whole chain, including: (1) price volatility of upstream raw materials; (2) VRPs conducted at EOL; (3) international trade dynamics in the downstream LIBs and LIBs-powered products. Therefore, targeted policies to enhance CRMs traceability along LIBs value chain and stringent regulatory requirements for EOL recovery are needed to enhance resilience, maintain value, and sustainability. These need to be accompanied by international cooperation to globally address lithium supply chain risks and reduce associated impacts.

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利用价值链分析评估中国锂离子电池行业对全球可持续性的影响

关键原材料（crm）的可持续供应链管理（SSCM）有助于低碳转型。最近的文献已经出现了映射crm的物理流和分析其当前的循环程度。然而，有限的研究集中在对供应链增值创造模式的理解上，这是通过重新思考价值如何在循环中保留和创造来评估长期可持续性的关键一步。本文开发了一个价值链分析（VCA）模型，考虑了价值保留过程（VRPs），该模型结合了中国锂离子电池（LIBs）行业的锂（Li）的物理和货币价值流。结果表明，中国锂离子电池供应链中价值创造的最大阶段是锂化学品精炼和锂离子电池驱动产品生产，而估计的经济损失发生在寿命终止（EOL）阶段。研究结果还强调了影响整个价值链增值的三个主要问题，包括：(1)上游原材料价格波动；(2)在EOL进行的vrp；(3)下游lib及其驱动产品的国际贸易动态。因此，需要有针对性的政策来提高crm在lib价值链上的可追溯性，并对EOL回收提出严格的监管要求，以增强弹性、保持价值和可持续性。这些都需要通过国际合作来解决全球锂供应链风险并减少相关影响。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Resources Conservation and Recycling 环境科学-工程：环境

CiteScore

22.90

自引率

6.10%

发文量

625

审稿时长

23 days

期刊介绍： The journal Resources, Conservation & Recycling welcomes contributions from research, which consider sustainable management and conservation of resources. The journal prioritizes understanding the transformation processes crucial for transitioning toward more sustainable production and consumption systems. It highlights technological, economic, institutional, and policy aspects related to specific resource management practices such as conservation, recycling, and resource substitution, as well as broader strategies like improving resource productivity and restructuring production and consumption patterns. Contributions may address regional, national, or international scales and can range from individual resources or technologies to entire sectors or systems. Authors are encouraged to explore scientific and methodological issues alongside practical, environmental, and economic implications. However, manuscripts focusing solely on laboratory experiments without discussing their broader implications will not be considered for publication in the journal.