South Korea’s Jeju Island is set to pilot a new project aimed at recycling used electric vehicle (EV) batteries. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
JEJU, Dec. 19 (Korea Bizwire) – Known as the ‘Island of Electric Vehicles,’ South Korea’s Jeju Island is set to pilot a new project aimed at recycling used electric vehicle (EV) batteries. The Ministry of Environment, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, and SF ECO Co., Ltd. announced that they would be signing a memorandum of understanding on December 19 to initiate this ground-breaking project.
This initiative involves the processing of discarded EV batteries into a substance called ‘black powder.’ Black powder is a fine, dark material produced by crushing and disassembling battery packs. It contains valuable elements such as lithium, nickel, and cobalt, which can be extracted and reused.
Jeju, with its well-developed EV infrastructure, has the highest proportion of electric vehicles in South Korea. As of the end of May this year, there were 35,619 registered electric vehicles on the island, accounting for 5.1 percent of all vehicles.
Despite the proliferation of electric vehicles, Jeju has faced challenges in managing expired EV batteries. There are no local companies specializing in EV battery recycling, and transporting these batteries to the mainland has been problematic due to risks of explosion or fire during transit. As a result, expired batteries have been stored at the Jeju Technopark, with 281 batteries accumulated there as of September.
The Ministry of Environment and Jeju Province believe that converting these batteries into black powder will facilitate the extraction of lithium and cobalt when transported to the mainland. The process involves freezing the battery’s electrolyte using liquid nitrogen and liquefied natural gas (LNG) at temperatures below -50 degrees Celsius, followed by crushing to produce black powder.
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
