Recycling 4.0: An Integrated Approach towards an Advanced Circular Economy

Abstract

Resource scarcity is a global challenge, especially in E-mobility. Currently, Electric vehicles (EVs) are considered as an attractive option on a pathway towards low emission mobility. Nevertheless, due to the increasing sales and acceptance of EVs, new challenges arise regarding the scarcity of utilized materials, especially regarding lithium-ion battery systems. Battery production is responsible for the major share of the environmental and economical impacts of the overall EV production. In order to tackle these challenges, resource-efficient processes and a circular use are necessary. Today, a variety of new Industry 4.0 technologies (such as high integrated production systems) are affordable and have reached maturity. Like Industry 4.0, also Recycling 4.0 aims at digitalization of processes but with the focus on the End of Life stage of products. The main goal of the German research project Recycling 4.0 is to develop approaches, which enable advanced information creation, transfer and use along the entire supply chain. In this work, a holistic approach towards an advanced circular economy (Recycling 4.0) is shown. This approach combines methods from different areas (such as economics, mechanical engineering, and computer science) and paves the way towards an advanced circular economy. This paper introduces this approach by discussing the current situation of EV recycling and related judicial fundamentals. Furthermore, the overall approach is introduced, and the discipline-specific sub-approaches are discussed in detail.