How to promote the recycling of used power batteries? Wuhan's experience is worth learning from
High-quality development of the used power battery recycling industry can effectively reduce safety hazards and help the healthy and sustainable development of the new energy vehicle industry. The author's recent research found that Wuhan City, Hubei Province, adheres to the concept of high-quality green development in the waste power battery recycling industry and promotes industrial agglomeration. The experience is worth learning from.
Strengthen policy supply and fiscal incentives
According to the extended producer responsibility system, Wuhan City requires automobile production and sales companies to be responsible for building a "power replacement" and "power collection" reverse logistics system, cooperate in building battery recycling, storage, and transfer outlets, and form a formalized and large-scale recycling network. Through various policy incentives, we continue to explore and assist battery renewal needs. Through policies such as annual inspection of new energy vehicles, service life recommendations, and mandatory battery scrapping, tools such as vehicle-related taxes and fees and recommended insurance rates are used to help society form a green consensus and guide green consumption behavior. Promulgate a number of circular economy incentive policies and increase positive behavioral feedback and support. Focusing on central energy conservation and emission reduction subsidy funds, supplemented by local special funds, we will promote central and local financial linkage to use awards instead of subsidies to promote the "trade-in" of used power batteries, so that consumers can truly enjoy preferential treatment. Vigorously promote the construction of a battery cascade utilization system, set a mandatory use ratio of recycled raw materials for enterprises on the premise of safety and control, expand the application scope of recycled materials, ensure long-term stable sales of recycled products, and lay a solid foundation for investment promotion.
Provide guidance on macro industrial planning
Wuhan's automobile industry, new energy industry, intelligent networking industry, logistics industry, and renewable resource processing enterprises gather. Under the guidance of scientific planning and policies, aggregation can produce a "1+ 12" synergy effect. Taking the "Standard Conditions for Comprehensive Utilization of Waste Power Batteries in New Energy Vehicles (2024 Edition)" as a sample, Wuhan City has standardized enterprises that recycle and recycle waste power batteries in new energy vehicles, and clarified enterprise site selection, traceability management, energy conservation assessment, green, low-carbon and environmentally friendly production and other industrial standards. The logistics system and production system that guide the recycling, recycling, and remanufacturing of used power batteries are closely integrated, forming a non-leaking resource chain and value chain in which reverse logistics at the recycling end reaches homes directly, waste at the recycling end reaches processing enterprises, and renewable resources at the remanufacturing end are seamlessly connected to the production line.
Strictly carry out all-round industrial supervision
Used power batteries are flammable, explosive and prone to leakage and pollution. If not properly handled, they will bring harm to the ecological environment and public health. In this regard, Wuhan City attaches great importance to supervision and supervises the used power battery recycling industry around the clock without dead corners. On the one hand, strengthen vertical full-chain supervision, adopt easy-to-recycle and replaceable product design plans from the source battery design, construction, use and maintenance, strictly implement national standards on the content of various hazardous substances, and ensure clear identification of hazardous substances in battery recycling management. On the other hand, it attaches great importance to the horizontal joint supervision mechanism, forces green development of the industry with high standards and strict requirements, shuts down a large number of "small and scattered" workshop-style recycling enterprises, and also puts forward higher pollution control and carbon emission control requirements for large enterprises. Promote its green, professional and high-end development.
Carry out scientific and technological innovation and strengthen social publicity
Through actions such as "Universities Serving Thousands of Enterprises", we continue to explore ways for data and technology to empower the recycling industry. On the one hand, through technology empowerment, we encourage innovative research and development of automated, low-cost, low-carbon and energy-saving recycling processes. Encourage universities to carry out scientific and technological innovation based on the needs of enterprises, and break through technologies such as efficient automatic detection, crushing, dismantling, accurate identification, sorting and classification of used power batteries, environmental treatment of batteries, resource utilization, accurate data analysis and decision-making, and extract high-value metal materials such as lithium, cobalt, and nickel can be reused to improve material recycling rates in all aspects and reduce resource waste. On the other hand, through data empowerment, we will continuously improve the recycling and resource material recycling rates, and build platforms such as "code connectivity",setRecycling, traceability, value assessment, carbon footprint, after-sales service and other functions accelerate the recycling process with digital intelligence, transparency, and scientific management.
Wuhan City has strengthened publicity and education through advertisements, promotional videos, leaflets and knowledge lectures to popularize relevant knowledge about used power batteries for consumers. Through interactive activities such as "greening" used power batteries, consumers can gain an in-depth understanding of the entire process of testing, dismantling, classification, ecological treatment, and resource utilization of used power batteries. At the same time, a green energy platform has been established, allowing consumers to obtain "green energy" through "trade-in" used power batteries, which can be used to exchange for environmentally friendly gifts, coupons, etc., thereby increasing the awareness and acceptance of "trade-in" used power batteries, realizing the transformation from "not understanding and unwilling to change" to "actively replacing".
Author's unit: School of Public Administration, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan)
