The following table provides an estimate overview for accounting the emissions over the lifetime of the neighbourhood battery.
The table provides a worst and best case for a battery’s lifetime emissions. In the worst case, the battery’s lifetime emissions were net positive, whilst in the best case scenario the battery’s lifetime emissions were net negative. As you can see, the embedded emissions associated with a neighbourhood battery are relatively small compared to those associated with its operation over its lifetime. However, when the battery’s operation is not actually increasing emissions, they highlight the potential for a battery to actually negatively contribute to achieving decarbonisation. Emissions associated with end-of-life are hard to quantify, especially as the current neighbourhood batteries are yet to reach their end-of-life.
| Worst Case | Best Case | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Description | Emissions (kgCO2e/kWh) | Description | Emissions (kgCO2e/kWh) | |
| Material & Parts Production | Produced using fossil fuel electricity | 70-90 | Produced using fossil free electricity | 55-65 |
| Battery Manufacturing | Manufactured using fossil fuel electricity | 30-35 | Manufactured using fossil free electricity | 0 |
| Battery Operation | Cost reduction (no excess solar operation) (10 years) | 1,950 | Emissions reduction operation (10 years) | -4,510 |
| Battery End-of-life (EoL) | No recycling, sent to landfill | Emissions for ship/truck transport | Recycled (95% materials extraction) | 15 (for materials extraction) Offset emissions associated with materials |
| Total exc. EoL (embedded) | 100-125 | 70-80 | ||
| Total exc. EoL (operation) | 1,950 | -4,510 | ||
| Net negative emissions | No | Yes |