Transcript 0:00 Technology can increase transparency of the battery market and the traceability of batteries throughout the life cycle. 0:08 Let's really talk more about how artificial intelligence and the Internet of things can help us solve these battery dilemmas that we're having. You and I both know there's a solution here. 0:20 Let's tap into the technology to securely share information and data throughout the life cycle of the battery. 0:29 [upbeat music] Welcome to The Peggy Smedley Show, the podcasting voice of IoT and digital transformation, with your host, Peggy Smedley. 0:46 Hello, listeners, and welcome to today's edition of The Peggy Smedley Show. I'm your host, Peggy Smedley. 0:52 Today on the show, I'm going to be talking all about batteries, and they have been on my mind lately as it relates to electric vehicles and sustainability. 1:02 I've said it many times and time again, we need to build the infrastructure in order to pick up the pace with electric vehicles. We need government to take the step to make this a reality, but we also need innovation. 1:20 We need it specifically with our batteries in order to contribute to a more sustainable future. 1:27 So that's gonna be our discussion for this se- first segment, so I hope you'll stick around because I think there's a lot to engage in with that. 1:34 Uh, but first, let me tell you all about our guests, 'cause I think we've got some great folks on the show. 1:38 We're gonna be talking to Christian Oddi, partner of Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP and the leader of BCLP's US Global Data Privacy and Security Team. 1:50 And then I'm gonna wrap up the show with Graciela Chichilnisky, who is the co-founder and CEO of Global Thermostat and author of Reversing Climate Change, and I can tell you, we're gonna have some really good discussions, so I hope you'll have time to stick around for both interviews there as well. 2:06 But now, let's talk all about batteries. I mean, batteries, there's a lot to engage in, and if you haven't really given it much thought, just think about it. 2:14 The argument is often made that electric vehicles aren't necessarily a good sustainable pri- option, primarily because of the batteries. 2:25 Electric vehicle batteries need to be replaced every seven to ten years for smaller vehicles. Now think about that, and every three to four years for those larger ones, such as let's say buses and vans. 2:42 Now even more important, the global stockpile of these batteries is expected to exceed three point four million by twenty twenty-five. This is almost a sixty-twofold increase in just seven years. 2:59 Now, even more importantly, batteries can be recycled. But now here's the rub. Recycling them is not easy due to the sophisticated chemical procedures involved. 3:12 And we also know money spent on the global electric vehicle battery market is projected to rise at this amazing rate of twenty-five point three percent from now, twenty twenty-one, to twenty twenty-five. 3:28 Now, we are about to face a very real dilemma here. As electric vehicles ramp up, so too will the challenges we currently face with what to do with all those discarded batteries. 3:45 Now I'm sure you really haven't thought about this much, but it's something we have to think about, and that's exactly why I think this is the perfect time to start a discussion on the announcement that came at the end of twenty twenty. 4:01 The European Commission proposed to modernize EU legislation on batteries. Now the objective here is to make batteries more sustainable, high-performing, and safe all along their entire life cycle. 4:18 Now as I see it, this is at least the beginning of us addressing a very big problem to improve the collection and recycling of portable batteries. 4:33 Currently, it has a forty-five percent collection rate. It wants to see that rate rise to sixty-five percent in twenty twenty-five and seventy percent in twenty thirty. 4:51 Now if you heard that, the rise to sixty percent in twenty twenty-five and seventy percent in twenty thirty. So how does the EU propose to do just that? First, it is setting up mandatory requirements for all batteries. 5:09 Think using repository source materials with restricted use of hazardous substances. 5:16 Second, it aims to boost the circular economy of battery value chains and promote more efficient use of resources with the aim t- of minimizing the environmental impact of batteries. 5:32 The circular component is something I cover in my new book, Sustainable in a Circular World. Now I love this because we have a huge opportunity to close the loop in batteries. 5:44 I appreciate what the European Commission is doing here. 5:49 Starting in July twenty twenty-four, only rechargeable industrial and electric vehicle batteries for which a carbon footprint declaration has been established can be placed on the market. This is a very bold move. 6:03 Think about that. The proposed regulation also defines a frameworkThat will facilitate the repurposing of batteries from electric vehicles so they can have a second life. That's amazing. 6:21 The outcome will be climate neutrality by twenty fifty. Again, the outcome will be climate neutrality by twenty fifty. 6:31 For the remainder of my show, I really want to address how do we make it better from an IT and big data perspective. 6:43 What are the new IT technologies, and how will they all collaborate in the supply chain to make our world, as I always like to say, greener and cleaner? 6:53 Let's begin by taking a look at what is called the Battery Passport. Battery Passport captures information on battery usage securely and in real time. 7:05 Now, it can work with a- our energy storage solution, which is really kind of neat if you think about it. The hardware is installed on the vehicle, 7:13 then it can monitor the battery and transmit data all the way to the cloud, which we talk about the cloud all the time, right? So this helps prolong a battery's life before being repurposed to the second life market. 7:26 So to help address this further, the Global Battery Alliance brings together government, academia, and businesses in the battery value chain. 7:36 Now, we've been talking about how important the value chain is to almost everything we do. The objective is to shape a better battery value chain, and it has ten guiding principles. 7:49 So I'm not going to go through each of them on this segment, but you get the idea. But these principles do fall into three larger buckets, which I think are important to understand. 8:00 Number one, establish a circular battery value chain as a major driver to achieve the Paris Agreement. Now, that's how we're going to have a cleaner world. 8:13 Number two, establish a low carbon economy in the value chain, while also, this is really important, creating new jobs and additional economic value. New jobs. We want that, right? 8:29 We want to create a world where we have a greater workforce, safeguard human rights and economic development. We want economic development and human rights. To achieve these goals, it will focus on Battery Passport. 8:45 In twenty twenty-one, a minimum viable product will be developed. The hope here is by the end of twenty twenty-two, the Battery Passport will be fully operational. That is so awesome. And then there are those automakers. 9:00 We can't leave those out of this, this equation when we talk about things. Many are making big moves into the electric vehicles and batteries. Consider like, for example, what Tesla's doing. 9:10 We always talk about Tesla when we think about these things. It's moving to the LFP batteries. This will help bring down the overall price of the vehicles. 9:19 This is what they've been working on and they've been striving for. It will also have a much longer life. 9:24 But of course, these batteries generally have a lower energy density and lower voltage, which means less range, but hence the need for the infrastructure. So a lot of moving parts are going on. 9:38 So as you can see, we've kind of come full circle here when we talk about batteries and infrastructur- infrastructure. So here's my opinion for today. 9:47 Technology can increase transparency of the battery market and the traceability of batteries throughout the life cycle. 9:55 Let's really talk more about how artificial intelligence and the Internet of things can help us solve these battery dilemmas that we're having. You and I both know there's a solution here. 10:09 Let's tap into the technology to securely share information and data throughout the life cycle of the battery. Let's create that transparency that's really needed in the space. We know that's so very important. 10:25 At the same time, let's talk about how to create circularity in this area. That's so important. We need the circularity. So here's my tip. 10:36 Consider how circularity might be beneficial in this space or in your industry overall and what you contribute to the battery life cycle. If you are part of the battery value chain, what role can you play here? 10:54 How can you be part of the solution? What challenges do you see that still need to be addressed? We always talk about we've got to ask the questions before we can answer and solve the problem. 11:07 We need to be having these hard c- conversations today so that we can reach those big, lofty goals that we're talking about for carbon neutrality. Let's come together to create a blueprint 11:23 for these batteries so that we can move electric vehicles forward. Once we do that, I believe we will be headed to a more sustainable world. I think we're really on track already. I think we have the 11:41 input. I think we have the desire to help do things better in electric world with batteries. 11:49 I think the EU has already created the idea of how we need to go about solving these, how to safeguard human rights and economic development, how to create the worker of the future with more jobs, and how to create a greener 12:08 world. I mean, all of these things, and a cleaner world with batteries, and how we don't have to throw everything in stockpiles, how we can actually create that value chain that we've been talking about. 12:21 And this is where it gets more and more exciting every day. And I think if we all work together, we can solve some of these big circular world problems and be more sustainable. All right. 12:35 Well, you know, I'm out of time, but I most important would love for you to tell me what you think. When we work together to make our world cleaner and greener, it becomes more sustainable. 12:45 So I'd love for you to tweet at me at ConnectedWMag and tell me your thoughts or share something on LinkedIn. 12:51 But, you know, I'd love for you to go up to our website at connecttheworld.com or thepeggySmedleyShow.com site and see any of our, our listening, any of our past archives. 13:02 But as always, this is The Peggy Smedley Show, the podcasting voice of IoT and digital transformation. Remember, with great technology comes great responsibility. 13:10 We're going to take a quick commercial break, but we will be right back. Go get that quick cup of coffee. [outro music]
