l'Actualité du Solaire

The development and production of batteries is a key objective in Europe's transition to clean energy. They are an essential pillar of the electrification drive in the European automotive sector," says EnergyTrend in its in-depth study on the subject. It deserves to be studied in detail in the original text.

This legislation requires that only electric vehicle batteries and rechargeable industrial batteries be equipped with a carbon footprint declaration, appropriate labelling and a digital battery passport. These conditions are essential to enter the EU market. The aim of the regulation is to oversee the entire life cycle of all types of batteries marketed in the EU, encompassing aspects such as their design, manufacture and recycling.

From¹ July 2024, it will be compulsory to provide information on the battery manufacturer, the model, the raw materials (including renewable components), the total carbon footprint, the carbon footprint throughout the various stages of the battery's life, and third-party certification attesting to the carbon footprint.

From¹ July 2026, labels showing the total carbon footprint of batteries and the carbon footprint performance level must be systematically accessible. This requires technical documentation confirming that the carbon footprint and carbon footprint performance level have been calculated in accordance with the delegated acts specified by the European Commission.

From¹ July 2027, it will be necessary to provide a product unit model and evidence confirming that its carbon footprint throughout its life cycle is below the maximum limit defined by the European Commission.

At the same time, the production, use and disposal of batteries pose a number of environmental challenges that are not directly covered by existing EU environmental legislation. For example, batteries containing hazardous substances can have harmful effects on the environment if they are disposed of incorrectly.

Another pressing concern is the inability to reduce the overall environmental footprint of batteries by increasing the number of times batteries move through the value chain.

The scope of the regulation

The new regulation applies to all types of batteries on the EU market, including those manufactured in the EU, imported into the EU and used indefinitely or integrated into electrical appliances.or integrated into electrical appliances, light transport vehicles, other vehicles or used in various other products. Under the new regulations, it is compulsory for batteries to have a digital battery passport, a QR code and a CE mark.

From May 2026, batteries with a capacity of more than 2 kWh will have to be equipped with a "digital battery passport" when they enter the European market. This digital passport essentially serves as the battery's identification card, and can be seamlessly integrated into the EU's computerised data exchange system.

Each type of battery must also bear the CE mark, a safety certification symbol that requires validation by a Notified Body (NB). This confirms that the product complies with EU standards on safety, health and environmental protection. The regulation also defines specific criteria for certain products, covering aspects such as performance, durability, use and safety.

A large part of the text relates to the disposal of used batteries (see original text).

https://www.energytrend.com/research/20230919-37678.html

EnergyTrend of 19 September 2023

Editor's note: The European Commission believes in its regulations and is preparing for massive fraud by Chinese manufacturers who will claim, hand on heart, that their batteries comply with European regulations.

Clearly, it has not learnt the lesson of the measures it introduced on panel imports ten years ago, when the volume of fraud was considerable. Similarly, it does not seem to be aware of the circumventions and misrepresentations by Chinese manufacturers delivering panels to the United States, a country that is otherwise careful about its legislation.

Since the same causes produce the same effects, it is the supposedly protected European industry that will be the first victim of these administrative measures.

What's more, the power of Chinese industry, in addition to the false declarations that will be made, will easily be able to spread the costs of these administrative measures over the mass produced and make up for it on products that are not regulated in other countries.European manufacturers, on the other hand, will have to comply with standards and constraints on small quantities, and therefore incur higher production costs. Assuming the Chinese agree to play ball, their prices will be well below those of European producers, not to mention the dumping they know so well how to use to wipe out European industry.

Apart from its ignorance of recent history, the Commission forgets to look at ancient history: the countries with the strongest administration pay the price of fussy measures by wasting time, energy and money. They have disappeared from the list of influential countries.

And despite all this, the Commission is running us!