Browsing by Author "Kuhn, Willem Johannes"

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    Towards a business model for lithium-ion battery recycling In South Africa.
    (Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2023-03) Kuhn, Willem Johannes; Louw, Louis; Braun, Anja; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Industrial Engineering.
    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: No lithium-ion-battery (LIB) recycling facility currently exists in South Africa (SA) (TIPS, 2021). Further research was needed to guide possible LIB recycling market entrants regarding their positioning in the value chain so that they can operate successfully. A market analysis in SA and the development of a business model would aid market entrants to understand various value chain integration strategies in this potential industry. The primary research objective of this thesis was thus: Develop a viable business model for the establishment of a local end-of-life (EoL) lithium-ion battery (LIB) treatment facility and recycling industry in the South African context. To fulfil the primary research objective, Osterwalder & Pigneur (2010)’s business model building blocks then formed the basis of the sub-research objectives (SROs) 1-10 defined in Chapter 1. The research process started with a foundational literature review to explore different concepts and foundational knowledge required in this research. Quantitative projections of LIB waste generation by application and chemistry were then made, as well as needed recycling rates. This was followed by LIB recycling market structure analysis (which included the market model, industry structure & 5 forces of competition, and types of competitive advantage). The insights gained then fed into a business case screening of developed hydrometallurgical recycling process technologies that would be suitable for recycling EoL LIB in SA. This was done using the Needs, Benefit, Approach, Competition (NABC) method to select the two best business cases out of 9 recycling processes considered by Maritz (2022) – resulting in the HCl and H2SO4 Mixed-NMC processes. The EoL LIB supply options in SA were also explored by analysing the current state of EoL LIBs in SA and comparing two future options for this supply – outsourcing supply to current collection infrastructure in SA and a vertically integrated collection infrastructure. Financial models for the two selected processes from the business case screening (HCl and H2SO4 Mixed-NMC processes) was then developed. These two financial models were compared in a quantitative financial analysis, while incorporating the option to produce a NMC811 hydroxide product instead of the initial NMC111 hydroxide which proved to be financially advantageous. The H2SO4 Mixed-NMC processes, producing a NMC811 hydroxide product, was selected as the process that would be best suited to secure the financial sustainability of a LIB recycling plant in SA. A financial comparison of this selected recycling process was done under the two EoL LIB supply options as well as two outbound logistics cost scenarios. A prediction was made for the most likely value chain scenario - Zero EoL LIBs cost & outbound logistics costs passed on. This selected recycling process and predicted value chain scenario then formed the basis on which further financial analysis could be done, as well as: - A financial risk analysis through the following methods: o Sensitivity analysis o Monte Carlo simulation - A business model canvas summary (answering sub-research questions 1-10 by tying together all of the conclusions made during the whole research process).