Batteries help reduce emissions, but how do we reduce their emissions?

Key points

• Emissions from making lithium-ion batteries are small today but could rise by a factor of 10 or more by 2050, according to a study led by Haiwei Zhou at the University of Melbourne. The batteries are used in many parts of the energy transition.
• The researchers estimate these emissions currently make up 0.18 percent of annual greenhouse gas releases. They compared ways to reduce emissions, including cutting the number of batteries needed rather than only lowering the carbon footprint of each one.
• Their projections used International Energy Agency scenarios for electric vehicles and energy storage through 2050.