In today's ever-changing factory and warehouse world, saving energy and protecting the environment is imperative. The company hopes to reduce its impact on nature. This is the intervention of forklift batteries, especially lithium-ion batteries, which has brought huge changes to forklifts. Below we’ll look at the sustainability factors of forklift batteries. We'll also look at how forklift lithium batteries compare with forklift lead-acid batteries and generators. We will also highlight key sustainability differences between the most common lithium battery types. Let’s explore how these batteries are changing forklifts' work and helping businesses become more environmentally friendly.
When voting with your dollars and deciding which battery is the least harmful to the environment, there are several important factors to consider. From materials to recycling, the entire battery life cycle should be evaluated, including:
Minerals and materials. Extracting the minerals and other materials used in a battery before manufacturing begins can have a significant impact on its sustainability ranking. For example, many batteries use toxic cobalt, which often ends up in landfills and contaminates water and crops.
Contaminants during use. While some batteries require the venting of harmful gases and can cause dangerous leaks, many batteries do not pose any such risk.
Lifespan: Battery manufacturers offer warranties to ensure a minimum life expectancy of their batteries to customers. Long-lasting batteries require fewer replacements, so less material is needed for any project, significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Emissions related to manufacturing and transportation. The shorter the life of the battery, the more frequently it needs to be produced and replaced, which causes unnecessary resource use and environmental harm.
Recyclability and reuse. As one of the most common sustainability factors, it's important to know whether the battery you're considering can be recycled or reused in other applications.
Traditional lead-acid batteries:
Forklift batteries are called lead-acid batteries. People have been using them for a long time, but they also have problems. The batteries didn't last as long as we'd hoped and took a while to fully charge. Plus, they need more attention—just like plants need watering. So when we think about forklift batteries, we usually go for traditional lead-acid batteries, but now, there's another and better option: lithium-ion batteries!
Lithium-Ion Forklift Batteries:
Lithium-ion batteries for forklifts are like the coolest kids on the block, leading the way in improving forklifts. These batteries have become very popular because they are eco-friendly for the environment and work very well. They are changing the way forklifts work, making everything more efficient and environmentally friendly. Having said that, attention is focused on these lithium-ion batteries, which are reshaping the forklift industry with their outstanding sustainability and efficiency advantages.
While traditional lead-acid batteries have become the norm, the shift to lithium-ion batteries is driven by their many benefits, including longer life, faster charging times, and reduced maintenance requirements. This shift is in line with the broader goal of sustainability in forklift operations.
The most sustainable products are those you don’t make. Imagine using one lithium battery for 10 years versus nine lead-acid batteries! Lithium batteries' higher durability and energy density make this possible, reducing the company's carbon footprint by 900%.
Special batteries designed specifically for forklifts, namely lithium-ion batteries, are like the earth's small helpers, making forklift operations more environmentally friendly. These batteries are superheroes for sustainability. This means doing things in a way that doesn't harm nature. Using these batteries in forklifts benefits the environment. It’s like killing two birds with one stone – the forklifts can do their job, and at the same time, we’re contributing to the planet becoming happier. So when we talk about forklift batteries or lithium-ion forklift batteries, what we emphasize is how these batteries play a crucial role in making the industry more environmentally friendly.
The transition from lead acid to a lithium solution is expected to reduce electricity consumption by 35-50%. These savings are generated from more efficient chargers, low energy density loss over time, slow discharging, data analytics capacity, and advanced materials. Efficiency as Per Energy Systems (off-the-shelf spec.)
| Efficiency as Per Energy Systems (off-the-shelf spec.) | ||
| Component Efficiency | Lead-acid | Lithium |
| Charger | 80% | 91% |
| Battery | when charging | 80.5% | 98% |
| Battery | when discharging (forklift operation) | 80.5% | 98% |
| Total “roundtrip” | 52% | 87% |
Compared to the use of propane, the sustainability benefits are even higher. Propane is a by-product of natural gas and petrol, and therefore the most pollutant of forklift energy source. We need to think even further and consider the procurement chain of natural gas: gas tanks, transportation, etc. The propane supply chain is something that is overlooked and that further increases your carbon footprint.
While lithium batteries are often lumped together in a single category, many do not know that there are significant differences between various types of lithium batteries in terms of their impact on the environment. Here are some of the more common lithium battery chemistry types available today:
● Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP or LiFePO4)
● Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (NMC)
● Lithium Cobalt Oxide (LCO)
● Lithium Nickel Cobalt Aluminum Oxide (NCA)
● Lithium Manganese Oxide (LMO)
LiFePO4 batteries are the most environmentally benign lithium battery chemistry available on the market due in large part to the fact that they do not rely on scarce and highly toxic cobalt. This is one of the reasons why BSLBATT exclusively manufactures LiFePO4 batteries. The materials used in LiFePO4 batteries, like iron, are also abundant, unlike cobalt or manganese, which are much less renewable. LiFePO4 batteries also offer a superior chemical and mechanical structure that does not overheat to unsafe levels or cause thermal runaways and explosions like lithium cobalt-based batteries. Since they are inherently safer, LiFePO4 batteries therefore also do not require the additional materials associated with the cooling and heat mitigation equipment that is needed for lithium cobalt-based batteries. As a result, LiFePO4 batteries are associated with reduced manufacturing, transportation, and logistics, lowering greenhouse gas emissions in the process.
If you would like to learn more about the sustainability of lithium batteries, get in touch with an expert at BSLBATT today.
