Result of Service

Technical study with a focus on batteries’ life cycle, its use and disposal, including recycling and reuse of batteries for electric buses for the city of São Paulo and development of practical recommendations along with an implementation roadmap for the city, encompassing the perspective of circular economy.

Work Location

Brasília

Expected duration

80

Duties and Responsibilities

The need for a study focused on the circular management of electric buses batteries was identified in the first stage of the Inclusive, Sustainable and Smart Cities Technical Cooperation Program (CISI), developed by the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) in cooperation with the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), through the German Technical Cooperation (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit – GIZ). During this phase, structured meetings were carried out between decision makers and leaders from public authorities, industry, finance and civil society in order to coordinate actors and promote solutions to facilitate the transition to a low carbon mobility in Brazil. Based on this process of collective efforts and collaboration, it was released a Work Agenda to boost investments in electric buses in the country, which highlights the need to better understand the batteries’ life cycle, use and disposal, including recycling and reuse of batteries for electric buses. One of the biggest bottlenecks of the electric mobility transition in Brazil is the battery component. The production of lithium-ion batteries requires the input of valuable materials such as lithium, cobalt, nickel and aluminum and will ultimately generate large amounts of battery waste, given the already ongoing and projected increase in EVs on the global market. Its high cost and environmental implications pose risks that must be mitigated to facilitate the implementation of electric mobility solutions in public transport in Brazilian cities. The city of São Paulo stands out in this panorama for being the municipality to host the largest fleet of electric buses in the country. According to the Target Plan of the Municipality of São Paulo, Target 50 establishes that at least 20% of the bus fleet should be made up of electric vehicles by 2024 (PMSP, 2021) , which represents the purchase of 2600 buses, and, therefore, a more than ten-fold increase in the city’s current electric fleet. Approaching the case of batteries from a circular economy perspective is therefore crucial to avoid negative consequences for the environment. Equating the circularity of batteries is important to unlock the potential for taking advantage of opportunities related to new technologies, production chains, development of a new economy, employment and income growth at national level, in alignment with environmental sustainability. Strengthening the circularity of electromobility in Brazil, therefore, reduces uncertainties and risks and accelerates investments necessary for the transition to sustainable mobility in the country. Furthermore, it could boost the development of technological, innovative and productive skills within the national territory. Therefore, this study aims to point out solutions for the reuse and disposal of electric buses batteries that contribute to the expansion of efforts and investments. Such a study could provide informed guidance for optimal choices regarding the decarbonization process of urban public transport in Brazil. Therefore, it is necessary to hire technical assistance to produce a technical study on the circularity of electric bus batteries focusing on the case of the city of São Paulo. The consultancy will be developed in close collaboration with the ECLAC Office in Brasília and the Executive Secretariat for Transport and Urban Mobility (SETRAM) of the Municipality of São Paulo (PMSP), the main counterpart of the CISI Program on this topic. Objective: Identify possibilities and limitations of the circularity of electric mobility in Brazil, with a special focus on batteries’ life cycle, use and disposal, including recycling and reuse of batteries for electric buses. This information should be used to consider and analyze the most appropriate business models for the city of São Paulo’s bus fleet transition to electric vehicles. Methodology and responsibilities: The consultancy will technically support the development of a study that diagnoses and points out possibilities and limitations of the circularity of the electric mobility in Brazil, with a focus on batteries’ life cycle, its use and disposal, including recycling and reuse of batteries for electric buses for the city of São Paulo. The development of the study must consist of the following steps: study planning, data collection, systematization and recording of information and recommendations. During the study, the consultant must consider the following research structuring requirements: I. Bibliographical review on batteries for electric buses: The bibliographic review must observe two main pillars for the literature, data and information compilation: i. Electric bus framing within the perspective of circular economy. o Next-generation regulation for EV batteries across the waste hierarchy framework. Including, benchmarking and international best practices; o Analysis of circular economy principles and its application for electric bus contracts’ management; o Detailing business model based on the perspective of battery circularity aimed at São Paulo city. ii. Analysis of the challenges surrounding end-of-life management, including: o Ways to increase batteries’ autonomy and extend its life cycle for costs reduction; o Economic principles of recycling lithium and ion-based batteries. o Possibilities of reusing batteries for energy storage; o Best battery disposal techniques. II. Parameters for better management of electric buses batteries applied to the case of São Paulo city: • Identify life cycle parameters of different battery models to be purchased/have been purchased by the Municipality of São Paulo; • Collect information about durability, guarantees, technical information, such as concentration of harmful substances, operating data of battery models that can be used by São Paulo city; • Identify the most relevant parameters for structuring monitoring and maintenance systems for electric bus batteries with the objective of building an indicator of the health status of electric bus batteries for São Paulo city; • Specify key performance indicators to ensure end-of-life management of batteries is achieved. III. Priorities for business models in alignment with circularity parameters for electric buses batteries in São Paulo city. • Identify and analyze possible business models for electric buses in the city of São Paulo, taking as a reference the performance of the circularity parameters of electric buses batteries; • Structure a reference framework that summarizes the main priorities for consideration in the business models adopted by PMSP, taking into account the pillars of circularity of electric buses batteries; • Develop a monitoring structure for the implementation roadmap of the circularity aspects of electric buses batteries in the case of the city of São Paulo. The consultant will closely coordinate and seek guidance from ECLAC and PMSP at all stages of the design, coordination and implementation of the proposed activities. The consultant will interact with all relevant areas of CEPAL and other consultants, who may be part of the CISI program. All materials prepared by the consultant must be made available in an open and editable format to ECLAC and the Municipality of São Paulo.

Qualifications/special skills

Academic education: o Master’s and/or Doctorate (PhD) in an area relevant to research in the areas of electric mobility, energy transition and low carbon emission technologies applied to the Brazilian context. Minimum of 4 years of experience in research and professional work in the areas of electric mobility, energy transition and low carbon emission technologies applied to the Brazilian context. Desirable requirements: o Publications on electric mobility, buses and/or public policies for the automotive industry. o Proven knowledge about the mobility context of the city of São Paulo and its socioeconomic situation.

Languages

o Fluent Portuguese – required o Fluent English – required o Intermediary Spanish – desirable

Additional Information

The consultancy will be carried out through the delivery of the products described below. Product Description I. Literature review-Up to 30 days after signing the contract II. Parameter Identification Report-Up to 60 days after signing the contract III. Report Characterization of business models and implementation and monitoring roadmap- Up to 90 days after signing the contract.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.