Economic Aspect and Secondary Use of Electric Vehicle Batteries: EU Trends and Household Energy Balance Optimization Using Linear Programming

The rapid development and spread of electric vehicles is fundamentally revolutionizing transportation in the European Union and around the world. With the diffusion of electric vehicles, issues related to the batteries that power them have also become more prominent. Given that the production of these components is one of the most environmentally burdensome processes, the need for their secondary use has quickly become evident. Based on the Eurostat database, this article analyzes the indicators that may influence the prospects for the secondary use of batteries. It examines the relationship between the GDP (Gross Domestic Product) of European Union member states and the number of electric vehicles, the share of renewable energy, and household electricity consumption. The results show that electric vehicle penetration and the use of renewable energy vary greatly among EU member states. The second part of the article examines battery data from an electric vehicle, the solar panel production of a family home, and electricity consumption using a linear programming model on a monthly basis. The objective function of the model makes it possible to minimize the amount of energy purchased from the grid. The resulting savings can be quantified. The article focuses on providing a foundation for the opportunities offered by the secondary-use battery market.