Optimizing batteries, minimizing carbon emissions: an interview with Lee Seung-yong

Our previous discussions with battery researcher Shin Kyung-soo delved into the vital role that batteries play in creating systems that can efficiently store renewable energy. This interview with Lee Seung-yong at the LG Chem technology research lab expanded on the importance of batteries as an innovative solution to net-zero. Lee described how the battery technology is being invested and developed on the company level through LG Chem's strategy of battery process optimization.

Could you explain your role at LG Chem and what ‘process optimization’ means when we talk about batteries?

I am in the platform technology division of the LG Chem base technology research lab. The project I belong to is about eco-friendly technology, so the research itself is a team that studies sustainability and energy. Originally, we also worked on plastics recycling. As you may know, we make petrochemical products like plastics. We developed processes to safely handle the byproducts that come out of there, and also developed recycling processes for plastics.

Now, I am working on battery process optimization. Lithium-ion batteries themselves are conceptually eco-friendly. But when making them, if the CO2 that is emitted during the manufacturing process is greater than the CO2 reduction achieved by using the battery afterward, that’s not acceptable. So I am doing research and development to simplify processes in order to minimize the CO2 generated during manufacturing.

What kinds of efforts are you making to produce them in a more environmentally friendly way?

First of all, in the overall process, we are looking for methods to shorten the time of the process. If shortening the time is not possible, then for example, if making 1kg of cathode material used in batteries requires 100 joules of energy, we try to make 2kg with the same 100 joules by improving the efficiency of the process so that the energy used per unit of production is reduced.

So, with such eco-friendly goals, does the performance of the battery also improve at the same time?

No, the performance does not improve. Because in general, when the production quantity increases, the performance tends to decrease since the input energy is the same. In the thermodynamic sense, that is the truth. But there are customers. After we make battery cells, they are used in electric cars, and ultimately, end-users like you, Minju, don’t want performance to decrease. 

So, in terms of thermal efficiency, for example, if we are only utilizing 50% compared to the theoretical efficiency, then we raise it to about 75%, so that although less energy is used, the quality remains the same. That is the research we are doing.

What is the biggest difficulty in producing lithium-ion batteries or in trying to make them more eco-friendly?

This is a bit realistic, but right now batteries, electric cars, and cathode materials are all under very intense competition. Especially because China is showing overwhelming strength. So, the due dates for development are very short. For example, when a product must be developed by a certain date, the competition has shortened the timelines a lot, so the required output compared to the available time has increased. But we humans cannot keep working endlessly. Labor laws set limits on working hours, so we try to use AI as much as possible.

You mentioned electric cars and renewable energy earlier. As lithium-ion batteries become more eco-friendly and used in eco-friendly fields, how do you think they contribute to our future response to the climate crisis?

In terms of responding to the climate crisis, transportation is indeed a major component, but not number one. The biggest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions is actually livestock, and then transportation follows. 

But still, people will continue to need cars and means of transportation. So it is something that can reach consumers while also contributing environmentally. It’s a kind of win-win. We make money, consumers receive environmental value, and so we are creating a value that helps both sides.

You said you are working to reduce carbon emissions during battery production. In what ways are you reducing them? Have ETS or CCS been a part of your strategies?

For battery production, we are actually trying to apply RE100. As for emissions trading, in our company it is more active in the petrochemical business, such as plastics manufacturing, which generates a huge amount of CO2. In that business field, we use a lot of emissions trading.

How would you like to see battery technology develop further in the future?

Basically, it would be desirable for the amount of energy that can be stored in the same volume and weight to increase, which means the driving range would be longer. But what I personally think is important is lowering the price of electric cars, which as you know are still a bit expensive. 

By lowering the price, customers will be able to access them more easily, since there are still many internal combustion engine cars. The most efficient way to lower the price of electric cars is to reduce the cost of the four major materials used in batteries. That is, through process optimization, by strengthening manufacturing competitiveness, we can lower the price and make electric cars more accessible to consumers. I think that is the most important.

You mentioned that countries like China are very active in battery development, so the competition is tough. What role do you think Korea will play in the global battery market?

In lithium-ion batteries, and specifically in nickel-manganese-cobalt batteries and LFP batteries, China has overwhelming dominance. The gap is not impossible to close, but China does have the advantage. That is why I think developing next-generation materials is important.

For example, developing new-concept batteries like sodium-ion batteries quickly for the market, or developing solid-state batteries—especially anodeless solid-state batteries—will be important. Right now, in Korea, the U.S., and China, national protectionism and rights are highly emphasized. So for technology developers, securing intellectual property rights is the most important. That means securing domestic patents as well as international patents, in order to protect our intellectual rights.

When do you think this idea that battery process optimization must be more eco-friendly first emerged? Do you think it is being emphasized more and more?

Yes, that’s right. We started thinking about battery process optimization about five years ago. At that time, LG Chem’s performance was very strong. But all companies have organizations that analyze external mega-trends and competing technologies. At that time, we thought that China would catch up very quickly, so we decided to prepare and set our theme accordingly.

The duty to be eco-friendly is something that everyone in manufacturing has. Sustainability, from an external viewpoint, may mean environmental responsibility, but for a company, it is directly tied to survival. Because labor costs in Korea are high compared to China and Japan, and since the market is globally open, producing in Korea is inevitably more expensive. That reduces competitiveness. So I think strengthening manufacturing competitiveness is even more necessary for advanced countries with high wages.

To what extent does government environmental policies or regulations impact the direction of your work?

Yes, that’s right. As you mentioned, the price of carbon emissions trading strongly affects our internal strategies. Especially because we need to use RE100 eco-friendly energy, which is more expensive than electricity from fossil fuels. We take such factors into account when planning our business.

And it’s not just domestic policy that affects us. Since we sometimes import energy from abroad, policies in those countries matter too. And because we don’t only sell products domestically but also abroad, we must always check the regulatory situation in other countries.

For example, take Lego blocks that children play with. In the past, it was enough to just make them cheaply, so manufacturers weren’t very eco-conscious. But about 20 years ago, Lego began driving strongly toward eco-friendliness and started regulating which additives could be used—not just based on EU regulations but also with their own company standards. So if we want to sell plastics to them, we must undergo very strict quality checks. That means we inevitably have to follow such regulations.

While carrying out these eco-friendly responsibilities, do you think these progress influenced LG Chem’s ESG evaluation? Or do you think striving for better ESG ratings has itself influenced the company’s direction?

Yes, ESG evaluations have a significant impact on the company’s direction. To go back a little, as you know, since the Kyoto Protocol, the importance of carbon emissions has been emphasized. At a certain point, the importance of sustainability rose dramatically. From the 2020s, we also began publishing ESG reports.

And not only the environment—companies also focus a lot on other factors. For example, in the past, cobalt, one of the raw materials, was mined in Congo by child labor. In such material supply chains, we consider the social side as well. And since worker safety is very important, safety and environmental evaluations are also taken very seriously. Recently, we even established a separate CSEO (Chief Safety and Environment Officer). So the answer is yes—it greatly affects the direction of companies.

Policies are important, and everything I do is related to ESG. Of course, I am contributing, but what’s important is that the purpose and direction of the people within the company and the country must align. It’s not like just because I personally reduce a few tons of carbon emissions, that changes everything. The company’s vision and direction must be aligned, and the people involved must have loyalty and follow through. Only then can it be realized.