Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are becoming more attractive and feasible for electric cooperatives, especially as intermittent renewable resources continue to grow and the electric vehicle market continues to expand. Battery disposal in hazardous waste landfills accelerates the scarcity of materials, maintains international hard labor, and creates environmental concerns. This Surveillance article reviews how electric cooperatives can help pioneer the switch to battery recycling and achieve environmental and economic benefits.

• Article: The Increasing Role of Lithium-Ion Batteries in Today's Industry and the Importance of Battery Recycling

About the author: This article was written by Michael Zachary (Zach) Lasek, 2018 Summer Intern with the Distributed Energy Resources work group of NRECA's Business and Technology Strategies department.