Electric vehicles (EVs) are catching on faster than even their most ardent supporters ever expected, which inevitably means the pile of spent lithium-ion batteries that once powered those cars is also rising fast. China alone is forecast to generate around 500,000 tonnes of battery waste by 2020, a number that would hit 1.2 million tonnes per year by 2030, when considering global consumption, London-based Circular Energy Storage (CES) said Thursday. Some companies, such as tech giant Apple , are grabbing the bull by the horns by trying to re-use as many minerals contained in discarded batteries as possible. CES sees a profitable business on battery recycling. According to the consultancy, recycled material and second life batteries can generate a market worth more than $6 billion, based on current metal prices. The experts believe the amount of lithium and cobalt from recycled materials will be equivalent to about a half […]