Carbon Emission Reduction by Echelon Utilization of Retired Vehicle Power Batteries in Energy Storage Power Stations

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

 Echelon utilization in China of retired vehicle batteries in energy storage power station for reduction of carbon emission was presented in this study. The problem of emissions from transportation sources in China accounts this time for 10,4% of total carbon emissions. In 2030 about 40% of new energy powered vehicles in China will be pure electric vehicules. Presented problem will be valid for all countries in the world. Because of that, it is very important to provide effective reduction of emission methods to use retired power batteries in the energy storage power station.

Please make some correction in the text as follows:

Section 3 should be Results only,

Section 4 should be Discussion,

Section 5 should be Conclusions,

Section Conclusions should have subpoints presenting the most important findings of the study.

Author Response

Question 1：Section 3 should be Results only,Section 4 should be Discussion, Section 5 should be Conclusions,

Section Conclusions should have subpoints presenting the most important findings of the study.

Answer 1:

The titles of sections 3, 4 and 5 have been adjusted, and the corresponding contents have been adjusted.

The content of the conclusion part is adjusted to express the focus of the study.

Reviewer 2 Report

The paper deals with a hot problem which involves not only the China, but even all over the world and surely it is extremely useful: to give a new life to the batteries addressing them to an aim less stressing with respect to the original one is a real useful good idea. The problem, as highlight by the Authors in the Conclusions, is that is difficult to achieve unified use and maintenance standards in the same energy storage system, and, moreover, there are safety problems. For these reasons the paper do not close the topic but can be considered as a good step of along way, even because try to provide quantitative analysis on which could be useful to base future efficiency calculus

The paper has a good set up and it is extremely clear in the mission with a good bibliography; maybe methods could be better explained and, for the, results, the Authors could provide more contributions. Anyway they are sufficient even in this form.

As a "minor", but really important, please write the Measurement Units compliant with international standard: 

1) please introduce a space between the numeber and the measurement units;

2) use the lower case for kilo: k and not K.

Author Response

Question 1: please introduce a space between the number and the measurement units;

Answer 1: A space is added between the number and the unit of measure.

 

Question 2: use the lower case for kilo: k and not K.

Answer 2:The lower case is used for kilo.

Reviewer 3 Report

Large part of the introduction is without reference. Each and every number must be referred. use the below work to improve the quality

https://doi.org/10.3390/en13102602

“The results show that China's carbon emission intensity will be significantly reduced, but carbon emissions will continue to rise”- what does it mean?

Enhance the Figure 1 and 2, 3

Would you mind to elaborate the different division of Figure 1. What does those different percentages means?

Author may focus on the circular economy for using the retired battery.

You have used many equations in the result section. Not sure what is the use of those in the result section.

 

Improve the Method section as current state is not clear enough for overall study. A Clear strategy must be elaborated for this study. 

Author Response

Question 1：Large part of the introduction is without reference. Each and every number must be referred.

Answer 1: Explain the source of the data in the introduction.

 

Question 2：“The results show that China's carbon emission intensity will be significantly reduced, but carbon emissions will continue to rise”- what does it mean?

Answer 2: The content of inappropriate expressions has been modified. Carbon intensity refers to the carbon dioxide emission per unit of GDP. Carbon intensity does not indicate efficiency. Generally, the carbon intensity index decreases with technological progress and economic growth.

 

Question 3：Enhance the Figure 1 and 2, 3. Would you mind to elaborate the different division of Figure 1. What does those different percentages means?

Answer 3: The format of Figure 1, 2 and 3 has been modified, and the content to be expressed in Figure 1 has been reinterpreted.

 

Question 4：You have used many equations in the result section. Not sure what is the use of those in the result section.

Answer 4: This formula provides an estimate of the carbon emission reduction of the annual retired batteries of the whole industry after echelon utilization according to the emission per unit battery capacity. It is helpful to understand the environmental protection significance of China's echelon utilization of retired batteries from a macro perspective.

 

Question 5：Improve the Method section as current state is not clear enough for overall study. A Clear strategy must be elaborated for this study. 

Answer 5: For the problems existing in the whole industry, the ideas and methods have been added to solve them.

Reviewer 4 Report

The paper deals with an interesting topic, yet most of the content is not new or anything fundamental, but known things applied in the Chinese context. I only have a few comments:

- On Fig. 1 what do the numbers indicate?

- A thorough proofreading is needed, some sentences seem incomplete.

- Text in chapter 3 contains material from the template!

- How were parameters in the equation at the beginning of page 10 determined? Are they values taken from source (29)?

- It's a good thing that used batteries can so effectively be reused, yet new batteries always have to be manufactured so that batteries can be retired :)

Author Response

Question 1：On Fig. 1 what do the numbers indicate?

Answer 1: Figure 1 is explained again.

 

Question 2：A thorough proofreading is needed, some sentences seem incomplete.

Answer 2: Some sentences in the paper have been adjusted.

 

Question 3：Text in chapter 3 contains material from the template.

Answer 3: the content of Chapter 3 has been adjusted.

 

Question 4： How were parameters in the equation at the beginning of page 10 determined? Are they values taken from source (29)?

Answer 4: Formula 1 and its parameters on page 10 are derived from reference 29.

 

Question 5： It's a good thing that used batteries can so effectively be reused, yet new batteries always have to be manufactured so that batteries can be retired.

Answer 5: The application occasions of new batteries and old batteries are different. Reusing the retired batteries of electric vehicles can reduce the use of new batteries in energy storage power stations, thereby effectively reducing carbon emissions.

Round 2

Reviewer 3 Report

I can't see any improvement in section 1.  Page 1: lines 26 to 41 no reference/. Page 2: 

Using some references from WEVJ and also from mdpi work will be highly appreciated. 

what modification if you have done, marked it in some other colour or use track change so that I can see it properly. 

Author Response

Question 1: I can't see any improvement in section 1.  Page 1: lines 26 to 41 no reference/. Page 2: 

Answer 1: References have been added to the data in the first paragraph.

 

Question 2: Using some references from WEVJ and also from mdpi work will be highly appreciated. 

Answer 2: Four related literatures have been added.

 

Question 3: what modification if you have done, marked it in some other colour or use track change so that I can see it properly. 

Answer 3: The modified part is marked in red.

 

Round 3

Reviewer 3 Report

accept