Similarities And Differences Between Night, And Kill A...

Compare and Contrast: Night and To Kill a Mockingbird There have been many novels over the years that have sparked conversations about human rights. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and Night by Elie Wiesel are two novels that have done just that. Night depicts a firsthand account of the horrors the Jewish people faced during the Holocaust. A similar story is told in To Kill a Mockingbird with the plights of African Americans in the south. Although these novels take place over during different decades and to completely different groups of people, they share similar themes of prejudice, hope, and a loss of innocence. To begin with, both novels show very strong themes of prejudice throughout. Night begins with the Elie Wiesel’s account of what it was like to live through Hitler’s final solution to rid Europe of the Jewish population. He remembers what it was like to be a young man living in Sighet, Transylvania when the Nazis moved in, and forced him out of his home to concentration camps where many people were killed in the crematoria upon arrival. Throughout Wiesel’s time in Auschwitz and Buchenwald, he had been separated from his mother and sisters, watched his friends die, and lived everyday in fear of death. The prisoners of these concentrations camps were stripped of their identity by only being referred to as their tattooed number, they were Reis, 2 starved, worked to death, and experienced even more demeaning acts. All these senseless

Marketing and Online Social Networks Free Essays

INTRODUCTION Situation Synopsis: Competitors have developed different approaches to attract consumers in the online dating market; some of which have been copying eHarmony’s product features and using alternative strategies to attract singles. Company’s Current Strategy: eHarmony uses a focused differentiation strategy. It focuses on singles seeking a serious relationship and long-term compatibility. We will write a custom essay sample on Marketing and Online Social Networks or any similar topic only for you Order Now It distinguished itself from other sites by using a unique matching algorithm. They have also invested substantial resources into marketing and RD. Problem Statement: eHarmony has opened the door to their competition by declining potential customers as a way to ensure quality control. eHarmony’s CEO must decide how to react to imitations of its business model, encroachment by competing models and the rise of free alternatives. ANALYSIS 1. EXTERNAL ANALYSIS 1. General External Environment Demographic: †¢ Age 40 and 50 year olds becoming the fastest growing segment †¢ Age structure: 60% of eHarmony users were women †¢ Members reflect the geographic distribution of the US quite well Legal †¢ Lawsuits for discrimination, etc. †¢ Privacy settings Socio-Cultural: †¢ Average age to get married is increasing †¢ The marriage rate had reached its lowest point in recorded history †¢ Cultural changes and economic factors had a substantial effect on the marriage market †¢ Fluctuating divorce rates †¢ One-fifth of marriages were initiated through online encounters Technological: †¢ Increasingly sophisticated communication and recording technology †¢ R: relationship dynamics, physical attraction, and couples †¢ Must obtain patents for matching systems Global: †¢ Competitors have expanded globally 2. Industry Situation Analysis 1. 2. 1 Industry Structure The online personals industry can be segmented into 4 different categories where the 3 main players; eHarmony, Match, and Yahoo! Personals are represented by the Paid Do-it-yourself category: †¢ Paid Do-it-yourself Sites †¢ Free Do-It-Yourself Sites †¢ Niche Sites †¢ Online Social Networks 1. 2. 2 Industry Direction and Trends Competition is steadily increasing. Many companies within this industry try to develop new approaches in an attempt to divert customers away from market leaders such as eHarmony. Some either put up few barriers to join or allow people to join for free. The industry is expected to rise and perhaps double by 2012. Trends that may be important for this industries future include the following: †¢ Subscribers to these sites tend to be repeat users †¢ 40 to 50 year olds are the fastest growing segment †¢ Marriage rate has reached its lowest point in recorded history †¢ Divorce rates are constantly fluctuating 1. 2. 3 Industry Economics The online personals market grew very slowly, reaching only $40 million in 2001. In 2007, as a result of changing attitudes amongst consumers, the industry increased to $900 million. Observers have predicted that the industry may double in size by 2012. 1. 2. 4 Industry Driving Forces Internet: As the number of people becoming internet savvy increases, so does the number of potential customers for online personals. †¢ Globalization: Some competitors, for instance Match, have already branched out to markets overseas. †¢ Industry Growth Rate: Industry expected to double by 2012. †¢ Who buys how it is used: Online personals are most popular for middle-aged (40-50) peoples. Used to find potential mates for those seeking various different types of relationships. †¢ Marketing Innovation: â€Å"eHarmony is one of the few online companies that made offline marketing work and pay for itself. Many companies end up spending large quantities on their marketing strategies but do not necessarily acquire more customers. †¢ Changes in Societal Concerns, Attitudes Lifestyles: More and more people are becoming internet savvy therefore increasing the market potential for online personals. 1. 2. 5 Key Success Factors (See Appendix A) 1. 2. 6 Strategic Groups Map (See Appendix B for Strategic Groups Map) Cost to join and barriers to join an online personal site are the two dimensions which are relevant to a firms’ performance within this industry. Harmony possesses the highest membership fees in the industry along with particularly high barriers to join. Even their direct competitors; Match and Yahoo! Personal s differ from eHarmony in that they have much lower barriers to join as well as lower sign up fees. Most of their indirect competitors are free and have little to no barriers to join. 1. 2. 7 Strategic Issues in the Industry †¢ Industry was plagued by people misrepresenting themselves and putting false personal information †¢ Users are concerned about the privacy of their information †¢ Level of customer dissatisfaction remains high . 2. 8 Opportunities Threats Opportunities: †¢ This industry will continue to rise in popularity due to increasing usage of computer technology. †¢ Due to it being a more affordable means of match making, people will generally turn to online personals as opposed to other offline services. Convenience also plays a factor. †¢ Increasing their market share, catering to more market segments. (Niche markets). Threats: †¢ Online personals sites with more resources pose a threat to those lacking resources. †¢ Security is sues linked with sharing information on online personals. Online dating scams) †¢ Reduction of barriers could also mean expanding globally before other competitors capture foreign market segments. 3. Competitive Situation Analysis 1. 3. 1 Competitive Forces (See Appendix C for analysis). After analyzing Porter’s five forces it is concluded that the online personals industry is attractive. 1. 3. 2 Competitive Approaches †¢ Match: They target individuals looking for â€Å"enduring romance†. They have also expanded their markets overseas. †¢ Yahoo! Personals: The types of consumers they target are not specified in the case. Although they have expanded their markets overseas †¢ Online Social Networks: relies on viral process through which friends encourage their friends to join. 1. 3. 3 Competitive Strengths Weaknesses (See Appendix D) 2. INTERNAL ANALYSIS 2. 1 Company Situation/Resources Analysis (See Appendix E) 2. 2 Operations Analysis: not applicable to this case 2. 3 R Analysis †¢ E-Harmony Labs: In which scientists study different aspects of love (Biological, sociological, and neurological foundations of love) †¢ Scientists continue to do research on physical attraction. They believe that the initial encounter is the crucial in determining the long-term success rate of relationship. †¢ Invested heavily on studies on couples. These studies analyzed how relationships were affected after specific life stages, for example, after a first child is born. 2. 4 Procurement Analysis: not applicable to this case 2. 5 Marketing and Competitive Position †¢ Successful marketing formula: the use of testimonials enabled their offline marketing efforts to pay for itself. †¢ Competitive position: â€Å"matching on the basis of long-term compatibility. †¢ Focus on direct-response marketing and only work with firm’s who truly understand this form of advertising. †¢ They purchase media at lower rates. †¢ Advertise only on national cable networks and avoid broadcast television. (Less costly approach) †¢ ? of budget spend on TV and radio advertising, ? is spent on Internet search and banner ads (expensive). 2. 5 HR Analysis The co mpany grew to 230 employees, half of whom were in customer service. They also employ a team of uniquely positioned research psychologists. 2. 6 Managerial Preferences/Values Analysis The CEO, Greg Waldorf values the exclusivity of the site. †¢ Their customers values long term relationships. 3. APPRAISAL OF STRATEGIC ISSUES 3. 1 Evaluation of Current Strategic Performance 3. 1. 1 Strategic Resources: Tangible †¢ Financial: Ability to generate internal funds: marketing campaign paid for itself within the first week †¢ Borrowing capacity: Received 3 million from an investment firm at start up †¢ Technological: Scientifically produced matching algorithm *** Organizational Resources and Physical Resources do not apply to this case Resources: Intangible †¢ Human resources: knowledgeable team of psychologist †¢ Innovation resource: labs were tasked with studying the biological, sociological, and neurological underpinnings of love †¢ Reputational resources: eHarmony’s focus on serious relationship resonated well with faith communities Capabilities: †¢ Marketing: Highly successful marketing formula †¢ R: secured a patent for the matching algorithm †¢ Strong vision *** Distribution, Human Resources, Management information systems, Management, and Manufacturing do not apply to this case Core Competencies: Sustainable Competitive Advantage: †¢ Patented matching system and guided communication system †¢ Unique positioning of its team of research psychologists †¢ Successful marketing formula *** Value Chain does not apply to this case 3. 1. 2 Financial †¢ Borrowing capacity: Received $3 million from an investment firm at start up. †¢ Opportunity Cost: Declines to sell memberships to at least one million people annually costing the company an estimated $100 million per year. Break Even: By early 2002 registrations had grown to over 300,000 allowing the firm to break even that year and become cash flow positive the next. †¢ Fixed Costs: Advertising: Marketing expenses reaching as much as $80 million per year, firm profitability depended on efficient customer acquisition 4. FORMULATION AND DISCUSSION OF STRATEGIC ALTERNATIVES 4. 1 Option 1: Reduction of Barriers Pros: †¢ Allowing more subscriptions will increase revenues †¢ Cost eff ective †¢ Would tap into niche markets such as the gay and lesbian communities (largest niche market). User satisfaction increase when there are more users †¢ Denies competitors a chance to grow (Chemistry) Cons: †¢ Current members will not be as confident when recommending matches †¢ Less exclusive †¢ Spend money in R: New matching models 4. 2 Option: Broadening Customer base to include casual daters Pros: †¢ Strong point of differentiation: Introducing the matching algorithm to the casual dater segment †¢ Allowing more subscriptions will increase revenues Cons: Undermining its credibility with individuals seeking individuals seeking long-term commitment †¢ Exposure to more competitive rivalry †¢ Spend money in R: New matching models 4. 3 Option 3: Growing a new business based on R Pros: †¢ Greater audience which allows for more subscriptions thus an increase in revenues †¢ Reducing risk of being trampled by competitors by dive rsifying Cons: †¢ Can tarnish eHarmony’s reputation and name brand †¢ Risky because it may not gain as much as what was anticipated †¢ Growth strategy may not be concrete . 4 Option 4: Rapid Geographic expansion Pros: †¢ Enables them to take control of target segments before their competitors do †¢ Increases their geographic scope which translates to increased revenues Cons: †¢ The matching portfolio may not cater to foreign markets (Different cultures etc. ) †¢ Large investment in R in order to create new algorithms †¢ Must take into account politics, religion, culture 5. STRATEGY RECOMMENDATION Since its inception, the company has declined to sell memberships to at least one million people who sought to become paying customers. As a result, the opportunity cost of this decision has lost the company an estimated $10 million in revenues per year. eHarmony should continue to focus on it’s vision in creating long-term relationships, however while reducing the amount of barriers they have instilled in order to become a member. By reducing their barriers not only will they increase their market share, they will be able to cater to more market segments (niche markets). Reducing their barriers could also involve expanding their services globally before other competitors capture significant foreign market segments. On that note, they can also deny their competitors a chance to grow. This will also satisfy their current users since there will be a greater selection. On the other hand some users may not take well to the idea, but as long as eHarmony maintains some element of control regarding who is accepted the changes may not be noticed. To conclude, we believe the R expense of creating a new algorithm will prove to be a worthy investment. [pic] How to cite Marketing and Online Social Networks, Papers

Life Cycle Analysis for Lithium-ion Battery Production and Processing

Question: Discuss about the Life Cycle Analysis for Lithium-ion Battery Production and Processing. Answer: Introduction The debate on the impact of automotive emissions on environment has been escalating over the past decades. The Olofsson (1) estimates that transportation sector emits 16% of CO2, which needs drastic reduction. Different legislative stipulations have been passed to facilitate the reduction of the emissions: for example, Euro-6 and Euro-VI emission stipulations for light and heavy vehicles respectively were introduced in 2014 to regulate the emission of NOx among the new models (1). With increasing fear on debilitation of fossil fuel and pressing issues of energy security, there is a growing interest on the need to improve energy efficiency. Based on the recent developments from auto industry and the government, Gaines et al (2) observe that batteries are considered to be the most suitable in manufacturing as well as marketing electric-drive cars; both plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and battery electric vehicles (p.3). According to Gaines et al (2), effective installation of viable battery systems for electric-driven vehicles has the efficacy to minimize fossil fuels consumption as well as reducing greenhouse emissions (GHG) (p.3). Nevertheless, so much is yet to be established insofar as electric-drive performance and impacts of batteries on their efficiencies is concerned. Batteries that contain high specific energy and peculiar life cycle remain the fundamental elements that will facilitate successful manufacture of electric-drive vehicles, however. More importantly, scientists consider lithium-ion batteries (Li-ion) to be the main factor that will enhance the penetration of the technology. Nelson et al (3) attest that the nature of electric-drive market is multi-faceted in terms of engineering execution, consumer preference, and affordability (2). Essentially, the impact of such vehicles on the environmental performance is among the key driving factors towards their developments. On the crux of the matter is emission and energy efficiency of battery cells. However, there are some existential trade-offs that are inevitable when deployment of electric-drive vehicle will be effected. The energy trade-off necessitates quantification in developing conventional cars by lightweight materials, which reflects the balance between extra energy incurred in developing lightweight material and the fuel saved in driving it, due to the reduced weight (3). Like any other product system, the burdens of life-cycle batteries emanates from different life-cycle phases, for example, during production of the material, during production and the usage of the battery, or during battery recycling phase. Adequate information on challenges incurred when developing lithium component materials like iron phosphate, lithium cobalt dioxide, lithium hexafuolorophosphate, and lithium nickel dioxide including some process information is still lacking. Due to this absence, estimation of the production energy as well as emissions with regard to the life cycle has been made difficult. This paper provides an overview on the impacts of lithium-ion life cycle batteries. The paper focuses on the burden of battery recycling to the production of active materials, which have not been properly characterized hitherto. Goal The objective of this paper is to examine the life cycle impacts of Lithium-ion batteries. Special interest is placed on the burden of the production process and recycling process of Li-ion battery cells. Due to the scarcity of materials used in the manufacturing of Li-ion, the paper dissects recycling processes that have the efficacy to underscore energy efficiency and reduce emissions. Life Cycle Assessment Generally, LCA method is used to dissect the environmental consequences of an entire life cycle that involves production of a given product or service (1). The most common areas, according to Olofsson (1) where the knowledge of LCA is applied include product development, production processes, and waste management (p.2). The method has become increasingly significant for environmental communication. On product development, LCA is facilitates assessment of potential hotspots of a product life cycle and improves development of eco-design, which provides a springboard to identify the most optimal design at the conceptual phase (1). In order to realize the optimal design it is imperative to avoid hazardous materials, cut down the energy used in production stage, use light materials and high quality features to encourage weight minimization, and use materials that can be upgraded, repaired, recycled, and reused. Functional Unit Rechargeable battery The use of batteries to develop small-scale electric sources and portable devices has been on upward trajectory. Depending on their capacities, batteries can be used to power a variety of electronic devices and automotive. Young (4) observes that the capability of rechargeable battery to store chemical energy and produce electric energy, as well their durability feature has made it more prevalent in todays society. Olofsson (1) asserts that when battery cell is connected to an external circuit, oxidation and reduction reactions occur at the negative and positive electrodes respectively (p.4). Consequently, the electrons flow towards and the external circuit while the ions flow within electrodes via electrolyte. An electric insulator separates the anode and the cathode, and facilitates the flow of electrons to the external circuit only. The insulator also slows down the reaction process when the cell is connected to an external source. The pendulum of the amount of energy that the bat tery has swings from state of charge (SOC) to discharge, depending on how the battery is used (4). Materials available in Lithium-ion batteries/ components Li et al (5) state that LCA is the most appropriate method when it comes to comparing alternative technological systems, since it entails broad assessment of life cycle of a product or a service, including production of materials, service provision, and maintenance. The paper focuses on quantitative elements of LCA. The paper relies on Gaines et al analysis of GREETZ 2.7 model to examine impact of Lithium-ion batteries. Dunn et al (6) hold that Li-ion batteries have been considered efficient in contemporary as well as future battery technology because they quintessentially have high volumes of energy and gravimetric power. The interplay flow of lithium ions between anode and cathode forms the central basis of Li-ion batteries mechanism. The electrodes are made up of conducting foil. Between the electrodes lies electrolyte. The active component of electrode is made of intercalation materials that have the efficacy to host Li-ions without dismantling their structures. Most chemistries prefer using graphite to make cathode material (4). Production of active materials: Lithium Carbonate Generally, Lithium is extracted from spodumene or brine-lake deposits (2). Due to energy consumption and economic purposes, brine-lake resources are considered to be more efficient and have the capacity to meet the surging demand of for Li-ion automotive batteries. During the extraction process, extensive pumping of brine from brine well into a solar evaporation pond occurs and the brine is left to concentrate (2). Once sufficient evaporation and concentration has occurred, pumping of brines to successive ponds follows until crystallization and precipitation of sodium chloride and other salts takes place (4). After pumping the brine into 4-5 ponds, addition of slake lime to precipitate calcium and magnesium salts follow. This results to the production of magnesia and gypsum. When more slake-lime is added to the successive ponds, depletion of calcium, magnesium, and sodium salts occurs until brine with capacity of 0.5% lithium can be redirected to a manufacturing plant that extracts l ithium from lithium carbonate. Spodumene Another source of lithium is spodumene. Based on Gaines et al analysis (2), spodumene is a mineral that consist of lithium aluminium inosilicate LiAl(SiO3) (p.6). Due to efficiency concerns, its production from minerals has drastically reduced. Eventually, new cost-effective technique, which involves production from salars, has been discovered (1). Nevertheless, producers still consider extraction from mineral deposits, in pursuit of achieving supply diversification and reducing reliability of the external suppliers (4). Besides extracting and processing the ore and raw spodumene must be subjected to a temperature of 1000oC in order to effectively transform alpha to beta and facilitate percolation using sulphuric acid (2). The next process involves recovering of lithium in form of lithium salts. Cathode production The materials that are used in making cathode are manufactured through oxidation of lithium carbonate at a very high temperature. Another chemical used in the process is Lithium hydroxide, which requires special handling during mixing process. Reactions in solid state at a range of temperatures between 600 to 800oC are a fundamental requirement to ensure there is maximum crystallization and that suitable structures are obtained (3). Iriyama et al (7) assert that fossil energy is the most suitable for this process. Structural as well as physical features like packing density and morphology are the key determinants in establishing the appropriateness of the material that should be used in cathode for Lithium-ion cells (1). Anode Production The most commonly used materials in anode production are soft carbon, hard carbon, graphite, and mesocarbon micro-bead (6). Essentially, a temperature of 2700oC is needed for graphitization of synthetic graphite materials (2). The process involves huge consumption of energy, particularly fossil fuels. In the recent past, there has been usage of amorphous carbon layer as a robust way of protecting carbonaceous anode cells against corrosion during cell working periods. According to Casas et al (8) process also involves usage of gas-phase substances like methane and propylene, which need to be exposed to a temperature of 700oC to crack them (1). Other materials that have been widely used to supplant graphite anodes in the recent past are components of Lithium titanate (Li4Ti5O12). Li4Ti5O12 is preferred due to its high-energy supply. To produce Li4Ti5O1, a reaction of TitaniaTiO2 and Li2CO3 is conducted in crystalline structure, at a temperature of 859oC, in the air (1). The process is less energy-intensive compared to the graphite production. Another advantage of Li4Ti5O1 is that it does not react with the electrolyte. Li4Ti5O1 anode also allows faster charge/discharge, insofar as the diffusion lengths are not long. However, for Li4Ti5O1 anode to be effective, according to Oloffson (1), they have to be used with high potential cathodes to minimize the open circuit voltage (OCV) (p.22). The weight of the material may also be disadvantageous in locomotive purposes. Inventory analysis The process of assembling battery The first step of manufacturing Li-ion battery involves processing cathode paste, which is obtained from purchased LiCoO2 powder and binder powder, among other additives, followed by intense pumping to the coating machine (2). During the second stage, coating machines facilitate the spreading of the paste into a thickness of 200-250 m on each side of the aluminium foil. 25-40% of the thickness is lost during drying process (2). To achieve a uniform thickness, coated sheet has to be compressed. In the third stage, production of graphite paste takes place, and then distributed on copper foil to develop anodes. Another important activity in this stage is the trimming off the foil edges. Splicing in of the new foil may also result to loss of some quantity of the material since taped area have to be scraped, which can be redirected to recycling machines (4). The fourth stage involves wounding up of the anode, cathode, and the insulator layers, and then fixing them into rectangular or cylindrical casing. Happening at the fifth stage is the filling of the cells with electrolyte and purchased paste from a chemical supplier (1). During the sixth stage, attachment of safety devices, seals, insulters, and valves, followed by plication of the cells is done. At the seventh stage, fabrication of fully discharged cells is conducted by charging them with a cycler. Cyclers have the capacity to supply high current for electric car batteries. The stage also involves conditioning and testingcharging and discharging them repeatedly to authenticate product quality (6). Energy is involved at this stage and caution is paramount at this stage to outbreak of fires due to large capacity of the batteries that are tested. The main purpose of the eighth stage is to fit the cells with electronic circuit gadgets to control the process of charging and discharging (2). At the final stage, non-homogenous electrode devices, defective cells, and other left overs are dumped to the scrap. Scrap materials may be recycled. Recycling of Li-ion battery Recycling of batteries has become more dynamic due to diversification of feedstock, which includes several types of batteries, some of which are inimical to human health in particular and the environment in general. According to Gaines (2), recycling electronic consumer batteries keeps the companies operational until car batteries are disposed for recycling in huge volumes (p.9). The disposal of automotive batteries makes the recycling process efficient and improves standardization exercise. Income obtained from cobalt recovery stimulates the recycling process (3). However, due to decline in the use of cobalt, other initiatives to make the recycling process lucrative business must be identified. Through the recycling process, several materials can be recovered at different stages of production. For instance, smelting process has the efficacy to retrieve the basic elements and salts. Smelting process occurs at very high temperatures and involves burning of carbon anodes and electrolytes as reductant (2). Cobalt and nickel, which are the valuable metals recovered from the process, are redirected to the refining plant to make them more conducive for any purpose. Other elements that are contained in the slag like lithium are used for additive function. Hydrometallurgical process is the main method that is used to recover lithium from the slag (2). The process of recovering battery grade materials demands a high uniform feed since contamination of the feed with impurities may be detrimental to the product quality. Therefore, component must be separated through effective variety of chemical and physical technique to ensure that all active elements are recovered. Other active mater ials may need to be purification to make them appropriate for reuse in new battery cells. However, the separator cannot be reused since its material cannot be recycled. While many papers have discussed recycling of Lithium-ion batteries, only a few companies, 3 to be exact, have detailed germane information that could be used in current analysis. These processes are analysed below: Umicore Process Umicore is a European battery processing company. It gathers used batteries and dispose them to its processing plant, which is designated in Sweden. Once the materials are collected, they are smelted. The next step is combustion of organic materials in the batteries like carbon electrodes, plastics, and electrolyte solvents. The combustion steers the smelter and carbon is used a reductant for some metals. Recovered elements, nickel and cobalt, are shipped to a refinery plant in Belgium, where CoCl2 is manufactured. After processing CoCl2, it is transported to South Korea to manufacture LiCoO2 for battery cells. Recovery of nickel and cobalt helps makes the process efficient, considering that at least 70% of the energy required for their extraction from the sulphide ores is saved. The production process also prevents emission of Sulphur oxide gase. However, the aluminium and lithium elements from the smelting process flows into the slag, which has low value uses. The subjection of was te gases to extremely high temperatures ensures that they are not released into the environment. According to the company, out of 93% recovered lithium-ion batteries, 69% is metal, 10% is carbon, and 14% is plastic (2). The Toxco Process This method has been commonly used in battery processing since 1993 in Canada to manufacture Lithium-ion batteries for different purposes (3). In 2009, Toxco Company was granted a licence by the US Department of Energy to reprocess Lithium-ion battery cells at plant designated at Ohio (2). Through mechanical and chemical recycling process, products obtained from the process are copper cobalt, fluff, and cobalt filter cake (2). Copper cobalt is used to extract metals like copper, cobalt, nickel, and aluminium. On the other hand, cobalt filter cake is reused to coat appliances. Sodium Chloride was added to the resultant solution in order to precipitate Li2Co3. The mechanical and chemical recycling process ensures that the emission is minimized. One benefit of this process is that it is not energy-intensive. Besides, it is possible to recycle at least 60% of the battery pack materials and 10 percent reused. The fluff consists of 25% of the battery pack: it is first landfilled, and then the plastic can be retrieved when their capacity is high enough to ensure there is efficiency (2). Eco-Bat Process Orengon Company is the developer of this process. The company has partnered with RSR, a recycling company in Texas. Eco-Bat process consumes less energy hence it more efficient. The process involves reusing of electrolyte solvent and salts. Like other recycling processes, reusing the separator is impossible. The metal elements are retrieved and used for recycling. Battery pack casing may also be reused, but the process will depend on the system of configuration in place. The process is a quintessentially possibility of design-for-recycling method. Extraction of electrolyte if facilitated by using supercritical CO2, which carries away the salt and can be reused. The CO2 used in this process can be obtained from burning waste. The leftovers from the structure can be broken down into small fragments to enhance the separation process. This process ensures that active elements are recovered and the new battery is manufactured with minimal treatment. About 80% of the materials used in the process can be recycle. However, the method requires additional separation process to process a mixed feed and to produce high quality final products. Impact analysis: Comparison to total Life-Cycle Energy This section provides a brief evaluation of inventory development based on cradle-to-gate (CTG) life cycle performance of Lithium-ion battery. This involves investigation of alternative fuels as well as advanced automotive technology. Total energy cycle analysis remains the germane approach in this process, which includes plug and the vehicle cycle. The complete energy phases include (a) energy cycle, which is composed of categories, pump-to-wheel (PTW) and wheel-to-pump stages, (b) automotive cycle, which involves battery production. Gaines (2) uses GREET 1.8d.0 and GREET 2.7 to assess the total energy cycle of PHEV20 to establish that there is significant difference between life cycle energy use and the vehicle cycle. At PHEV20, WTP accounts for 23% while PTW accounts for 61%. This reflects the entire environmental score. Large amount of life cycle energy used during battery processing cannot be retrieved during recycling. Nevertheless, materials like copper, aluminium, nickel, and still were able to be recycled. Impact of the Production and recycling process to the environment Moot discussion on environmental impact is corollary to any type of technological development that involves switching from fossil energy. The main challenge with using lithium-ion battery cells is that there is scarcity of lithium. Lithium-ion battery cells are the only material that can be used in manufacturing electric vehicles, with no substitute. The main contentious issue is what will happen in the event that there is scarcity of lithium. There is still no satisfying evidence that the rate at which lithium is processed will be consistent with rate at which electric vehicles will be manufactured. The geographical location is another factor. Currently, lithium deposits are only concentrated in Bolivia and Chile, though other countries like China, Belgium, and Canada have reserves in lower capacity. Manganese, cobalt, and nickel, which are possible elements in the cathode foils, are also scarce. Expansion of electric vehicles may easily lead to their depletion. On the other hand, c opper is very expensive and may not be cost-effective. Improvement analysis The research on how to extract sufficient lithium ores should be intensified. Since there is no actual data that could be used to determine the actual thickness that may result to crash, an investigation should be carried out to fill the gap. The life cycle lengths and their impacts to the environment should further be investigated to establish the best techniques of recycling lithium and reducing emission. Besides, the durability of batteries should be validated with effective experiments, which are faster and efficient. Since cooling process is vital stage in battery pack, the choice of cooling system should be made with a lot of care to reduce the volume of impurities during the process. Conclusion Based on the results obtained from the assessment of life cycle of Li-ion, it is evident that recycling of materials used to recycle lithium significantly reduces the amount of energy used in the production of the material. This is a significant step towards achieving energy efficiency and reducing emissions. However, there is still lack of credible process that can effectively result to voluminous extraction and processing of lithium ions. Bibliography Olofsson, Y. Life Cycle Assessment of Lithium-ion Batteries for Plug-in Hybrid Buses. Master's thesis, Chalmers University of Technology, 2013. Gaines, L., A. Burnham, and John L. Sullivan. "Life-Cycle Analysis for Lithium-Ion BatteryProductionandRecycling."2011.https://www.researchgate.net/publication/265158823_Paper_No_113891_LifeCycle_Analysis_for_LithiumIon_Battery_Production_and_Recycling. Nelson, Paul A., and Dennis W. Dees. Modelling the Performance and Cost of Lithium-Ion Batteries for Electric-Drive Vehicles. 2012. doi:10.2172/1209682. Young, Kwo-Hsiung. "Research in Nickel/Metal Hydride Batteries 2016." Batteries 2, no. 4 (2016), 31. doi:10.3390/batteries2040031 Li, Huiqiao, and Haoshen Zhou. ChemInform Abstract: Enhancing the Performances of Li-Ion Batteries by Carbon-Coating: Present and Future. ChemInform 43, no. 22 (2012), no-no. doi:10.1002/chin.201222267 Dunn, Jennifer B., and Linda Gaines. Life Cycle Analysis Summary for Automotive Lithium-Ion Battery Production and Recycling. REWAS 2016, 2016, 73-79. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-48768-7_11. Iriyama, Yasutoshi, and Zempachi Ogumi. "Solid ElectrodeInorganic Solid Electrolyte Interface for Advanced All-Solid-State Rechargeable Lithium Batteries." Handbook of Solid State Batteries, 2015, 337-364. doi:10.1142/9789814651905_0010. Casas, Montse, and M. Palacn. Electrode Materials for Lithium-Ion Rechargeable Batteries." Advanced Materials for Clean Energy, 2015, 229-270. doi:10.1201/b18287-9.