Overview
IEC 63369-1:2026 specifies the general requirements and methodology for the calculation of the carbon footprint of industrial lithium-ion battery systems, covering the full life cycle from cradle to grave. This international standard lays the foundational principles for assessing the environmental impact associated with industrial Li-ion batteries, providing a consistent and comprehensive approach for manufacturers, purchasers, and stakeholders who are seeking to evaluate and compare battery solutions. The methodology described is based exclusively on attributional life cycle assessment (LCA), ensuring reliable, data-driven results that are comparable across different lithium-ion chemistries and classes of industrial batteries.
The standard is not applicable to portable batteries, SLI (Starting, Lighting, and Ignition) batteries, or batteries for electric road vehicle traction. It also explicitly excludes the carbon footprint calculation of charging equipment and power conversion systems not essential to battery function.
Key Topics
IEC 63369-1:2026 covers several critical areas in the calculation of carbon footprint for industrial Li-ion batteries:
- General Requirements: Outlines scope, terms, and key definitions for carbon footprint assessment in industrial contexts.
- Methodology: Provides a structured, detailed approach to evaluating the life cycle carbon emissions, including raw material acquisition, production, distribution, use, and end-of-life stages.
- Functional Units and System Boundaries: Defines performance-based metrics (such as energy delivered or service life) and system boundaries to ensure comparability.
- Data Quality: Sets out requirements for data collection, differentiation between primary and secondary data, and evaluation of data quality.
- Classes of Representative Products: Establishes categories of battery applications (e.g., mobile and stationary equipment) for tailored and relevant comparisons.
- Carbon Footprint Formula: Introduces the use of a Circular Footprint Formula (CFF) with parameters for accurate and transparent emissions calculation.
- Exclusions: Second-life uses and unintended post-market applications are not included.
- Electricity Modeling: Describes approaches for accounting for energy from the grid, on-site generation, or contractual purchase agreements.
Applications
Implementation of IEC 63369-1:2026 provides practical benefits and broad applicability across the industrial battery value chain:
- Purchaser Decision Making: Enables battery buyers to use standardized carbon footprint data to inform procurement and product selection, contributing to sustainable supply chain practices.
- Product Comparison: Facilitates fair and consistent comparison of carbon emissions across solutions from different manufacturers and chemistries within defined classes.
- Eco-Design and Development: Supports battery manufacturers and system designers in improving product environmental performance by identifying major emission sources and enabling targeted reductions.
- Regulatory and Voluntary Programs: The methodology can serve as the basis for compliance with climate-related regulations, reporting frameworks, and voluntary sustainability initiatives at organizational or sector levels.
- Life Cycle Management: Provides stakeholders with an effective tool to assess, optimize, and report the environmental impacts of batteries across their operational life cycle.
Related Standards
Several related standards and documents complement or support IEC 63369-1:2026:
- IEC 62619 / IEC 62620: Provide safety and performance requirements for industrial lithium-ion batteries referenced within IEC 63369-1.
- IEC 63369-2 (in development): Will address specific applications of the carbon footprint calculation methodology.
- IEC 63369-3 (in development): Will provide default values for CFF parameters based on geographic area.
- ISO 14040 / ISO 14044: Fundamental standards on life cycle assessment (LCA), foundational to the attributional LCA approach adopted in IEC 63369-1.
- ISO 14067: Specifies requirements and guidelines for carbon footprint of products and is directly referenced for definitions and concepts.
- ISO 14021: Relates to environmental self-declarations and eco-labeling practices.
IEC 63369-1 positions itself as an essential resource for consistent, transparent, and effective carbon footprint calculation in the rapidly growing sector of industrial lithium-ion batteries, supporting the advancement of global sustainability goals.