The electric vehicle revolution is genuinely in full swing, with almost one out of every 4 new vehicles having a plug in 2024. The core element of that revolution is the batteries, and the essence of those batteries is a handful of metals. So, the most critical conundrum is how … [continued]
The US Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) program has been stimulating, funding, and supporting early-stage energy technologies and companies for several years now, since it was formed in 2009 under the Obama administration. From cutting-edge batteries to next-gen solar, ARPA-E aims to be ahead of the curve … [continued]
Researchers have developed a new cathode for lithium ion batteries that is a drop-in replacement for cobalt and nickel.
MIT chemists developed a battery cathode based on organic materials, which could reduce the EV industry’s reliance on scarce metals. Many electric vehicles are powered by batteries that contain cobalt — a metal that carries high financial, environmental, and social costs. MIT researchers have now designed a battery material that … [continued]
Electric vehicle (EV) battery recycling is crucial to a sustainable, electrified transportation system. A substantial portion of key minerals for electrifying could come from recycled batteries by 2050, dramatically reducing the need for new mining. But how those batteries are recycled can make a big difference—we must use recycling processes with high … [continued]
When we think of where lithium comes from, we think of South America (Chile specifically), Australia, and the US a bit — with processing in China, of course. We don’t think of Africa. However, Africa has resources, and the expectation is that the continent will be a much bigger source … [continued]
The U.S. Geological Survey will invest more than $5.8 million to map critical-mineral resources in Alaska in partnership with the Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys. This partnership is a key step in securing a reliable and sustainable supply of the critical minerals that are essential to everything from … [continued]
A CleanTechnica interviewee argues that automakers cannot make the excuse that it’s too complicated to know who their suppliers are and how their suppliers are violating human rights.
Lithium-ion batteries are a rapidly growing technology, used to power everything from our mobile phones to electric vehicles to renewable energy systems. Lithium-ion batteries generally have a much longer lifespan than anti-EV commentators would lead people to believe, and once they’re too degraded for vehicle use, they serve for years … [continued]
Rethink Energy recently produced a report, available for purchase here, that analyzes the surge in battery raw material demand in the near future. The answer to the question “Can the mining industry keep up?” is a qualified “yes.” It may be a bumpy road with supply constraints affecting the commodity … [continued]
